#trending: ‘Wholesome’ video of commuters cheering Tengah’s new bus interchange charms netizens

SINGAPORE — A video showing commuters turning up early on Sunday (July 21) morning to cheer the opening of Tengah’s new bus interchange has gone viral.
The clip was posted on social media platform TikTok by Mr Adam Lee, a 36-year-old singer and video editor. 
Many who turned up at the new Tengah Bus Interchange were “bus spotters”, who are transport enthusiasts passionate about spotting models of buses on the roads, Mr Lee said.
Speaking to TODAY on Monday, Mr Lee — an avid bus spotter himself — said that he arrived at the new interchange at 4.30am on Sunday, but was refused entry by security and was only allowed to enter at 4.50am.
“The first bus to leave Tengah was (service number) 992 at 5.05am. Prior to that, there were photo opportunities for the bus enthusiasts as well,” Mr Lee added. 
The interchange, managed by bus operator Tower Transit Singapore, was officially opened on Sunday, along with new bus service number 871. It connects Tengah to Bukit Batok West, Bukit Gombak and Beauty World MRT Station.
The lack of transport options was one of the concerns that Tengah’s early residents raised to TODAY last year. Their other gripes included poor mobile connectivity and the prevalence of dust and mosquitoes. 
The new interchange will enhance connectivity in the area, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a press release on July 5.
As of Monday afternoon, Mr Lee’s video had garnered more than 143,000 views and more than 7,000 likes.
It drew comments from viewers who called the zealousness of the bus spotters “cute” and the video “wholesome”. Others, however, were sceptical about the efforts to improve the new town’s connectivity.
In response to TODAY’s queries on Monday, a Tower Transit spokesperson said that about 30 bus enthusiasts showed up at the interchange at 4am on Sunday to snap photos of the buses.
“To mark the occasion, we invited them to join us for a group photo in front of the first bus 871. We also gave out commemorative bus guides for 871 and (Tower Transit) teddy bears,” the spokesperson added.
In his 51-second clip, Mr Lee recorded how some bus spotters rushed to take photos of bus service 992 as it rolled into the interchange. 
Bus 992 is a service started in September last year to connect residents to amenities between Tengah and Bukit Batok West.
In LTA’s press release, the authority said that bus 992’s service route will be extended to reach Tengah Garden Walk, Tengah Drive and Tengah Boulevard before terminating at the new interchange.
Another existing bus service, 870, will also be extended to connect to the interchange via Tengah Boulevard.
The video also showed parts of the new interchange, including an overhead banner that read “Welcome to Tengah Bus Interchange” to greet commuters.
Several Tower Transit staff members were seen handing out pamphlets about the new bus service and route, detailing the stops along the way.
The bus spotters and Tower Transit employees even gathered for a photo in front of a bus, with cheers erupting from the group afterward.
Soon after, the inaugural bus 871 drove into the interchange, and each commuter was given a Tower Transit plush teddy bear to commemorate the special occasion before they boarded.
On board, staff members were heard cheerfully telling passengers to “enjoy (themselves)” on the bus’s maiden journey. 
Before the bus set off, a staff member announced that a “launch event” would be held on July 28 to celebrate the new interchange and bus service. Passengers were encouraged to attend the event, which would feature free snacks and some festivities.
“It’s going to be a bit of a carnival here,” the staff member added. Staff members sporting yellow vests were then seen waving goodbye to the passengers as the bus set off on the new route.
Mr Lee, who will be a Tengah resident when his Build-to-Order flat at Garden Court is completed later this year, said that the interchange is “huge and is filled with many amenities, and is also inclusive and accessible”.
“Many will argue that there is the lack of air-conditioning, but keep in mind this is a new interim bus interchange. The future integrated transport hub will be at Tengah Central with the upcoming Tengah MRT,” he added.
Many TikTok users praised Tower Transit for its efforts in engaging the public.
One commended the operator’s efforts to engage with bus spotters: “It is in the best interests of these transport companies to engage positively like this with (commuters), I don’t know why they don’t do this more often.”
On the other hand, some people were not as impressed, saying that Tengah was “ulu”, a Singlish term used to describe inaccessibility.
TODAY reported in December last year about the transport woes of Tengah residents, with many complaining about the lack of amenities and food options in the area.
On top of that, many parents bemoaned the lack of buses that connected to nearby primary schools in the area.
Other issues that residents faced included the frequent cancellation of rides on ride-hailing applications when private-hire car drivers were unable to find residents’ locations. 
One TikTok user wrote in a sarcastic comment: “Do I need to bring my passport to Tengah?”
Another said that it would be better to be “homeless” than living in Tengah.
On the enthusiasm of commuters and Tower Transit staff members, someone wrote: “It always feels the best for the first few days. Slowly the warmth, smiles, the wholesome (feelings) will die off as time goes by.”
On such remarks, Mr Lee said that the existing bus services 992 and 870 help to connect residents to different MRT lines, but having a few bus routes that connect to central parts of Singapore such as Orchard Road and Marina Bay is still essential.
“Other new towns such as Punggol are still developing even today, with the Punggol North MRT Station and bus interchange coming up. I believe with time, Tengah will have a good network of buses in tandem with the upcoming Jurong Region Line,” Mr Lee said.
Tower Transit’s spokesperson added that the company “hopes to continue to engage the residents of Tengah as they move in progressively”, and will continue to hold activities at the new interchange.