On 29 March 1905, the Singapore Tramways was officially acquired by the Singapore Electric Tramways Limited. The electric tramways opened to public on 24 July 1905 to little fanfare. Run-ins with bullock carts and rickshaw drivers as well as vandals troubled the electric tram operations. The growth of the island's commerce provided the impetus for increased hauls, which included passengers, though human traffic on the trams saw slow growth. The competition from rickshaws remained stiff. Nonetheless, the reduction in tram fares increased ridership to 32,000 in 1909; at the end of that year, the company was in the black – albeit with an ultra-modest profit of £134.26.