Blue Line to rip out 30% of seats to increase capacity.

[Crossy]

According to their FaceBook page https://www.facebook.com/BEM.MRT/posts/10155915308979516 BEM are going to remove the centre section of seats in all train cars. Starting on 20th November one train will be modified to gauge public response. No doubt the response will be !positive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Metapod]

not that bad of an idea really. the mrt has been insane in the evening when heading to Tai Poon direction. I used to take it every day from Asoke to Huay Kwang and sometimes I would have to wait for 5-6 trains before I could even get on. Complete sardine experience. 

[Crossy]

New York are in the process of introducing folding seats, the idea being that they are locked in the folded position during rush hours.

 

 

[webfact]

 

Bangkok Subway Removes Seats To Save Space

By Teeranai Charuvastra, Staff Reporter

 

Image: @BEM_MRT / Twitter

 

BANGKOK — Some Bangkokians slumping into the subway this morning may have noticed something missing – seats.

Did a mass theft occur Sunday night? Nope. They were removed from portions of some trains on the MRT Blue Line as an experiment to reduce passenger congestion, the system’s operator announced Monday morning.

 

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/transpo/2017/11/20/bangkok-subway-removes-seats-save-space/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2017-11-20

[Bobobirdiebuddy]

OK, that's kind of worth a try.  Another car would help but my biggest complaint about the MRT is the "Zone of Terror" at the ends of each car where there isn't anything to hold onto. There is the middle pole but nothing around it (ala the BTS).  I hate being stuck there, grabbing onto my fellow riders or trying to put a hand on the ceiling for support.  They need to fix this but I am not holding my breath.

[Bigfarang1948]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

 

Bangkok Subway Removes Seats To Save Space

By Teeranai Charuvastra, Staff Reporter

 

Image: @BEM_MRT / Twitter

 

BANGKOK — Some Bangkokians slumping into the subway this morning may have noticed something missing – seats.

Did a mass theft occur Sunday night? Nope. They were removed from portions of some trains on the MRT Blue Line as an experiment to reduce passenger congestion, the system’s operator announced Monday morning.

 

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/transpo/2017/11/20/bangkok-subway-removes-seats-save-space/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2017-11-20

Seats removed to reduce congestion?  Help me understand how removing seats is going to lessen the number of sardines in these cans? It seem logical, to me, at least, removing seats just lets more people crowd in and pack cheek to cheek, if you get my meaning. Oh well. Maybe I am sleepy or missing the real logic here.  ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

[WinnieTheKhwai]

44 minutes ago, Bigfarang1948 said:

Seats removed to reduce congestion?  Help me understand how removing seats is going to lessen the number of sardines in these cans? It seem logical, to me, at least, removing seats just lets more people crowd in and pack cheek to cheek, if you get my meaning. Oh well. Maybe I am sleepy or missing the real logic here.  ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

 

[newnative]

    Instead of removing seats they need to be adding rail cars.  Some trains often only have 5 or 6 rail cars and no matter when I travel, it's always crowded.  They need to check out Sydney's double decker rail cars.  Bangkok really needs to step it up with its metro--it's getting ever more usage but is really not that good as it is. Especially poor for tourists as there are few fare card machines at most stations so often long waits to buy a card.   and needs lots of improvements.

[Searat7]

As I recall the MRT opened in August 2004 and they have never added one new train car ! You would think they would have anticipated the increased ridership of the Purple Line by ordering more cars. Also their cars are practically identical to BTS so they could have piggybacked on the BTS order with Siemens to get the best pricing.

[snoop1130]

MRT Metro trials removing seating to ease overcrowding

By The Nation

 

Photo from: MRT Bangkok Metro's Facebook fanpage

 

MRT Metro has removed seating from the middle of all the carriages in one of its subway trains in an effort to alleviate overcrowding during rush-hour periods.

 

The official Facebook fanpage of MRT Metro announced on Monday that it had started a trial run of the measure to increase the space available for passengers.

 

The subway operator also asked passengers to move down inside the carriage after boarding in order to open up the additional space for other passengers.

 

The company’s latest effort to solve the passenger-traffic problem was met with both praise and criticism from passengers, as some said the idea could increase capacity during rush hours and speed up passenger flow, while others questioned why the Mass Rapid Transit Authority did not solve the problem by adding more trains to the service.

 

MRT Metro has a poor reputation among Bangkokians that the service is often overcrowded during the morning and evening rush-hour periods, resulting in many passengers at the larger stations having to wait in very long queues to get onto trains, with subsequent disruption to their work and other schedules.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30332079

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-11-20

[SABloke]

4 hours ago, newnative said:

    Instead of removing seats they need to be adding rail cars.  Some trains often only have 5 or 6 rail cars and no matter when I travel, it's always crowded.  They need to check out Sydney's double decker rail cars.  Bangkok really needs to step it up with its metro--it's getting ever more usage but is really not that good as it is. Especially poor for tourists as there are few fare card machines at most stations so often long waits to buy a card.   and needs lots of improvements.

Double decker trains in a single decker underground tunnel. Brilliant 

[wotsdermatter]

The removal of seats will directly affect people who are handicapped, as I am, because we cannot find somewhere to sit down instead of hanging around on the overhead straps which means we are less stable.  Or is it that handicapped people are not people.  In Toronto, where I am at the moment, all public transportation have designated seats for the handicapped.  Sometimes these are occupied by non-handicapped but give up the seats when they are needed.

[kingstonkid]

i 

8 minutes ago, wotsdermatter said:

The removal of seats will directly affect people who are handicapped, as I am, because we cannot find somewhere to sit down instead of hanging around on the overhead straps which means we are less stable.  Or is it that handicapped people are not people.  In Toronto, where I am at the moment, all public transportation have designated seats for the handicapped.  Sometimes these are occupied by non-handicapped but give up the seats when they are needed.

I agree as it is if it is rush hour I will not take the train.  It again makes more sense to limit luggage and leave the sets in. At least eventually us old guys might get a seat.  There is also going to be the monk issue as they are not to stand or touch females.  Really on the service, it is not a bad idea but they really do need to look at it.  The idea of locking seats up would be a better choice say starting at 4 and until 7.  Anyone that has to sit could then schedule their travel accordingly.

[webfact]

MRT operator ditches seats as it struggles with passenger surge

By THE NATION

 

Photo from: MRT Bangkok Metro's Facebook fanpage

 

THE MRT Metro blue line operator is trying to solve problems associated with overcrowded trains by removing seats in the middle |train cars to provide more space for passengers.

 

Bangkok Expressway and Metro Public Company Limited (BEM) managing director Sombat Kitjalaksana said yesterday the removal of the seats was a temporary measure to increase passenger capacity on the MRT Metro blue line system as BEM waited for the delivery of new trains.

 

A statement, announced on the official MRT Metro Facebook page, said yesterday was the first day of a trial period, as one of the 19 trains in service had been modified by removing the seats.

 

Sombat added that the removal of seats would not affect safety, but admitted that some passengers might “feel odd” due to the change.

 

However, he said removing seats was a common practice in many countries and BEM had also implemented other measures to solve the overcrowding problem such as increasing the number of staff during rush hour and maintaining a stock of train spare parts to reduce delays during service disruptions.

 

“I also would like to ask passengers to be prepared before getting onto the train and leaving the train. 

 

“They should queue in line to board the train to speed up the passenger flow,” Sombat said. Aim Chato, a frequent passenger on the MRT Metro blue line, said he agreed with the measure.

 

“The intention of the subway system is to transport people to their destination as fast as possible, so it makes sense to get rid of some seats and open additional space for more passengers to board the train,” Aim said.

 

Another passenger, Kitiwat Puttanupap, said the measure could not resolve the overcrowding problem completely and suggested that instead of removing the seats, BEM should add more train cars to increase capacity.

 

“I don’t think this is a good idea [to solve the congestion problem] and it also shows that the company is only looking for more profit, because they do not have to invest in anything to remove the seats, but they can get more passengers,” Kitiwat said.

 

According to an earlier report, Sombat said BEM had purchased 35 new trains for Bt20 billion, which will be ready for service in late 2019, as the company had registered rapid growth in the number of passengers and revenue from subway fares on the MRT Metro blue line.

 

The sharp growth in passengers was attributed to the opening of the “missing link” between the blue line and purple line, as the average number of journeys on the MRT Metro blue line has increased from 340,000 journeys per day to 360,000.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30332093

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-11-21

[George Bowman]

It is true that by removing some seats, the extra space will allow more passengers to board.

[oldcarguy]

remove only one side and leave the other side open.......

 

there are enough people that need to sit down , or Moms with young kids......

 

extra cars are needed......but

 

maybe put handles on the outside so the extra riders can hang on like in India  !

 

[phantomfiddler]

They need to add more trains and also add more ticket dispensing booths, both are in very short supply and the system is currently overloaded !

[LotusBoy]

Something not right it that last photo. Thai not playing Candy Crunch, in fact no phone at all! 

 

Maybe he forgot it that day ?

Edited November 21, 2017 by LotusBoy

[Crossy]

4 minutes ago, phantomfiddler said:

They need to add more trains and also add more ticket dispensing booths, both are in very short supply and the system is currently overloaded !

Actually, encouraging more people to use stored-value or smart-passes is the way to go. Stored-value usage here is around 50%, compare that with Singapore and HongKong where it's close to 100% (I don't recall the last time I saw someone use single ride in either location).

 

[newnative]

12 hours ago, SABloke said:

Double decker trains in a single decker underground tunnel. Brilliant 

   Oops!  My training obviously wasn't in trains!  The Sydney train cars didn't seem that much taller as you went down a short flight of steps to the lower level and up a short flight of stairs to the upper level.  But, if they won't work in BKK then definitely more cars are needed.  If no cars have been added since 2004, as one poster noted, then it is no wonder it is such an unpleasant riding experience fighting to get on the train, fighting to work your way off the train, and enduring a very unpleasant ride in between.  

      For a major city, Bangkok's system is very sub-par in a lot of important things.  Having some extra staff around doesn't really cut it.  It's quite ridiculous to stand in a long, winding line set off with ropes like at Immigration at the airport just to get to a fare card machine.  Having only 3 or 4 machines, with one often out of order, what are they thinking?   Having to set up rope barriers to manage the long lines should be an easy tip off that more machines are needed, stat.  (And the fact that there are such long lines at the fare machines might also be a tip off that more train cars are needed, too!)

 

[gk10002000]

16 hours ago, Searat7 said:

As I recall the MRT opened in August 2004 and they have never added one new train car ! You would think they would have anticipated the increased ridership of the Purple Line by ordering more cars. Also their cars are practically identical to BTS so they could have piggybacked on the BTS order with Siemens to get the best pricing.

I used to love the BTS.   Maybe I managed to avoid all the rush hour times, and so I usually had a seat and would enjoy sitting and looking out the window.  Heck it is like an amusement ride.  But the last few times were pretty crowded.  OK for short trips, but not much of a tourist attraction any more.

[Jonmarleesco]

22 hours ago, Crossy said:

New York are in the process of introducing folding seats, the idea being that they are locked in the folded position during rush hours.

 

 

That takes innovative thinking, obviously something of a stretch for the MRT's management. Ripping out seats and having a few additional passengers stand is far and away the easier - and more profitable - option. 

[Jonmarleesco]

16 hours ago, Searat7 said:

As I recall the MRT opened in August 2004 and they have never added one new train car ! You would think they would have anticipated the increased ridership of the Purple Line by ordering more cars. Also their cars are practically identical to BTS so they could have piggybacked on the BTS order with Siemens to get the best pricing.

Siemens aren't Chinese. The Chinese are not only Thailand's latest best buddy but provided the last lot of BTS carriages - you can quickly recognise them by the door seals that stick out. 

 

[Bangkok Barry]

The population of Bangkok, London and New York are approximately the same. London usually has eight cars, New York 12. Bangkok? Four or at the max six.

Rather than force people to stand, how about adding more cars. Sure it costs money, but the companies must be making vast profits from so many passengers. If they aren't then they need to replace the management with people who know how to turn passengers into profit.

[hansnl]

14 hours ago, wotsdermatter said:

The removal of seats will directly affect people who are handicapped, as I am, because we cannot find somewhere to sit down instead of hanging around on the overhead straps which means we are less stable.  Or is it that handicapped people are not people.  In Toronto, where I am at the moment, all public transportation have designated seats for the handicapped.  Sometimes these are occupied by non-handicapped but give up the seats when they are needed.

Would the latter be possible in Thailand?

[hansnl]

15 hours ago, SABloke said:

Double decker trains in a single decker underground tunnel. Brilliant 

It all depends on the available height in the tunnel(s), the existing floor to rail depth and how high you want ceilings to be.

Thus a brilliant idea to research.

 

[shady86]

Should be done with BTS during rush hour as well. Most of the riders prefers to stand near the doors instead of moving inside, really frustrating for people waiting outside.

[shady86]

15 hours ago, wotsdermatter said:

The removal of seats will directly affect people who are handicapped, as I am, because we cannot find somewhere to sit down instead of hanging around on the overhead straps which means we are less stable.  Or is it that handicapped people are not people.  In Toronto, where I am at the moment, all public transportation have designated seats for the handicapped.  Sometimes these are occupied by non-handicapped but give up the seats when they are needed.

 

Priority seats don't exist here, I always see young people seating there and facing their phones, ignoring the rest of the world. You would be lucky to get a priority seat here.

Edited November 21, 2017 by shady86

[dcpo]

20 minutes ago, shady86 said:

Should be done with BTS during rush hour as well. Most of the riders prefers to stand near the doors instead of moving inside, really frustrating for people waiting outside.

I also ride the BTS during rush hour. Very frustrating. I call it the wall of indifference (when I'm being polite). The group of people who cluster round the central pole and refuse either to back up into empty space near the opposite door, or to move so other people can get past. They just give you a dumb look, like they don't even understand what the problem is. And then there's the people people who step on the train like they've never been on one before. They get on, stop dead, then do little half turns like they're planning their next move. Just get on the <deleted> train and move into the available space. Make space for other people as needed. It's not difficult.

[newnative]

11 minutes ago, dcpo said:

I also ride the BTS during rush hour. Very frustrating. I call it the wall of indifference (when I'm being polite). The group of people who cluster round the central pole and refuse either to back up into empty space near the opposite door, or to move so other people can get past. They just give you a dumb look, like they don't even understand what the problem is. And then there's the people people who step on the train like they've never been on one before. They get on, stop dead, then do little half turns like they're planning their next move. Just get on the <deleted> train and move into the available space. Make space for other people as needed. It's not difficult.

I think many don't want to move deeper into the train car because the cars get so packed with people it's very hard to exit  and very unpleasant having to push your way through people packed in so tightly. Some may worry about missing their stop while they try to worm their way to the exit.