Bangkok’s era of open-air buses to end in 2022

[webfact]

Bangkok’s era of open-air buses to end in 2022

By The Nation

 

 

The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) aims to have all non-aircon buses off the roads by 2022.

 

“We plan to decommission all buses that have been in service for 29 years, particularly open-air buses,” acting director Prayoon Choygeo said recently.

The authority plans to upgrade the bus fleet with natural gas vehicles and hybrid vehicles.

 

 

Decommissioned buses still in relatively good condition would be donated to state schools, local administrative bodies and other state organisations in need.

 

“Buses in poor condition will be sold and their components recycled,” Prayoon said. 

 

 

BMTA buses carry more than 1.2 million passengers around the capital and neighbouring provinces every day, generating Bt11 million in revenues. 

 

An informed source said the BMTA decided to get rid of its open-window buses because temperatures are steadily rising due to climate change. 

 

Air-conditioned buses, though the fare is higher, are now widely preferred, and low-income earners can receive state subsidies. 

 

Welfare cards issued to people who earn Bt100,000 a year or less include Bt500 for bus fare.

 

The source said passengers who object to an end to open-air bus services “can make their voices heard”.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30365954

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-03-18

[rkidlad]

Always wondered why anyone would get on an open-air bus when the aircon ones are just a few baht more expensive - then you realise that the people using them are the absolute lowest earners and a few baht everyday makes a huge difference. I had the misfortune of using one when it was raining. It was like being in a polluted sauna. Never again. 

[Burma Bill]

Quote:

"“Buses in poor condition will be sold and their components recycled"

I wonder where these old components will be recycled - in the Inter City buses????

[KhunBENQ]

3 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

I wonder where these old components will be recycled - in the Inter City buses????

Dumped in Isan. Adding to the fleet.

[Krataiboy]

Sounds like they've sucked in the climate change propaganda along with the city's notoriously severe air pollution - which is a far better reason to roll out a new,  air-conditioned fleet.

[dapperdan]

I ride them regularly. Which ever one comes first. The breeze cools it down. You get used to it and skytrain is always crowded. Skytrain is overpriced to hold down ridership. Can’t even get on. Set up bus lane only and add the new buses to the fleet. Thais are used to heat

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

13 hours ago, webfact said:

Decommissioned buses still in relatively good condition would be donated to state schools, local administrative bodies and other state organisations in need.

 

The sad thing is, in the past year or so, the BMTA has had a couple of its air con buses burst into flames while carrying passengers on the road, two I can think of on Sukhumvit Road in recent memory... I think due to their fuel systems.....   The old ones, they just eventually get crashed and die!

 

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30344970

 

Quote

The BMTA imposed the maximum fine of Bt5,000 on Pornpin Transport and removed the problematic bus from the list of vehicles qualified to provide transport services. 

 

Was there any way they were going to keep the bus in service after this???

 

 

Edited March 18, 2019 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Nyezhov]

28 minutes ago, dapperdan said:

I ride them regularly. Which ever one comes first. The breeze cools it down. You get used to it and skytrain is always crowded. Skytrain is overpriced to hold down ridership. Can’t even get on. Set up bus lane only and add the new buses to the fleet. Thais are used to heat

The bus is way to complicated for my small brain, so I use it to roll up and down main roads if necessary. Sometimes im just not in the mood to walk that last 2 miles.

 

PS the Skytrain is great!

[Cadbury]

15 hours ago, webfact said:

Bangkok’s era of open-air buses to end in 2022

Open air buses indeed! What a load of crap! Call them for what they are. Smoke belching rattletraps held together with rivets and bodyfiller with drivers who think they are on the Le mans race track and get great enjoyment out of throwing standing passengers around like rag dolls as they swerve between lanes at break-neck speeds. They are cheap and get you to where you want to go.......but!

Believe me they will still be on the streets of Bangkok for a lot longer than 2022. Thai greed will make sure of that.

[Nyezhov]

I like the manual trannys in them, the driver has to reach out like 5 feet to shift, like jab the clutch and hurl this giant lever backwards while steering around MCs, totally cool,..... 

[Damrongsak]

I used to ride those from my house at Pratunam to the US Embassy when I worked there.  40 years ago, air con buses were scarce.

[Redline]

Thailand  5.0?