BMTA told to embrace new rehab plan

[snoop1130]

BMTA told to embrace new rehab plan

By The Nation

 

Saksayam Chidchob, Transport Minister

 

Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob has instructed the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) to improve its business rehabilitation plan.

 

He made the remark at a conference on Wednesday (January 15), saying that if the BMTA adopted the original plan approved by the Cabinet in 2019, it might lead to improvement in the short-term, but would eventually land the public transport agency back in losses again. 

 

“The new business rehabilitation plan aimed to solve traffic congestion and air pollution, providing better service and lower fares,” he said.

 

“We expected the BMTA borad to review the plan and submit it to the Ministry of Transport within February this year. It would take less than a month before the proposal is forwarded to the Cabinet”.

 

BMTA Director Surachai Eamvachirasakul said the main objective of the new rehabilitation plan is that the authority will rent 3,000 buses instead of buying new vehicles and improving existing ones. 

 

“The authority will pay the rental fees depending on actual running distance (baht/per kilometre) to reduce the cost of procurement and maintenance which is currently at a high level of approximately Bt50 per kilometre,” he said.

 

“In addition, the authority will focus on renting air-conditioned buses driven by eco-friendly fuel, such as hybrid buses or buses that use electricity or natural gas. Also, we will collect fares in the form of daily tickets and monthly tickets with an unlimited number of trips, along with individual tickets to reduce the cost for passengers”.

 

He said the new proposal will lower the investment by Bt11 billion from Bt27.21 billion under the orginal plan which called for Bt14.11 billion on buying and improving buses, Bt7.09 billion on rentals, and Bt6 billion for an early retirement project.

 

“The new plan needs a total investment of just Bt16 billion, divided into Bt10 billion of government subsidies under Thailand International Public Sector Standard Management System and Outcomes (PSO), at Bt2 billion per year for five years, and Bt6 billion for an early retirement scheme,” he said.

 

“Moreover, the authority will lower the number of routes from 269 to 104 routes because we found that more than 20-30 routes were overlapping”.

 

He added that BMTA will invite affiliate bus service providers with licences to from a network, pricing fares equal to that of the BMTA at Bt30 throughout the day.

 

“This guideline is not complusory, but we believed the affiliate bus service providers would cooperate with us,” he added. “If some of them did not agree, they can collect fare at the rate of Bt15-25 per trip. This may cause people to pay more, but it is up to them”.

 

Meanwhile, Patthawadee Klomcharoon, an affiliate bus service operator and former president of the affiliate bus operator association, said that they are ready to support the new plan and ready to team up with the BMTA.

 

“We will bring over 1,500 buses to provide services on 50 routes. We believe the guideline will generate revenue with low risk as we will only be responsible for the maintenance cost,” she said.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30380656

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-01-16

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

[Curt1591]

“Moreover, the authority will lower the number of routes from 269 to 104 routes because we found that more than 20-30 routes were overlapping”.

One of the biggest gripes I have is the convoluted routes. Rather than keeping to a basic north / south, east / west scheme, they meander all over the city, making little or no sense. My guess is that "reasoning" behind it is that it allows someone from the northeast side of the city to get to the southwest, without having to ride / pay 2 buses. Another theory is that they run by different managers' relatives' houses! 

I think it would be better to allow one transfer. Get from north, to south, then transfer to a perpendicular route. 

Edited January 16, 2020 by Curt1591