PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Bus route No. 8 offers poorest service: public bus poll
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt's Facebook poll said Bangkok bus's route No. 8 was voted the worst bus service.

The route won 223 points for the poor services.

Ranked second was the route No. 44 (31 points), followed by the route No. 1 (23 points), the routes No. 16 and 92 (18 points) and the routes No. 75 and 122 (17 points).

Other routes with more than five votes included the routes No. 6, 12, 27, 28, 29, 33, 38, 39, 56, 67, 71, 77, 79, 82, 108, 123 and 206.

Top 10 complaints the poll drew were:

1. Bus drivers’ speeding, reckless and road rage driving

2. Bus drivers’ failure to pick up passengers at bus stop, to properly pull up at bus stop

3. Deterioration of bus condition

4. Parking for too long, waiting for more customers, leading to traffic jam and onboard passengers’ waste of time

5. Few buses on some routes such as Lat Phrao-Muang Thong, Thon Buri-Bangkok Yai-Wongwian Yai and Kaset Nawamin Road

6. Inconsistency of bus availability at certain periods of the day

7. Bus service at some routes too short, ending by 9pm

8. Private and small bus employees’ poor manner and service skill, alcohol drinking/smoking

9. Taxis and public transport vans parking on left lane, causing traffic jam

10. Lack of information at bus stops.

The poll's results would be analysed and submitted to the minister.

Chadchart is on the mission to overhaul the public bus service.


-- The Nation 2013-08-15

I am glad that I have no clue where all these routes would bring me

Nothing new here. A similar poll a few years ago highlighted the problems with the number 8 bus, and in particular the reckless driving. Common knowledge, yet nothing has been done about it.

Might I add busses that run infrequently and try to squeeze in 200 people when they do finally come leading to much annoyance and anger not to mention things getting broken from 50 people trying to elbow you out the way in all frickin directions !!!

Not surprised at all

Posts have been removed from view. This topic is not a Thai bashing opportunity. Thai bashing (or any bashing) is not welcome on Thai Visa.

Driver misbehaviour is obviously unforgivable, but that aside I think Bangkok's buses are actually a credit to the city - they're so cheap that pretty much anyone can afford them and they serve routes that you just can't get to on the very limited MRT or BTS services. I've used them quite a few times - after buses in India and in London at peak rush hour, they hold no fears for me - and I have always found the staff to be friendly and helpful.

I'll always use BTS/MRT/Chaophraya Express when I can but having an aversion to taxis in countries where I'm not fluent in the local language, I often find myself on a bus.

And as far as driver misbehaviour goes: London bus drivers are far ruder and more aggressive than Bangkok drivers.

I am glad that I have no clue where all these routes would bring me

I didn't have a clue either until I came across this link:

http://www.transitbangkok.com/bangkok_buses.html

It gives you practically all the bus routes, numbers etc. etc.

I love BKK bus transportation for the many years I used.

That is when having ample time, my good maps and no motorcycle available.

Driver misbehaviour is obviously unforgivable, but that aside I think Bangkok's buses are actually a credit to the city - they're so cheap that pretty much anyone can afford them and they serve routes that you just can't get to on the very limited MRT or BTS services. I've used them quite a few times - after buses in India and in London at peak rush hour, they hold no fears for me - and I have always found the staff to be friendly and helpful.

I'll always use BTS/MRT/Chaophraya Express when I can but having an aversion to taxis in countries where I'm not fluent in the local language, I often find myself on a bus.

Hear Hear!!

I used to take bus no. 8 for a time.

One of the most frustrating things about it was that the drivers tend to only run part of the route, and then stop and kick everybody out at weird places. In theory the bus should go from The Mall Bangkapi all the way up Lat Prao, then take a left and go down Pahonyothin to Victory Monument. It was pretty normal for the bus drivers to just stop at Union Mall or the old bus station across from Jatujak and then leave us to our own devices.

I remember one time traffic was really bad on Lat Prao, it was getting late.

The bus driver, obviously fed up, and seeing another bus 8 behind us, stopped the bus, told everyone to get off, and get on the other no. 8 bus.

Some of the other passengers asked if they would have to pay again. He said don't worry about it, if we kept our tickets we'd get a refund.

Once on the other bus, everybody was made to pay again. When asked about the refund, we were told that if we took our tickets to the bmta office we could get a refund there