Bangkok: City bus drivers required to take drug test

[webfact]

City bus drivers required drug test



BANGKOK: -- All bus drivers of the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) are now required to take drug tests in an effort of the Transport Ministry to ensure safety to passengers.

Apart from requiring city bus drivers to take drug test, the ministry also has plan to expand the drug test scheme to cover all public transport drivers to ensure full safer for the passengers.

They will include taxi drivers and motorcycle taxi drivers.

The ministry will also encourage public transport operators to arrange driving schedule appropriately for drivers so that they should not overwork as it would decrease their driving efficiency if they are too tired to drive.

This is also a mean to avoid serious road mishap in case driver overworking.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/city-bus-drivers-required-drug-test/


-- Thai PBS 2014-10-10

[NextStationBangkok]

What about Tuk-Tuk drivers they are the first ones to be tested for all sort of category.

[Bluespunk]

"Apart from requiring city bus drivers to take drug test, the ministry also has plan to expand the drug test scheme to cover all public transport drivers to ensure full safer for the passengers."

Be fewer public transport/taxis left on the roads soon.

Might be a lot of job vacancies though.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

What's the point of that?

Boring jobs need drugs to fight the monotony.

“I feel sorry for people that don't drink, because when they wake up in the morning, that is the best they are going to feel all day-”
― Frank Sinatra

[seajae]

hahahaha thats over half of them off the roads to start with but then when they start on the rest that will eliminate a hell of a lot of the rest as well. About time they started doing this, it is part of the job in other countries and is required before getting in a vehicle.

[jaltsc]

What about Tuk-Tuk drivers they are the first ones to be tested for all sort of category.

So. What you are saying is that you want everyone in Bangkok to either take the train or walk. Since drug/alcohol testing would just about eliminate everyone else.

Edited October 10, 2014 by jaltsc

[NomadJoe]

Now who is going to drive the buses?

[jacky54]

have the drivers all got a contagious disease?

[timewilltell]

Maybe they should take a driving test first since by the level of their road knowledge it seems most of them have never done so.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

[uel1968]

Yes i agree,driving test and also c.p.c.like all hgv and bus drivers here i Uk.

[upsidedown]

Its a start. Now please don't just talk a good game please follow it up with actions.

[Costas2008]

"Apart from requiring city bus drivers to take drug test, the ministry also has plan to expand the drug test scheme to cover all public transport drivers to ensure full safer for the passengers."

Be fewer public transport/taxis left on the roads soon.

Might be a lot of job vacancies though.

Don't worry Sir, they will be send to rehabilitation for 2 whole weeks and then back to their jobs and old habits.

Temporary shortage, but we have to live with it.

Please do not forget, this is Thailand.

[Local Drunk]

I want to test drugs... How do I become a bus driver?

[JOC]

hahahaha thats over half of them off the roads to start with but then when they start on the rest that will eliminate a hell of a lot of the rest as well. About time they started doing this, it is part of the job in other countries and is required before getting in a vehicle.

Do you never get tired of criticising anything Thai and Thai-related??

If it was so perfect in the old country, why come here in the first place??

At least most Thais have a life.

[Tokay]

*yawn*

Test some of them, tag and release. Just like always.

[englishoak]

Its a start, so follow it up with action and sack a few dozen when they fail.....

[Guitar God]

I wonder what they'll do if the majority of them fail. It would shut down the city. Would they let only the slightly high drive?

[Jim walker]

Only half the drivers left they will have to drive twice as quick to cover the other shifts that are missing and all for the public safety on the roads

[Thai at Heart]

A great talented sports kid I was can coaching got caught anecdotally with 1/2 a pill.

How long did he get.

11 months.

[norstatin]

BANGKOK: -- All bus drivers of the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) are now required to take drug tests in an effort of the Transport Ministry to ensure safety to passengers.

Implemented 23 years after western countries began testing drivers, but kudos for finally catching up.

[belg]

thai world invention would be :

car run on PISSS !

take a piss, everytime before your car starts

i only take 5 % comission

Edited October 11, 2014 by belg

[mrfill]

Oh well, suppose its back to swigging lao kao then...

[wpcoe]

Can they please expand the scope and include long-distance mini-van drivers as well, please?

[wringo]

A Commercial Driving License with an Air Brake Ticket might help!

[mikiea]

BANGKOK: -- All bus drivers of the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) are now required to take drug tests in an effort of the Transport Ministry to ensure safety to passengers.

Implemented 23 years after western countries began testing drivers, but kudos for finally catching up.

[mikiea]

drugs? huh? what is wrong with the bmta? they need to start checking the eyesight of the operators. it looks like god made thai people slim & small so they could dodge busses better than we fat as# farangs can. for sure most need their peepers checked. :-)

[halloween]

hahahaha thats over half of them off the roads to start with but then when they start on the rest that will eliminate a hell of a lot of the rest as well. About time they started doing this, it is part of the job in other countries and is required before getting in a vehicle.

Do you never get tired of criticising anything Thai and Thai-related??

If it was so perfect in the old country, why come here in the first place??

At least most Thais have a life.

Except for those killed by spaced-out bus drivers. Should we discuss the quality of life of those maimed?

[Robby nz]

hahahaha thats over half of them off the roads to start with but then when they start on the rest that will eliminate a hell of a lot of the rest as well. About time they started doing this, it is part of the job in other countries and is required before getting in a vehicle.

Do you never get tired of criticising anything Thai and Thai-related??

If it was so perfect in the old country, why come here in the first place??

At least most Thais have a life.

Except for those killed by spaced-out bus drivers. Should we discuss the quality of life of those maimed?

How many is that ?

I cant recall any in BKK. Oh yes there was one of the orange buses that ran off the road recently but don't remember anyone being maimed.

If you were to travel in buses in the city you would see all the white marks on the road where the crashes have happened, none are bus size only car, ute or motorcy.

Only been in one bus that has ever had an accident and that was caused by a driverless car running backwards out of a showroom into the bus, with a woman running after the car.

Must be a hell of a job driving a bus in BKK with all the loonies who insist on driving their own cars, most with only on person inside, yes you can see these things when you are sitting in a bus.

Stats tell us buses are still the safest way to travel on the road, in the last few years less than 1% of road deaths have involved buses or other heavy vehicles. That doesn't include the crashmaster vans, to be avoided unless there is no alternative.

Sure test the drivers for drugs and booze, how about random drug and alcohol testing for everyone on the road as well.

[wabothai]

Great idea!! But how are you going to organize all that, mr transport ministry? Are you going to test all busdrivers, taxidrivers, tuktuk drivers, motocy taxi drivers, traindrivers, boatdrivers, etc. before they go to work?

[Lupatria]

"Apart from requiring city bus drivers to take drug test, the ministry also has plan to expand the drug test scheme to cover all public transport drivers to ensure full safer for the passengers."

Be fewer public transport/taxis left on the roads soon.

Might be a lot of job vacancies though.

I thought rainy season is going to end soon and now I learned they want to drown the country in 'purple rain'...