BMTA assures of change in city bus service in September

[webfact]

BMTA assures of change in city bus service in September



BANGKOK: -- Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) today put back into service three old buses which it has modified and renovated with hope to get cabinet approval of its plan to modify and renovate all its 672 old bus.

It also assured of significant change of bus service in September this year.

The bus modification and renovation is part of BMTA’s 4.3 billion baht plan to seek cabinet approval thus month for the purchase of 489 new NGV-powered buses and 200 electricity buses.

The three old buses that were modified, renovated and turned into new buses were put back to service on Routes 168, 73 ก and 36 ก.

Deputy transport minister Mr Omsin Chivapruek said after presiding over the ceremony to launch the old buses to service today said the bus engines worked perfectly and their body conditions were reinforced and became stronger.

He said he believed that bus commuters would feel change in the conditions of the BMTA buses this year that they are of higher quality.

BMTA director Surachai Iamvajirasakul said after getting cabinet approval, BMTA will hand over 40 old buses to private companies to modify and renovate.

He said the handover of buses would not affect the daily bus service as only 40-50 buses would be delivered for modification at a time which takes about two months.

He assured that by September this year, Bangkok people would certainly feel the change of the bus service.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/162116


-- Thai PBS 2016-05-04

[Rocketsurgeon]

Dear God

Please send Thailand new busses. They are all broken and both the government and private sectors seemingly do not care they are dangerous, slow and polluting.

PS please send a lightning bolt to strike the yard where all the BKK red busses are parked at night.

Thank you

[Srikcir]

Just some background (it’s complex and I do not attest to the accuracy of my summary):

MoT had originally intended in March 2015 to replace the aging diesel and NGV buses with purchase of a new 3,183 buses consisting of 489 NGV buses and 2,694 electric buses. The 489 NGV buses would be delivered in June 2015 after a bidding process.

In June 2015 BMTA was accused by an unsuccessful bidder for rigging the bids on the purchase and maintenance of the 489 NGV buses. BMTA responded in July 2015 that it had done everything correctly. Then the unsuccessful bidder filed a lawsuit against BMTA. BMTA responded in March 2016 to cancel the purchase award and restart the bidding process with purchase targeted for July 2016.

Meanwhile BMTA decided that it could not afford 2,694 electric buses (anticipating higher bids for the NGV buses?) and decided to modify 671 old buses for use rather than decommissioning them with the balance going to new electric buses. Then upon further negotiations for purchase of the electric buses, it decided to lease them.

One thing is assured – BMTA embraces change.

[dddave]

Dear God

Please send Thailand new busses. They are all broken and both the government and private sectors seemingly do not care they are dangerous, slow and polluting.

PS please send a lightning bolt to strike the yard where all the BKK red busses are parked at night.

Thank you

Those Red Buses may be old and clunky but they provide an affordable way to get almost anywhere in Bangkok for the tens of thousands of low income Bangkok residents who need daily transportation.

Maybe they don't meet your lofty western standards for comfort and amenities but they get the job done, day in and day out.

Replacing them all with brand new buses will require significant fare hikes which many of the red bus users can not afford.

I think, considering the mammoth size of it's service area and the huge traffic problems it has to deal with that the BMTA does a very good job of providing different levels of service very effectively. If I want an air conditioned bus, there is usually one available for where I want to go with reasonable frequency.

Edited May 5, 2016 by dddave

[smo]

Dear God

Please send Thailand new busses. They are all broken and both the government and private sectors seemingly do not care they are dangerous, slow and polluting.

PS please send a lightning bolt to strike the yard where all the BKK red busses are parked at night.

Thank you

Those Red Buses may be old and clunky but they provide an affordable way to get almost anywhere in Bangkok for the tens of thousands of low income Bangkok residents who need daily transportation.

Maybe they don't meet your lofty western standards for comfort and amenities but they get the job done, day in and day out.

Replacing them all with brand new buses will require significant fare hikes which many of the red bus users can not afford.

I think, considering the mammoth size of it's service area and the huge traffic problems it has to deal with that the BMTA does a very good job of providing different levels of service very effectively. If I want an air conditioned bus, there is usually one available for where I want to go with reasonable frequency.

I love them red (and green - the new 168 I just spotted last night - blue, orange, pink you name it) buses. For me they are part of the essence of the big Mango. Coming from the USof A where bus systems serve as either a reminder that you who ride the bus are indeed second class citizens, or a form of punishment for being poor, BKK buses are indeed beasts of burden that uncomplainingly and always with gusto serve more than half of the metropolitan inhabitants. I miss them buses if a couple of days go by and I haven't jumped onto one. Now and then if I want to feel hi-so, I ride the orange one. Besides one might ask is there anything free in life anymore, the answer is yes, the red buses of BKK (whenever they place the blue placard with white letters in front.) Long live rot mae. And (my apology to the Brits) Victory Monument beats Picadilly Circus hands down.