Planned bus service changes hit a roadblock with angry passengers

[webfact]

Planned bus service changes hit a roadblock with angry passengers

By THE NATION

 

 

BANGKOK: -- PLANS BY THE Transport Ministry to change well-established and familiar bus routes and numbering in Bangkok have caused an uproar.

The ministry announced earlier this month that as part of a major revamp, bus services in Greater Bangkok – which refers to the capital and its adjacent provinces – would be radically changed to “improve quality and efficiency”. 

 

But many passengers have expressed anger about the plan that will alter the city’s numbering system, which has been in existence for years, and eliminate some familiar bus routes.

 

 

For example, bus number 54 for the Huai Kwang-Victory Monument route will become “B44”, and the route will change to Rama IX-Suttisan.

 

Transport Ministry deputy permanent secretary Somsak Hommuang said “B” would stand for the Blue Zone, which would cover the old Bus Service Areas 7 and 8.

 

“Who cares about Bus Service Areas? Why should we remember them?” said one irate passenger on a Facebook page dedicated to Thailand’s bus system. 

 

 

Another Facebook user said she wondered whether the planners behind the revamp had ever used the bus. “Did you know that for some people it takes years to remember the bus route numbers? Did you know that some people have to get on and off buses several times during their commuting routine in a day?” she said.

 

Jiraz Pipatwasin said via Facebook that English characters should not be included as bus identifiers as public transportation should be designed for everyone, not just people who understood English. 

 

Ritthichan Sup said English characters could be confusing. “Why don’t you use four-digit numerals instead?” he suggested. On the same Facebook page, “CoOkaii Leepokpinyo” said elderly people might see a B as the number 8. “The use of only numerals should be fine, even for foreigners,” she said. 

 

Consumers also pointed out that the majority of passengers were from the older generation, who would find the changes particularly difficult. Somsak said just four English characters would be used: G for green, R for red, Y for yellow and B for blue. 

 

The B area would cover inner zones of Greater Bangkok and some of its northern parts, G eastern and northeastern parts, R southern and southeastern parts, and Y southern and western parts. He said the revamp would not be just about new bus route numbers. 

 

“We will reduce the length of each bus route, with the average distance dropping from 31 kilometres to 28 kilometres. The shorter the route, the better the traffic flow,” Somsak said. 

 

He added that people did not need to worry about unfamiliar bus route identifiers because the old numbers would be placed next to the new ones until passengers became used to the changes. “As well, we will not change the whole system immediately. We will introduce changes to eight routes first and assess the results.”

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30323120

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-08-08

[CelticBhoy]

“We will reduce the length of each bus route, with the average distance dropping from 31 kilometres to 28 kilometres. The shorter the route, the better the traffic flow,” Somsak said. 

 

Arai-wa? You lost me there, Somsak old son  . . . . .  

[ChrisY1]

More idiots in administration!

[eliotness]

The "planners" should be forced to use only buses for a month before they propose any changes.

[geriatrickid]

I don't think this is being explained very well.  They are applying proven techniques, particularly the use of colours. The western lettering has no meaning if the colour system is used properly. For example ,there is supposed to be the  use of big circle of Green for the G zone. I hope that they put the  colour code up and not just the letter.  The revisions do make sense. Unfortunately, once again it is the execution of the plan that is weak.

 

 

[AhFarangJa]

I am colour blind......

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The headline here about the planned changes hitting a "roadblock" seems a bit misleading.

 

Roadblock would suggest the changes are being blocked or stalled. But in reading the article, I don't see anything from the Transportation Ministry saying they're going to delay or back off their planned changes. Just that they'll be implemented gradually, as was the plan from the beginning.

 

But who knows what will happen after they fiddle with the first 8 lines. They could well try that for awhile, and then just revert back to the current system. The BMTA bus system is an administrative mess, and they're about as bad as it gets for failing to communicate what's going on with their operations. So this whole thing could be just another episode like the failed NGV bus purchases, where promises of new buses are made and then continually fail to actually come to pass.

 

[khunken]

This doesn't make sense to me - a bus user. Using zone identifiers is ridiculous unless they are making really drastic changes to routes by keeping then within zones.

For example bus no. 116 route spans 3 zones: G, B & Y. Will the route be divided into 3 separate routes or will it change it's number & zone throughout the route (impractical)? Or what?

I agree with the individual saying that they should drop the silly zone idea and just start using 4-digit numbers. The BMA needs to start a small trial of whatever new system they choose & if it doesn't go well, rethink the new system.

[Dobredin Ghusputin]

Bring back Chadchart.

 

[Srikcir]

Confusing to me are buses that have the same number but DIFFERENT ROUTES. Oh they share a common route partway, but then split off.

I don't see the point of numbering bus zones unless there will be a transfer cost between zones that doesn't happen now at least in some routes.

A better improvement would be to POST at bus stops the bus routes AND bus times.

[Jacob22]

Still no explanation for the letter at the end of the number e.g. B53E...

[kaorop]

34 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

A better improvement would be to POST at bus stops the bus routes AND bus times.

Exactly, when i lived in bkk, i would just end up getting on a random bus and hope it was the correct one, often having to change buses, back track etc etc......A simple timetable with bus/route numbers is info i could never find.