Buses World News
In brief: Worldwide montly news & informations about Buses, Busmakers, Passengers' and the Transport Industry
SELF-DRIVING BUSES SERVICE * Japan - Company plans to use EZ10 electric shuttle produced by EasyMile
* Japan’s - DeNA says get on the self-driving bus
--- Japanese mobile internet company DeNA Co. on Thursday said it would start a transportation service in Japan that uses self-driving buses, its latest push into autonomous driving... DeNA will use the EZ10 electric shuttle produced by EasyMile, a French driverless technology startup, that it has dubbed the “Robot Shuttle” ... It will begin offering services next month at a large park partially managed by a shopping mall developer in Chiba prefecture, near Tokyo... The four-meter-long (13-foot-long) Robot Shuttle can accommodate as many as 12 passengers and travel at up to 40 kilometers (25 miles), an hour, DeNA said. The vehicle uses sensors, cameras and a Global Positioning System to navigate and avoid obstacles... Driverless buses have been tried—or will soon be—in places such as the Swiss city of Sion and Trikala, Greece... Aiming to commercialize its driverless transportation service by 2020, DeNA has said it would seek to offer unmanned cabs to foreign travelers and local residents in areas of Japan where buses and trains aren’t available...
(PHOTO: ALEXANDER MARTIN/THE WALL STREET JOURNAL - DeNA's driverless bus, the Robot Shuttle, in Tokyo on Thursday) -- Tokyo, Japan - The WSJ, by Alexander Martín - July 7, 2016Labels: autonomous buses, public transport services
PUBLIC TRANSPORT USA: Ohio: Buying New Buses - California: New buses yet parked
* Ohio: County transit systems buys new buses
-- The Butler County Regional Transit Authority has a dozen new buses traveling to and from Miami University in Oxford and ridership is now up 73 percent... With the help of the state and federal governments — those entities picked up 80 percent of the cost — BCRTA was able to buy the new vehicles, which were $445,000 or a total of $5.34 million, but Chief Operating Officer Matt Dutkevicz said it was money well spent... Ridership has continued to grow exponentially — 73 percent between 2013 and last year. People took 555,259 trips last year compared to 24,664 in 2009. A year ago BCRTA opened up a new route between the Market Street hub in Hamilton and Tri-County Mall in Hamilton County... The service was also enhanced with two-hour bus schedules on all routes instead of just morning and evening service. The routes that run the “triangle” between Middletown, Hamilton and Oxford run from 6:30 a.m. to 8:16 p.m. ...
(Photo - County transit systems buys new buses) -- Butler County, OH, USA - The Journal News, by Denise G. Callahan - April 10, 2015
* California - 10 brand-new SMART hybrid buses sit idle, await parts
-- In the parking lot of SMART's Oakland Terminal, 10 gleaming, new hybrid diesel-electric buses sit parked in a row... The metro Detroit suburban bus service has had the buses, which each cost about $600,000, since November, but they are not expected to be in service until late May, according to Beth Gibbons, spokeswoman for the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation... Why would it take six months for SMART to put its new buses into service?... The 40-foot buses at the terminal on Barrett Drive in Troy still need the proper wiring harnesses for the automatic vehicle locator system, Gibbons said. That system uses global positioning system technology to help SMART keep track of its buses to inform the dispatching process and allow riders to plan their trips... When the buses are ready, they will be used to replace high-mileage standard diesel buses (some with more than 800,000 miles) currently in service. SMART is limited to 233 fixed-route vehicles based on federal fleet limitations connected to available funding, Gibbons said... the delay in getting the hybrids in service is not limiting the number of buses on the road, noting that federal guidelines require SMART to keep a portion of its fleet in reserve and the service's mechanics do a "phenomenal" job...
(Photo by Eric D. Lawrence/Detroit Free Press - Ten hybrid diesel-electric buses have been sitting idle since November at SMART’s Oakland Terminal in Troy) -- Detroit, MICH, USA- The Detroit Free Press, by Eric D. Lawrence - April 10, 2015Labels: buying buses, public transport services
PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES * USA: RTD misses the bus on Bridj transit technology
* Colorado: What is wrong with RTD?
-- The Regional Transportation District squandered an opportunity to partner with an innovative technology company being sought in cities around the world to help out with the gaps in service... The company, Bridj, would need no government subsidy. It is essentially a pop-up transit service that collects and analyzes data to figure out the most congested corridors to locate its rides... There are no fixed routes, times or bus stops. The company, now operating in Boston and soon to start in Washington, D.C., uses data points from social media, census figures and municipal information to figure out how people move through the city... It also has a mobile app that allows people to schedule bus trips, saying where and when they want to be picked up and where they want to go. They receive a pickup location and, within a few minutes, hop on a Wi-Fi-enabled bus that takes them near their destination... A typical fare in Boston is between $3 and $6... But RTD said, "Thanks, but no thanks" ...
(Photo by Anya Semenoff, Denver Post file - A passenger prepares to board an RTD bus in Denver) -- Denver, COL, USA -The Denver Post, by Jeremy Meyer -14 March 2015Labels: public transport services
* UK: Bus companies accused of 'ripping off' passengers after failing to pass on fuel savings
* England - Labour says transport firms could save nearly a billion pounds through falling diesel costs and demands action to help commuters and protect services
(Photo by Mark Waugh / Manchester Press - Manchester Piccadilly Bus Station - Fuelling a row: Bus companies have been attacked for not passing on savings from cheap fuel to commuters)
-- Bus companies were accused of “profiteering” for failing to cut fares while making tens of millions of pounds from falling fuel prices last night... They Labour Party estimates Stagecoach, the largest bus company with 20% of the British bus market, could save as much as £150m this year if diesel prices drop to £1 a litre by April... This means bus companies could swell their profits by nearly a billion pounds while passengers suffer cuts to services and rising fares... Martin Abrams, of the Campaign for Better Transport, said: “Local authorities have slashed more than 2,000 bus routes since 2010. Government and the bus companies need to work together to make sure passengers get affordable and reliable buses they want and need” ... A spokesman for Stagecoach was not available for comment...
Members of the Unite union went on strike yesterday with further strikes due later in the month, but Transport for London said almost half of the buses which normally operate were running... Unite is seeking a single pay and conditions agreement across all the capital’s 18 bus companies, saying wage rates vary by up to £3 an hour... London,EN,UK -The Mirror, by Mark Ellis -6 February 2015Labels: complaints, public transport services
PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICE * USA
* California - Los Angeles bans alcohol ads on city buildings, buses
(Photo: Historic Los Angeles City Council vote bans alcohol ads from city-owned & controlled property)
Los Angeles,CAL,USA -The Los Angeles Daily News, by Rick Orlov -20 Jan 15: -- The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday approved a measure banning the advertising of all alcohol products on city property, including buses and other vehicles... L.A. has been attempting to deal with advertising of alcohol products for years on city vehicles and city property... Councilman Bernard Parks said he wants to see the measure expanded to include smoking products, including the increasing use of e-cigarettes. The city already bans advertising for tobacco products...
* Colorado - New RFTA data reveal efficiency of bus system
(Photo by Aubree Dallas)
Aspen,COL,USA -The Aspen Times, by Karl Herchenroeder -January 18, 2015: -- Though it’s a small sample size, the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority released GPS-generated data this week that give a glimpse into how efficient the agency’s buses are running... Tracking arrival times between Dec. 14 to Dec. 20, RFTA officials found the Castle/Maroon bus lagging significantly behind other in-town routes. With “on time” defined as “three minutes late or less,” which is within industry standard, the Castle/Maroon bus ran at 35 percent efficiency between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. and at 51 percent between 7 p.m. and 2 a.m... RFTA Information Technology Director Phil Schultz said that a major factor delaying that route is the roundabout, which the Castle/Maroon buses enter four times on a full loop between stops at Castle Ridge and Highlands...Labels: public transport services
PASSENGERS BUSES * Ireland: PUBLIC TRANSPORT
* Dublin Bus reports growth in passenger numbers in 2014
Dublin,Ireland -Dublin Bus (PR) -January 20, 2015: -- Dublin Bus has reported a further increase in passenger numbers for 2014. The company carried 119 million passengers on its 945 buses last year which is an increase of 4 million on 2013... In 2015, Dublin Bus will acquire an additional 90 new buses which will be delivered in the second half of the year... This positive trend in passenger numbers has also resulted in Dublin Bus commencing its 3rd recruitment drive since 2013. Last year the company employed an additional 160 new drivers to cater for this additional demand and to ensure that a quality service continues to be delivered for customers. The application process for professional bus drivers is open for 2015 and the company hopes to employ in the region of an additional 50 drivers this year... In December 2014, Dublin Bus signed a new contract with the National Transport Authority to provide public bus services in the Greater Dublin Area for a period of five years to December 1st 2019...Labels: public transport services
PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES * USA: Michigan Flyer
* Michigan Flyer invests $3.8M in new buses for AirRide airport shuttle service
(Photo Courtesy of Michigan Flyer: One of the new buses for the AirRide shuttle service)
Ann Arbor,MICH,USA -M Live, by Ryan Stanton -November 24, 2014: -- New eco-friendly buses are being put into service for the AirRide shuttle service from Ann Arbor to Detroit Metro Airport... Michigan Flyer has announced it's putting a brand-new fleet of seven luxury motorcoaches on the road this month, representing a $3.8 million investment by parent company Indian Trails... The company reports the new 2015 buses offer deluxe, ergonomic seating with leather headrests and ample leg room, individual climate controls, reading lamps and cup holders, tinted panoramic side windows, outlets at each seat for charging mobile devices, free WiFi, on-board lavatories, and enclosed overhead parcel racks... Safety features include an electronic stability system that enables drivers to avoid danger on slippery roads, an engine fire-detection and suppression system, two GPS systems, and a tire pressure monitoring system... All the buses are equipped with three-point retractable seat belts for passengers, ADA-compliant wheelchair lifts, and a large under-floor luggage compartment...
Labels: passengers transport industry, public transport services
PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICE * UK
* England - 7 Reasons to ride London's double-decker buses
London,EN,UK -CN Traveler, by Janssen Bradshaw -November 03, 2014: -- London's iconic red double-decker buses are actually one of the most convenient, inexpensive, and fun ways to get around the city. Here are seven reasons why you need to add a bus ride to your next London itinerary...
* It’s a cheap way to get around.
* You get a much better sense of the city.
* The views are great
* It’s the simplest way to get around with a stroller.
* The routes are really direct.
* Google Maps makes it simple.
* They usually aren’t too crowded.
Far fewer tourists ride the bus and since there are so many buses (most run every 3-10 minutes) with so many seats, they generally don’t get too crowded. No matter the time of day, you’re very likely to get a seat...
* England - Cambridge Park and Ride declared 'utter shambles' as passengers are left waiting 45 minutes to pay
(Photo by Digsby: The queues at Newmarket Road park and ride)
Cambridge,EN,UK -The Cambridge News -November 03, 2014: -- Fuming customers have hit out at the “horrendous” queues plaguing Cambridge’s park and ride sites following a controversial move to bring in parking charges... The News has been inundated with a flurry of complaints from frustrated users furious at having to wait for as long as 45 minutes just to pay for their parking... In the meantime, buses are setting off with just handfuls of passengers... The county council has now been forced to install more machines and increase help at the sites in a bid to curb the chaos...Labels: public transport services
PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICE * USA:
* New York - The Commute: Just another day riding the buses
NY,USA -Sheepshead Bites, by Allan Rosen -Nov 3rd, 2014: -- Last week, a one-and-a-quarter-mile afternoon trip took my friend one hour and 20 minutes using two buses. He waited 28 minutes for the B68 and another 30 minutes for the B82 in Coney Island. Three B68s came at once, and he just missed the B82. BusTime obviously is not being used to regulate the buses. What the MTA is doing, however, to help buses adhere to their schedule is putting pressure on bus drivers not to be late... Years ago, it was a priority for buses to service all customers. Drivers always asked passengers to move to the rear and sometimes refused to move the bus if passengers did not comply. Those days are long gone with the uptick in bus driver assaults... So today, bus operators seem to pick and choose whom they will pick up... Enough doom and gloom. This piece has been filled with a lot of complaining but I believe in being fair. Every bus trip is not a nightmare. Sometimes the system works well... But the SBS will not solve most of the problems with local bus travel today, as the MTA is trying to convince us...Labels: passengers complains, public transport services
PASSENGERS' TRANSPORT INDUSTRY * UK: Reversing deregulation
* England - Devolution means councils climbing back on the buses
Birmingham,West Midlands,EN,UK -The Information Daily, by SA Mathieson -October 28, 2014: ... Seven local authorities in the north east voting to change local bus regulations. The authorities in question have since April made up the North East Combined Authority. They voted to shift bus services in and around Newcastle-upon-Tyne to a quality contract scheme, effectively reversing the deregulation Margaret Thatcher’s government imposed on bus services across the country in 1986... Nexus, the local passenger transport executive which runs the area’s metro, is set to take over the setting of fares, routes and frequencies, as is the case in London. The plans would allow integrated ticketing, like London’s Oyster card system... But, bus operators including Stagecoach are furious, and plan to continue to fight the plans. It is obvious why: in the capital, bus operators are almost literally invisible, their corporate colours banished in favour of London bus red, their room to innovate removed. Transport for London sells the tickets, sets the routes and makes the rules. Unlike underground trains it doesn’t actually own or operate the buses; this is left to 22 operators (with a number having common parent companies, including Arriva and Abellio). But the companies basically do what they are told, and are paid centrally... For some companies working with government and doing business in devolved city regions will mean big challenges some new some old...Labels: public transport services
PASSENGERS INDUSTRY NEWS * Australia: Riders' obesity
* NSW - Bus loads to increase as passengers fatten
(Photo: Michelle Smith - Fatter passengers means bigger strain on our buses, like these in Brisbane)
Sydney,NSW,Australia -The Sydney Morning Herald -October 28, 2014: -- Buses around the nation are struggling to operate within maximum load laws due to Australia's growing obesity problem... Authorities are looking at increasing the mass limit of a two-axle bus from 16 to 18 tonnes, according to the National Transport Commission's annual report... The report highlights that when the laws were designed in 1989, the average adult's weight was taken as 65kg... In fact they were slightly heavier, according to the ABS, with the average man 77.4kg and the average woman 62.6kg... Something's got to give, argue bus operators, and the NTC has recommended that the National Vehicle Regulator develop a notice to allow an 18-tonne nationwide limit... But buses are not just straining under fatter passengers... Wheelchair access lifts, fuel-efficient engines, rollover protection devices and air-conditioning units are also adding weight to each bus... The notice to increase the limit by two tonnes is expected to be progressed over the next year, the NTC said...Labels: public transport services
PUBLIC TRANSPORT INDUSTRY * USA
* California - Cable cars, buses stall as workers call in sick
San Francisco,CAL,USA -AP News, by Sudhin Thanawala/Terry Collins -June 03, 2014: -- San Francisco's famed cable cars stopped running Monday and the rest of the city transit system experienced delays when drivers called in sick a few days after overwhelmingly rejecting a new labor contract, officials said... The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency operated without two-thirds of the vehicles that would normally be used to provide service, spokesman Paul Rose said... The agency known as MUNI runs buses, light rail and street cars in addition to the cable cars, and serves about 700,000 passengers each day. Its 2,200 operators represented by Transport Workers Union Local 250-A rejected the contract by a 1,198 to 42 vote Friday, according to totals on the union's website... The workers are not allowed to go on strike, but they can call in sick. Rose said he did not know how many employees had done so...
* Massachusetts - Buses replacing Orange Line trains in Charlestown, Medford, Malden this weekend
Malden,Middlesex,MASS,USA -Medford Patch, by John Waller -June 02, 2014: -- Shuttle buses will replace Orange Line trains between Sullivan Square in Charlestown and Oak Grove Station in Malden (and vice versa) on Saturday-Sunday, June 7-8, according to the MBTA... The change is due to construction on the new Assembly Station in Somerville... Regular service will resume Monday morning, June 9. All shuttle buses will be accessible for people with disabilities... The impacted stops: Sullivan Square, Wellington, Malden Center and Oak Grove...Labels: public transport services
* Singapore - Shortened waiting times for some existing bus services
* Singapore - Two in five basic bus services improved since BSEP launch
(Photo by Francine Lim/Channel News Asia: People boarding the bus in Singapore)
Singapore -The Singapore News, by Saifulbahri Ismail -2 Sep 2013: -- Giving a one-year report on the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP), LTA and public transport operators SBS Transit and SMRT said in total, 111 existing bus services - or two in every five basic bus services - have been enhanced and 14 new bus services introduced... The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said 248 new buses have been added on the road under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP)... In addition, they have shortened waiting times by three to five minutes for some existing bus services... Based on the analysis of ticketing and GPS data, this has reduced the number of bus services with persistent crowding during peak period by about 40 per cent...Labels: public transport services
* USA - PASSENGERS TRANSPORT - Chinatown Buses Beware:
* New York - Feds launch surprise 'strike force' inspections
(Image from Flickr/Elvert Barnes - Chinatown buses NY)
NY,USA -The Atlantic Cities, by EMILY BADGER -Aug 30, 2013: -- Chinatown buses are known for a lot of things – their bare-bones service, their close quarters, their appeal for anyone who doesn't possess Amtrak-caliber cash. They are not, on the other hand, known for their regulatory rigor... If you board one in the next two weeks, though, you may be in for some serious transportation-safety theater. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced this week that it's rolling out a "strike force" of surprise inspections on intercity bus travel in all 50 states (with emphasis on what they suspect are the shadier operations)... Law enforcement officers and commercial motor vehicle inspectors will be popping up, unannounced, at terminals and drop-off points to board buses and pick over everything from windshield wiper fluid to tire pressure... Vehicles caught violating safety standards, warns FMCSA head Anne Ferro, "will be put out-of-service on the spot and not allowed to continue" ...
* Michigan - Detroit Bus Co. finds mass transit niche
(Photo: A Detroit Bus Co's vehicle)
Detroit,MICH,USA -The Miami Herald/The Detroit News, by DONNA TEREK -1 Sept 2013: -- Can a bus company that owns only six buses make a significant difference in Detroit?... In early 2012, when Detroit's dysfunctional bus system was all over the news, Andy Didorosi founded the Detroit Bus Co. with three buses and the hope he could do something to help our carless citizens who wait in frustration for buses that can be hours late and sometimes don't come at all... He got lots of press and even a citation from Detroit City Council for stepping in to help. At the time Didorosi had ambitious plans to build customized routes to get riders to work and back. But with a mere three buses, even Didorosi admits that he was hardly going to change the face of public transportation in Detroit. But, as he says, "You gotta start somewhere" ... The Detroit Bus Co. is building a program to pick up kids at "safe spots" and drive them to summer and after-school programs and bring them safely home..... With the flexible, neighborhood routing system the Detroit Bus Co. got by with two buses that moved roughly 500 kids among 25 programs this summer in Southwest Detroit and the Chadsey-Condon neighborhoods...Labels: public transport services
PUBLIC TRANSPORT * Australia
* Western Australia - Greens promise better buses for Perth
(Picture by Richard Hatherly/PerthNow: Transperth bus)
Perth,WA,Australia -THE SUNDAY TIMES, by YASMINE PHILLIPS -AUGUST 31, 2013: -- The Greens are promising a huge transport package for Perth if elected... Transport woes would be eased by express bus services, a new-for-old replacement fleet of hybrid electric buses and a new dedicated freight rail line under an $842-million transport package to be unveiled by the Greens today... The policy commits $300 million to providing express bus services and priority measures to 15 hot spots in the metropolitan area... A further $150 million would boost the frequency of services on 11 routes identified as priority, and $70 million would go towards funding a new hybrid fleet of CAT buses and about 400 new-for-old replacements in the Transperth fleet by 2029...Labels: public transport services
PUBLIC TRANSPORT * Viet Nam
* Viet Nam - Ha Noi bus station chaos
Ha Noi,Viet Nam -VietNamNet Bridge – 30 Aug 2013: -- The Transport Ministry, Ha Noi People's Committee and other agencies are prepared to take drastic measures to ease the disorder and chaos at the city's most crowded bus station - My Dinh... The ministry suggested this in a report to re-organising and tightening management over coach stations and passenger transport throughout the city... In line with the plan, inspectors, including police, traffic inspectors and station officers, would work harder to detect and punish drivers breaking parking and pick-up laws. It was suggested that inspectors would meet every morning to deal with problems arising... My Dinh Station opened in 2004 in the city's Tu Liem District. At that time, it received about 300 buses daily. However, sharp increases in travelling demands and urbanisation pushed this to about 1,200 buses per day in 2009 and about 1,300 buses per day at present... The report revealed that poor management and technology application led to improper ways of controlling departures and arrivals. This led to congestion in and around the station, especially during peak time...
* Viet Nam - Busses in HCM City to offer free wifi internet
(Passengers will be using free wifi Internet on the bus)
HoChiMinh,Viet Nam -VietNamNet Bridge, by Phuong Loan –30 Aug 2013: -- HCM City has piloted providing wireless Internet on buses in order to attract people to use this means of public transport... According to the HCM City Transport Cooperative Union, after installing wifi Internet on a bus route, many passengers have expressed satisfaction because they can read newspapers, find their ways and do many other utilities on the bus.
This unit said that the HCM City Department of Transport had agreed to implement this free service on many bus routes in the city... HCM City currently has more than 3,000 buses operating on 270 routes, satisfying about 7 percent of travel needs of the people...
Labels: public transport services
PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICE * USA
* Florida - RTS buses are useful if you know to take advantage of them
(Photo: Gainesville Regional Airport Bus)
Gainesville,FL,USA -Alligator, by Hanna Marcus -August 19, 2013: -- Maybe you have 10 minutes to get clear across campus for your next class. Maybe you and some friends want to explore downtown without the hassle of finding parking. Maybe you don’t have a car and need a quick lift to the grocery store.
In many of these cases, walking won’t cut it. So how about taking the bus?
But before you hop onto one of Gainesville’s Regional Transit System’s many buses, you might want to learn these do’s and don’ts for bus travel. Labels: public transport services
* USA - PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES: Chinatown buses
* DC - Regulators nobble cheap travel
(Photo: Chinatown_buses)
Washington,DC,USA -The Economist -Aug 17, 2013: ... Potential passengers still gather near the Chinese gate in Washington, DC, to catch a cheap ride to New York. A one-way ticket costs around $20, against a whopping $150 on the train. It is far from luxurious, but you can watch films on your iPad or flirt with the other young travellers... For some 15 years “Chinatown bus” lines have shuttled thrifty folk between east-coast cities for a fraction of the price of name-brand carriers... Fierce competition for passengers in New York led to the “bus wars” of 2004... In March this year they withdrew the licence of Fung Wah, the longest-running Chinatown bus service. Two other lines, Ming An and Lucky Star, soon followed it off the road... But out on the road companies like Fung Wah and Lucky Star were surprisingly safe. Each had been involved in only one crash (with no injuries) in the past two years. That compares favourably with the coaches of Greyhound and Peter Pan, which log more miles and crash more often. The traditional carriers seem to burst into flames more often, too...
* Pennsylvania - Buses are too much, Scott residents say
(Photo: Pittsburgh Port Authority bus)
Scott,PENN,USA -Post-Gazette, by Carole Gilbert Brown -August 15, 2013: -- Some residents of Orchard Spring Road in Scott want to know why Port Authority buses travel their street from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day, even on the weekends... Many of the buses are empty, Lori Lang told the township commissioners at their meeting Tuesday... The residents said more than 60 Port Authority buses use their street... Illnesses or hardships can make public transportation a necessity for many people, Commissioner Bill Wells suggested... But Barbara Hopkins, who catches a bus every day on Orchard Spring, called the number of buses that daily traverse the road "ridiculous" ...
* New York - NYC bus drivers plead for protection from assaults
(Photo: WARD FOR NEWS - Wayne Roberts, 40, a NYC Transit driver on the B46 bus line, navigates behind newly installed partition aimed at protecting drivers from dangerous passengers)
NY,USA-The Associated Press/The Yeshiva WN -August 15, 2013: -- New York City bus drivers are facing a spate of assaults from passengers while on the job. And they are calling for more to be done to protect them... According to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, about 88 drivers are assaulted each year and about a thousand more are harassed... The Transport Workers Union Local 100 has rallied at MTA board meetings. The union is calling for the installation of more security cameras and protective partitions on buses, along with an overall increase in services... The MTA says it plans to have about 2,500 buses with partitions and almost 2,900 buses with cameras by the end of 2015. But drivers complain that it is too little too late... The current fleet of buses stands at 5,700...Labels: public transport services
* China - PUBLIC TRANSPORT: The "sauna buses"
* Suzhou official bans buses without air conditioning after having to ride in one
(Photo: Suzhou official hot)
Suzhou,Jiangsu,China -Shanghaiist, by James Griffiths -
-Aug 15, 2013: -- Suzhou transportation official has pledged to stop using over 700 buses which do not have air conditioning, Southern Metro Daily reports... Shao Jianlin, transportation secretary of the Jiangsu city, was persuaded to take a trip in one of the "sauna buses", which drivers say can reach internal temperatures of 45 degrees celsius, after which he agreed that, holy shit, these buses need air conditioning... Some 18 percent of buses in Suzhou do not have air conditioning. The transportation bureau has said that it will replace them all by summer 2014, meaning that residents still have a few more months of having to travel in the mobile sweat boxes...Labels: public transport services
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(Photo by Francine Lim/Channel News Asia: People boarding the bus in Singapore)
