Buses World News

In brief: Worldwide montly news & informations about Buses, Busmakers, Passengers' and the Transport Industry

13.8.10

Private Bus Owners * Sri Lanka - Withdraw from Road Passenger Transport Authority

(Video from YouTube, by MA1R1CO -31 July 2008: -- Paiyagala is located some kilometers south of Kalutara. Paiyagala - Maggona - Beruwela - Moragalle - Aluthgama - Bus Station)

Colombo,Sri Lanka -Truth First -August 10, 2010: -- All Island Private Bus Owners’ Association will withdraw completely from the management of the Western Province Passengers Transport Authority, says the President of the All Island Private Bus Owners’ Association, Gamunu Wijerathne... He added that the management of the Western Province Passengers Transport Authority has failed to comply with the court orders regarding passenger transport. He said that they have not done anything to improve the quality of the bus services for passengers... Since the All Island Private Bus Owner’s Association cannot provide a quality service under such management, they have decided to inform the courts and discuss the situation with the central government and take action to provide a quality service for passengers, stated Gamunu Wijerathne...

Labels: public transport systems' discussions

9.11.09

OPINION * Singapore - 7 Good Reasons Why Public Transport Ridership is dropping

Singapore -The Temasek Review, by Ronald Chan -November 5, 2009: ... I refer to Tuesday’s (27 October) Straits Times article “More cars, so public transport trips down”... I find it puzzling that the local public transport community cannot comprehend the reasons behind this seemingly ridiculous trend in our “dense but well-orchestrated” public transport system. Let me summarise the available reasons as to why this phenomenon is occurring. It must be noted that this list is certainly not exhaustive.

(1) Erratic bus frequency

(2) Unreliable contactless card technology

(3) Early last buses / trains

(4) Poor decomposing stations

(5) Fluctuating travelling time

(6) Low bus / train frequency

(7) No eating / drinking

The push to get more people onto buses and trains has hit a speed bump, but think about it: why speed in the first place if you can’t even drive properly?... (Video photos from YouTube by zwmcontact -7 Noviembre 2009: SBS Transit is one of the leading bus operators in this part of the world and started rail operations in 2003. It was formed in 1973 through the merger of three private bus companies and listed on the then Stock Exchange of Singapore (SES), now known as SGX, in 1978 as Singapore Bus Service (1978) Limited)

Labels: public transport systems' discussions

8.12.08

PUBLIC TRANSPORT * Jamaica - JUTC and the national crisis

Kingston,Jamaica -The Jamaica Gleaner , by Peter D. Phillips -December 7, 2008: -- The past week has been dominated by news reports and discussion concerning the contractor general's findings of breaches to the Government's procurement procedures by the management of the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC)... There were obvious difficulties in getting the system running, however, and some of these continue to bedevil the JUTC to this day. To begin with, we discovered that in the close to 20 years that had elapsed between the time when the old Jamaica Omnibus Service had been closed in the early 1980s, and the decision to establish the JUTC, the human resources with the specialist management skills essential to running a modern, urban, public-transportation system, had all but disappeared from the national landscape... Tasks such as depot and terminal management, route planning, scheduling involving specialist and complex skills, are all essential to a modern, efficient transport system. There were, however, few persons with the requisite expertise available locally. Even now, almost 10 years after the formation of the JUTC, I have the impression that this deficiency remains... This position cannot be sustained, especially in the face of the growing crisis surrounding Government's finances. It is unlikely that an economic fare can be imposed on the public. Indeed, it is the case that most effective public-transport systems receive a subsidy from the public purse... What the country and the company need now is a clear statement from the Government as to the extent of the subsidy and how it is to be applied... (Video from YouTube, by krizzippie0 -4 de julio de 2008: "Jamaica- Negril to Montego bay", bus ride to the airport from Negril back to Montego bay, Jamaica... 'Chicken' is the driver )

Labels: public transport systems' discussions

16.10.08

PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEMS * USA - transit spins its wheels awaiting proposed T merger

It’s a time of change for the Kansas University bus system. Despite more riders, decisions rest on sales tax vote

Lawrence,KS,USA -The Lawrence Journal World, by Andy Hyland -October 12, 2008: -- After taking on an influx of new riders this semester, the system will have to deal with additional changes pending the results of a sales tax vote in November... A new rule allowing anyone with a KU identification card to ride the buses for free pushed overall daily ridership up from about 7,000 to between 14,000 and 15,000, said Danny Kaiser, KU assistant director of parking and transit... The buses are much more full at peak times, and some buses on the system are beginning to run at capacity. Some changes are planned, as routes are sorted out... Park and Ride buses, which transport students from a parking lot on West Campus near Clinton Parkway and Iowa Street, are becoming crammed during peak hours... Brian Hardouin, is the chairman of the University Transit Commission, a board that oversees KU on Wheels. That board has begun to look at ways the two systems could co-exist... A merged system would benefit students by providing more coverage and extended hours of service, he said... (Photo by Nick Krug - Kansas University junior Lauren Ruiz, Lenexa, grabs hold of the overhead handles along with other KU students on a packed Park and Ride bus Wednesday. KU is considering a merger with the T system, but it will have to postpone a decision until it knows the results of the November sales tax vote that proposes an increase to fund the city’s transit system)

Labels: public transport systems' discussions

6.5.08

CLAIMS * Cyprus - Action not words on public transport

The Government this week announced major infrastructure work to improve public transport in Nicosia

Nicosia,Cyprus -The Cyprus Mail -4 May 2008: -- ... The authorities say this is just one part of a major action plan that includes a total overhaul of urban transport policy, as well as inter-city routes and public transport links to the island’s two airports... Two years ago, it seemed the government was getting serious, with the announcement of a £275 million plan to increase public transport usage from two to ten per cent by 2015. The plan made all the right suggestions... But residents since then have so far seen very little to back up those promises... The decline in public transport over the years has been palpable: in 1980, buses carried 13 million passengers but by 2004 this had fallen to only 3.5 million, despite the influx of foreign workers, who, together with the elderly, are now the only people to use public transport. Only two per cent of the population now say they ever use the bus, a shocking indictment of the quality of service... The fact is that buses are infrequent, unreliable, uncomfortable and often driven at breakneck speeds... What is needed is the political will. For years, we have poured money into projects that have encouraged private motor traffic to the detriment of public transport, the environment and our urban quality of life. Now it’s time to overturn our priorities. Not only must we encourage public transport (and here we hope the government goes through with its ambitious pledges), we must actively discourage private car use... (Video from YouTube, by tsndmyk - July 10, 2007: "Road to Troodos" - Journey on a local bus from Cyprus capital, Lefkosia (Nicosia) to Promorodos village in Troodos mountain)

Labels: public transport systems' discussions

9.4.08

* North Ireland / UK - Belfast could get bendy buses

Belfast,N.Ireland/UK -alaninbesfast -April 08, 2008: -- The Department for Regional Development & Efficient Movement of People has employed consultants Atkins & KPMG to investigate the possibilities for a rapid transit system in Belfast... The report has been published today and concludes that Belfast needs bendy buses rather than a light rail system... Setting up a light rail system (£590m) would cost four times as much as a bus-based system (£147m), and the annual operating costs for rail (£6.78m) would dwarf those for buses (£1.44m)... The report recommends that the running of the new public transport service should be put out to tender, though Translink would be free to apply. The pilot route proposals could later be augmented if the scheme proved successful... Regional Development Minister, Conor Murphy, was enthusiastic as he launched the report... (Video from YouTube, by stuartmoss -April 16, 2007: "Belfast - views from an open top bus tour". Features sites around the City Centre as well as the loyalist and nationalist areas of the city)

Labels: public transport systems' discussions

6.4.08

PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEMS * Australia - Priority to trams and buses

Melbourne,Australia -The Melbourne Herald Sun, by Geraldine Mitchell -April 03, 2008: -- The State Government could face a council backlash if a plan for more clearways goes ahead... Sir Rod Eddington yesterday called on the State Government to use a "more forceful approach" to give trams and buses priority in the inner city... He said fast, frequent, reliable and comfortable bus and tram services were critical to increasing patronage... Sir Rod also called for rapid, high quality bus services to Doncaster. He said research found the best way to improve public transport services along the Doncaster corridor was by buses. But any service must have the same frequency and hours of operation as trams and trains, he said... It would cost up to $300 million and the new service could be introduced as early as next year, he said...

Labels: public transport systems' discussions

13.11.07

DISCUSSION * Sri Lanka - Fillip for inter-provincial bus transport

Ceylon,Sri Lanka -The Ceylon Daily News -13 Nov 2007: -- The National Transport Commission has decided to take specific steps to gradually improve the quality of the transport provided to passengers on inter-provincial buses regulated by the Commission... A meeting to discuss the proposed changes to Permit Conditions with representatives of the Bus Operators Associations was held on Friday, November 9 chaired by Prof. Amal S. Kumarage, Chairman of the Commission... The associations that participated at the discussion were the Lanka Private Bus Owners Association, the All Ceylon Private Omnibus Owners Federation and the Southern Province Private Bus Owners Federation... (Picture by Cassandra Nelson/Mercy Corps from blumenauer.house.gov: "Families in Sri Lanka")

Labels: public transport systems' discussions