On April 8, the Bangkok Post quoted Bangkok (Thailand) government officials as saying that the city's bus rapid transit (BRT) system will be upgraded, replaced with electric vehicles and have its operating routes extended.
According to Mr. Sitthiporn Somkitsan, head of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the agency has signed a 5-year contract worth 465 million baht (nearly 320 billion VND) with the Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTSC) to provide 23 new electric buses to serve this route.
“The new fleet is electric, has doors that open on both sides for easy access to all stations, and has low floors for easy passenger access,” said Mr. Somkitsan.
Thailand is upgrading and replacing the fleet of vehicles operating on the BRT bus route, while extending the BRT route.
The leader also informed that the city's 15.7km BRT line will be extended by 2km from Sathon Road to Rama IV Road, allowing passengers to connect directly to the blue-coded elevated railway line at Lumpini Station.
The frequency and operating time of the route have also been increased. Accordingly, the bus will run from 6am to 10pm daily, with a frequency of 7 minutes/trip during peak hours. The fare for the entire route is 15 baht (10,000 VND).
Previously, in 2004, the first BRT line of the capital Bangkok was proposed with a total capital of about 2 billion baht (nearly 1.4 trillion VND). This line was completed and put into operation 6 years later.
At the time of the BRT route's launch, many drivers argued that the bus lanes took up too much space in the inner city, causing traffic congestion.
However, in 2017, Bangkok leaders conducted a public opinion survey on the BRT service. The results showed that most people wanted to keep this form.
According to the Bangkok Post, the BRT bus line carries more than 10,000 passengers per day. However, city leaders expect the BRT line to serve at least 13,000 passengers per day.
In addition, by deploying electric buses on the BRT route, the city estimates that it will cut operating costs in half, from 19 million baht (about 12 billion VND) to 8 million baht, while also supporting urban environmental protection.
Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/thai-lan-dung-xe-dien-cho-tuyen-buyt-nhanh-brt-192240408081528895.htm
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