Money-losing rapid bus service may be scrapped
Bangkok’s sole rapid bus line has lost Bt1 billion since 2010 and failed to reach its 30,000-commuter-per-day goal, so it might be scrapped and replaced by electric trams when its contract expires next April.
The Bangkok Rapid Transit buses run on proprietary lanes for 15.9 kilometres between Sathorn and Ratchaphruek.
A source from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration said yesterday that the BMA’s Traffic and Transport Office was studying a battery- or solar-powered tram system and a route extension to the Skytrain.
The BRT buses would be used by city departments for transporting officials or schoolchildren.
Until last month, the Bt2-billion service has catered to 33,741,471 commuters or about 23,000 a day.
The city had to budget Bt200 million a year to subsidise the loss-making operation, the source said.
