Buses and their drivers need to be watched
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It is saddening to learn of and be reminded that an Abac student fell from a bus in 2004 while standing near an exit.
In an attempt to beat a red light on Ramkhamhaeng road, the bus driver had failed to shut the door. Sadly, this wasn’t a rare case of tragic and preventable accidents involving public buses.
When driving in Bangkok on a three-lane road, I often see public buses swerving from the left lane to the right lane to bypass other cars. I wonder what the payment structure is for bus drivers. Do they receive a monthly salary? Or is the salary based on the number of rounds/trips they make per day? If it’s the latter, it creates an incentive for bus drivers to rush from and to stations to maximise their pay. If it’s based on a monthly salary, a thorough screening and tests must be conducted to ensure we have qualified bus drivers. After all, passengers’ lives are at risk if the bus driver isn’t properly vetted and qualified to drive.
Moreover, many of the public buses in Bangkok need replacing due to the mass fumes they emit. These problems are under the management of the Transport Ministry. I therefore urge the relevant authorities to evaluate and address these problems. Unless changes and improvements are made, we’ll continue hearing about tragic accidents involving public buses that are preventable.
Edward Kitlertsirivatana
Bangkok
