Top executives of the city’s two public bus operators underlined yesterday that the two companies’ respective recent adjustments to bus trip frequency and schedules aim to make it easier for passengers to be able to get on buses during peak hours.
TCM Managing Director Leung Mei Leng and Transmac Deputy General Manager Kent Li Qijian made the remarks when attending a current affairs phone-in programme hosted by Ou Mun Tin Toi, the Chinese-language radio channel of public broadcaster TDM.
Yesterday’s topic of the programme was about the two public bus companies’ respective new adjustments to bus trip frequency and schedules implemented on some of their routes, which took effect on April 1.
Macau currently has around 90 public bus routes, around 60 percent of which are operated by TCM, while about 40 percent are run by Transmac.
The new measures, which have been implemented for 37 routes, were announced in a statement by the Transport Bureau (DSAT) last month, according to which the 37 routes’ bus trip frequency is decreased during non-peak hours, enabling the two companies to “allocate resources” to peak hours during which bus trip frequency can be increased.
The DSAT statement also underlined that the new measures also enable the two bus operators to increase bus trip frequency during festivals and holidays.
During yesterday’s phone-in programme, Leung noted that the new bus schedules are implemented for 16 TCM routes. She said that her company’s “transfer” of bus trips from non-peak hours to peak hours as well as festivals and holidays aims to make it less often that residents are unable to get on buses during peak hours.
Leung underlined that the new schedule arrangements enable her company to “make better and fuller use of limited public bus resources”.
Li said during the programme that Transmac drew up its new bus schedule arrangements, which are implemented for 21 of its routes, after studying passengers’ needs for different routes.
According to Li, Transmac has transferred bus trips from the wee hours, which are less busy, to the busier period between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m., during which passengers’ difficulty in getting on buses has now been alleviated, he said.
TCM Managing Director Leung Mei Leng (left) and Transmac Deputy General Manager Kent Li Qijian address yesterday’s phone-in programme hosted by public broadcaster TDM’s Chinese-language radio channel. – Photo courtesy of TDM
