With the city’s children returning to school at the end of their summer holidays from the end of this week, the city’s traffic jams look set to worsen since 23 percent of the city’s public buses were damaged by the massive flooding caused by a storm surge which coincided with Typhoon Hato last Wednesday, Chang Cheong Hin, who heads the Transport Management Division of the Transport Bureau (DSAT), said yesterday.
Chang made the remarks during a special press conference about the government’s ongoing Hato relief measures. Chang, several other officials and Macao Water and public utility CEM representatives attended the press conference at the Government Information Bureau (GCS) in Nam Van.
Chang said that more than 200 buses out of the about 880 buses operated by the three public bus companies were damaged during the massive flooding.
According to local bus enthusiasts’ Facebook page “Macau Buses and Public Transport Enthusiastic”, 120 Transmac buses, 55 TCM buses and 40 New Era buses were damaged by the floods.
According to Chang, the about 880 buses owned by the three public bus companies include some that are leased to other companies.
The three public bus companies also have some buses that are used as backups, according to Chang.
It is understood that the three public bus companies also lease some of their buses to gaming operators for their staff members.
Chang said that normally 715 buses were used to provide public bus services before Hato hit Macau. He said that once the three
companies have reinforced their fleets with their backup buses and the leased-out buses, they would have 707 buses available for public bus services.
Chang said he expected the traffic situation in Macau to worsen after pupils return to school at the beginning of next month. He
said that his bureau would work closely with the Traffic Department of the Public Security Police (PSP) and the three public bus
companies with the aim of alleviating the potentially adverse traffic situation.
Chang also said he did not know when the bus terminal at the Barrier Gate border checkpoint can resume operation. The underground
terminal was seriously damaged by floodwaters last Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ) announced at the press conference that six of Macau’s 77 schools
will not be able to start their new school year as scheduled because of damage caused by Hato.
Chang Cheong Hin, who heads the Transport Management Division of the Transport Bureau (DSAT), addresses yesterday’s press conference about the government’s ongoing Hato disaster relief measures, at the Government Information Bureau (GCS) in Nam Van. Photo: Tony Wong
