Bus rides up 53% on first day of school year

Traffic across Macau was generally smooth on the first day of the new school year, according to the Transport Bureau (DSAT), although congestion is expected to increase in coming days.

According to DSAT, between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., the two bus operators recorded over 2,800 trips, a 53% increase from the same time last week and a 40% rise year-on-year.

However, the total number of passengers exceeded 117,000, a 9% decrease compared to the same period last year. Nearly 14,000 students used their student cards to ride the buses.

The bureau noted there were brief traffic jams in the areas of Avenida do Doutor Rodrigo Rodrigues, Avenida de Horta e Costa, Rua do Almirante Sergio and Avenida de Kwong Tung in Taipa during the peak hours, but the overall traffic flow was generally smooth.

The authorities expect traffic to increase in the coming days as more schools officially open, and are planning to discuss a plan to optimize and prepare for the full school schedule.

The Public Security Police Force (PSP) launched a traffic command center and dispatched additional officers to key roads and areas near schools to direct traffic and ensure public safety.

Immigration stations at border checkpoints fully opened lanes dedicated to cross-border students to facilitate their entry and exit.

Authorities maintained close communication with schools via established liaison mechanisms to monitor traffic conditions.

The DSAT called for the public to use public transport as much as possible and travel at off-peak hours.

Police also appealed to parents picking up or dropping off children to use the designated zones and avoid long waits that could impede traffic flow. VC