DSAT requests bus operators to increase number of drivers and clean-energy buses

The Transport Bureau (DSAT) has called on the two public bus operator companies to gradually increase the number of buses and drivers to cope with the growing number of passengers, the Traffic Planning and Development Department head, Lau Nga Hong, said during yesterday’s public radio broadcaster interview program.

Lau added that DSAT has called on the operators to introduce more new energy and purely electric buses into operation as soon as possible.

According to Lau, data shows that the number of public bus passengers in 2024 was about 227 million, with a daily average of nearly 630,000.

This figure represents an increase of about 6.4% compared with 2023 and is close to the record high of 229 million passengers in 2019.

He added that considering these statistics and the situation so far this year with many crowded buses and high passenger demand, the bureau has called on the two bus companies to focus on solving the overcrowded bus problem.

The bureau has also considered the demand for public transport in the new areas, which will contribute to new and increased demand.

The official said that the authorities are considering adjusting and optimizing some bus routes to enhance their operational efficiency and service levels and to change the overall land transport network to link to the developments of the Light Rapid Transit system.

Also present at the same radio program, Chan Yat, asistant general Manager of the TCM (Sociedade De Transportes Colectivos De Macau, SARL), noted that the company is operating some 544 vehicles, providing about 5,900 trips per day, a figure that he stressed exceeds the fundamental daily frequency by about 10%.

Representing Transmac, Un Kuan Ngai said that the company completed the replacement of all vehicles with new energy last year.

Currently, the company operates 410 vehicles of this kind, providing more than 4,200 trips daily, exceeding the fundamental frequency by 15 to 20%, he said.

The replacement of the standard combustion engine buses by extended autonomy electric vehicles has been criticized by several voices in society, including lawmaker Ron Lam, who noted that these extended-range EVs are not “eco-friendly” and do not produce a reduced impact on air pollution since they use unregulated emissions internal combustion engines as power generators to recharge their batteries, which result in more harmful exhaust emissions than buses powered by internal combustion engines subject to the Euro 4 or Euro 5 emission standards.

In a recent debate, Raymond Tam made his debut as Secretary for Transport and Public Works in the Legislative Assembly, where he acknowledged the issue at hand.

He pledged to advocate for the implementation of more fully electric buses on night routes, highlighting their lower noise levels as a key advantage.