Transportation | DSAT does not want more public buses

The Transport Bureau (DSAT) wants bus companies to improve their efficiency, but is not willing to allow the expansion of the public bus fleet. DSAT director Lam Hin San made this comment yesterday on the sidelines of a meeting while also pointing out that 2016 was a record-breaking year in terms of the number of passengers and buses.

The number of public buses now stands at 900, a 4 percent increase compared to 2016. In 2017, the number of passengers also increased by 4 percent, according to DSAT figures.

“Our first priority is to improve the efficiency of the buses in order for them to be always on time. […] I don’t want too many buses running on our roads,” said Lam Hin San.

The DSAT head also addressed the controversy surrounding the public bid for 100 electric taxis. A taxi drivers association said earlier this week that the bid was not timely given the fact that there are not many charging stations installed in Macau. Lam Hin San said that it is up to the taxi drivers to decide if they want to join the public tender. “They need to evaluate all the factors that they need to assess before they join the bid,” Lam argued. He added that there are not many electric cars in Macau yet and the number of charging stations has increased consistently. “If there’s a need from the public and citizens, of course we will try to meet what they want.”