BANGKOK, 12 Feb 2014, The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) has advised a Terms of Reference (TOR) Meeting that it would buy 3,183 NGV buses this May, anticipating the first group to be delivered at the end of this year.
Acting BMTA Director, Naret Boonpiem, reporting on the TOR meeting ahead of the purchase of NGV buses, said that 1,524 of the new buses would be equipped with air conditioners. Other variations would include buses either with or without steps. He said the latter would easily be able to load and unload passengers in wheelchairs, adding that these AC buses would run on Bangkok’s 108 main routes.
The other batch of buses would not be equipped with AC, but they too would have some form of wheelchair assistance feature installed in them, Mr. Naret added. The BMTA would soon summarize its TOR meeting for public information on its website, after which, if there was no alteration to the plans, it would proceed with the purchase.
The BMTA revealed that it would be able to choose the NGV bus manufacturers and sign a deal by May, expecting the first lot of buses to be delivered at the end of this year.
Meanwhile the TOR meeting also approved the modification of some buses, raising the floor to avoid hitting uneven roads and bridges in Bangkok.
