Police say a pilot project to require baht bus drivers to stop only at designated passenger stops has been a success and hope to improve the driving of taxi drivers city-wide.
Underway along Central Road since early January, the project set up 12 designated bus stops in an effort to relieve traffic congestion and improve safety for passengers. Traffic police Lt. Theparat Sukrakan said in the month since the program began, no baht bus-related accidents have been reported in the area.
A baht bus picks up passengers from a designated bus stop on Central Road.
“The main purpose of the project was to emphasize that residents and tourists are safe,” Theparat said. He said taxi owners and drivers were educated to stop only at designated points and not in traffic lanes, which snarls traffic and creates hazards for those embarking and disembarking from the trucks.
Theparat did not say how long the pilot program would last nor whether police plan to expand it across the city. But he did say he hopes the low accident rates inspires baht bus drivers to be safer and better adhere to traffic regulations.
