Deputy General Manager of local bus operator Transportes Urbanos de Macau SARL (Transmac), Kent Li, said local traffic conditions need to be improved in order to increase the current capacity of carrying passengers.
A discussion on the increasing demands for bus drivers in the city took place during yesterday’s TDM radio programme ‘Macau Forum’.
Mr. Li suggested during the radio show that the driving speed of local buses should be allowed to increase by 10 to 15 per cent on exclusive bus lanes in order to increase passenger capacity.
According to Mr. Li, Transmac carried a total of 90 million passengers last year, which accounted for 45 per cent of the total.
Manager of another local public bus company New Era, Chan Yat said he noticed the number of passengers has been increasing, claiming his company carried about 77 million passengers last year, with an average daily increase of 10,000 passengers.
Given the increasing demands, Mr. Chan revealed his company is planning to buy 57 new buses by the middle of this year.
Lack of drivers
Meanwhile, the deputy general manager of Transport expressed his worries that the industry may see high turnover of bus drivers this year as the local economy is recovering.
He thus suggested the MSAR government should take a scientific approach to deal with the lack of professional drivers in the local transport industry.
Meanwhile, deputy general manager of Sociedade de Transportes Colectivos de Macau SARL (TCM), Chiang Peng Chan, perceives the local manpower would be sufficient to meet the demand of bus drivers if the three bus operators co-operate with the government to provide more training.
According to Mr. Chiang, TCM, in co-operation with the Labour Affairs Bureau, provided training for 23 new bus drivers last year.
On the other hand, the bus service contracts of the three operators are all due to expire in two years, with that of New Era expiring by the middle of the year.
The New Era manager said yesterday the company hopes the government could allow the operator to increase the number of buses operating during non-peak hours and holidays when they negotiate the contract renewal.
