Bus service for students a success
Bus services for student received a success
A pilot bus service for the students of Yangchenphug Higher Secondary School and Lungtenzampa Middle Secondary School in Thimphu has proved a success, said Thrompon Kinlay Dorjee.
“Now the problem is we do not have enough buses as more students want to avail of the service,” thrompon said.
Thimphu Thromde and the Bhutan Post City Bus Service initiated the service for students of the two schools to reduce pollution and for the safety of students also to decongest vehicular traffic in the Lungtenzampa area.
The number of students availing of the service increased to more than a thousand from about 800 students in a month since the service started.
Thrompon said even teachers are interested to avail of the service.
A total of 14 buses make 21 trips each to pick and drop students from the designated bus stops in the city.
The buses start from Babesa roundabout, Babesa RTC junction, Changjiji, Changbangdu, Dechencholing, Pamtsho, Langjophakha, Changzamtok, Motithang bus shed, swimming pool complex, Druk school junction, Babesa RTC junction and Semtokha mani dungkhor in the morning.
The first bus service starts at 7:15am. The last bus reaches the school parking by 8:20am.
Thimphu thromde and Bhutan Post have asked the government for additional buses. Thrompon said that the thromde is working closely with the Bhutan Post City Bus Service to provide reliable and safe bus service to the students.
“We have been requesting the government for more busses,” thrompon said. “If we get more busses, we want to provide bus service to other schools located in the core city area like Motithang Higher Secondary School and Jigme Namgyal Lower Secondary School.”
Students who wish to avail of the service have to register with the two schools with their details, including their residence locations and a picture. The City Bus Service will issue a prepaid card, which has to be shown when boarding the bus.
Bus fares differ according to locations. It costs about Nu 10.5 a student to travel from Babesa and Nu 7 from Langjophakha until the school parking after the 30 percent student discount.
Thrompon said the bus fare will remain the same until December. “We might revise or keep the bus fares same next year.”
This story first appeared on Kuensel by Dechen Tshomo
Dechen Tshomo
