The official said the service would launch during the next three months. Buses will run to fixed schedules and not pick up on any passengers en route. He noted that not stopping anywhere on their journeys, would better allow bus drivers to stick to the timetables.
Regular stopping buses will operate in conjunction on the three routes and city residents will see no difference in their service options. Vientiane is also considering creating dedicated bus-lanes, possibly for use during rush hours only, which will better enable buses to run to fixed times.
Public bus use in Vientiane has risen 20 per cent since the beginning of last year. The city operates a fleet of 129 vehicles, but delays on routes are frequent due to traffic jams on the main thoroughfares.
The rising number of vehicles on Lao roads is a major cause of traffic snarl-ups. From almost no vehicles on the roads of the country in the late 1980s, the Transport Ministry put the figure at 1.4 million in 2010. There are now more than 600,000 vehicles registered in Vientiane.
Vientiane to offer nonstop buses to key destinations
News in Asia
A senior municipal official in Vientiane says the city’s transport bureau is set to inaugurate non-stop bus services on three key routes. The routes from the Laos capital’s central bus station will link it to Wattay Airport, the Friendship Bridge and Dongdok.