The diesel-electric hybrid vehicle was made in Japan. It is due to be put in service today and will initially be utilised on the Ramkhamhaeng-Ratchadapisek Route 137. A spokesperson for the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority said the vehicle will spend the next five months on the city’s streets.
Inspectors will analyse the bus’s fuel efficiency and decide whether it would be a practical addition to the BMTA’s fleet. In normal traffic flow the bus is designed to run on diesel. If stuck in queues of traffic, the driver is able to switch over to electric power. The vehicle is configured with 26 seats and standing room for another 50 passengers.
Despite the addition of several urban train lines and a subway, buses are still the main option for public transport in Bangkok. Buses are also one of the three principal choices for intercity travel in Thailand and 12GO ASIA is the most convenient source for tickets for these services.
Prototype hybrid bus rolls out on the streets of Bangkok
News in Asia
Thailand’s transport-minister was among dignitaries on board a prototype bus as it made its way through the streets of central Bangkok yesterday. Arkhom Termpittayapaisit and an entourage that included his deputy and local reporters took a jaunt from the Ministry of Transport’s offices to the landmark Sanam Luang Park and back again.