Franchise bus service across capital set for Feb launch with 8 routes under one cluster

Infographic: TBS

The government is set to launch a franchise bus service incorporating eight out of 42 routes across the capital under one cluster by the end of February as part of implementing the Bus Route Rationalisation (BRR) intuitive.

In the initial phase, a single operator will be responsible for services on eight routes within the "green cluster," replacing the current fragmented system, said officials of the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA), a government agency responsible for coordinating transport-related projects in Dhaka.

These routes within the "green cluster," numbered 21 to 28, will originate from Keraniganj's Ghatarchar and traverse through various destinations, including Bosila, Shahbagh, Kakrail, Mohakhali, Shapla Chattar, Gulistan, Postogola, Abdullahpur, Khilgaon-Taltola, Banasree and Demra's Staff Quarter in Dhaka and Bhulta and Meghna Ghat in Narayanganj.

In 2020, a BRR committee reduced the city's bus routes from 386 to 42, categorising them into nine colour-coded clusters. The "green cluster" will be the first to be introduced, with operating buses painted green.

The DTCA is gearing up for the February launch, and has already made significant progress, Deputy Transport Planner and BRR Project Director Dhrubo Alam told TBS recently.

He said traffic surveys and route mapping are well underway, with surveys for many bus routes already done. Additionally, all bus and human hauler routes have been mapped, and a draft of the Bus Transport Service Management and Special Rights (Route Franchise) Act has been submitted to the ministry for approval.

The DTCA is also refining its "Public Transport Service Policy" to support the franchise-based operational model, added the BRR project director.

Under the programme, buses will stop at specific stoppages only. Officials say as buses will operate within designated clusters under operators incorporating various bus owners, there will be no reckless competition among them on the roads. Each cluster will be operated by a single company. 

Rapid Pass services on two out of 8 routes

Efforts are underway to enhance passenger convenience and operational efficiency, Dhrubo said.

Adequate bus stop locations have been finalised, with more than 120 passenger sheds already constructed, he said, mentioning that e-ticketing and Rapid Pass services will be introduced on two of the eight green cluster routes using 120 newly acquired point-of-sale or POS machines.

Rapid Pass is a smart card to implement an integrated e-ticketing system (one card for all transport) for public transportation and fare collection.

Also, software integration for broader implementation of the Rapid Pass system across other transport services is also completed, he noted.

The project director said by the 30 November deadline, they received applications from over 200 companies to operate on the rationalised routes, collectively representing more than 3,000 vehicles.

The applications are now being scrutinised, he said.

Time is too short to prepare, transport owners say

Bus owners said it is challenging for them to prepare their vehicles within February for the new system. Also, the submissions should go under an extensive selection process, taking sufficient time, they say.

"Two months from now is a very short time. It will be extremely challenging to introduce the service," MA Baten, president of the Bangladesh Road Transport Owners' Association, told this newspaper.

He added, "A number of companies have submitted applications in response to the authority's (DTCA) call, and the process of scrutinising the applications and selecting suitable operators will be highly time-consuming."

Baten elaborated that after selecting the company, their buses will need to undergo a complete makeover, including repainting, interior design modifications, and seat repairs. "This extensive refurbishment process will take a considerable amount of time."

Scrutiny on selection underway

However, DTCA officials expressed confidence that the two-month timeframe from now is sufficient for implementation of the service.

"We have developed an action plan and are currently refining it. According to the plan, we will commence intensive work from the first day of January to ensure the timely completion of all tasks," DTCA Executive Director Neelima Akhter said.

Also, scrutiny of the applications from transport companies has already been started, and a committee has been formed to oversee the evaluation, she said.

Neelima further said operators suitable for the "green cluster" will be picked first, for the February launching, and selection for other clusters will follow subsequently.

On the other hand, Baten, also a member of the working committee on the BRR, expressed concerns about the lack of progress within the committee.

He said the committee held only one meeting, and could not even reach any concrete decision there, which he said put the committee's direction and work plan in uncertainty.

However, Neelima said, "We will commence operations with one cluster among the nine clusters, and the committee's work will continue simultaneously. Subsequent clusters will be opened in phases."

Bus owners want consolidation of existing operators

Transport owners have proposed introducing the BRR service using existing companies and buses. They think the current companies would consolidate under a single management structure and operate on designated routes, sharing profits as per regulations. Later, older buses would gradually be replaced with new ones.

Neelima acknowledged the need to accommodate existing operators, saying that solutions that are inclusive for all stakeholders and address the concerns of existing operators will be given importance.

Earlier, the authorities had introduced the BRR system in December 2021 following a number of attempts. Later, the services were extended to three routes; but all were stopped after 5 August due to various issues like chaos on the routes.