YK Poudel

To improve the passenger bus information system, Bhutan Construction and Transport Authority (BCTA) procured and installed two Variable Message Boards (VMB) at the bus terminal in Thimphu last year.

The VMBs provide passengers with real-time arrival and departure details of passenger buses.

Officiating BCTA Director, Sithar Dorji, said: “The two VMBs have been effective in providing details on bus arrival and departure to the general public. People get easy and reliable information on the status of any bus en route.”

There are 201 passenger buses operating on 147 different routes in the country.

An official at the ticket counter said that several people now make use of the VMBs. “They note the details of the buses as they visit the counter.”

Similarly, Thimphu Thromde procured 324 VMBs worth Nu 937,980 and installed them on the highway between Babesa and Dangrina.

An official said that VMBs are effective in making commuters aware of the bus stop locations within the Thromde.

Gyem Lham, 26, a commuter, said that the VMBs have been useful upgradation with which the public can now find the details of passenger buses. “For example, we can check where a particular bus has halted and when it is expected to reach the next stop. This allows us to plan our journey,” she said.

Dendup, a corporate employee, said that such initiatives would ensure quality service for the passengers. “The BCTA must also procure VMBs for all regions and terminals for the benefit of the commuters.”