𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐁𝐮𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐬

…𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄 𝒑𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒖𝒔 𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒔 𝒑𝒖𝒔𝒉 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒆𝒏𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒇𝒆𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒎𝒐𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒘

By Kezang Choden

Designated parking areas for city buses are meant to allow safe pick-up and drop-off of passengers. Increasingly, however, these spaces are being occupied by private vehicles, creating major inconvenience for buses and their users. When city buses are forced to halt on traffic lanes, it leads to delays, congestion, and road safety risks for motorists and pedestrians.

According to the Bhutan Construction and Transport Authority (BCTA), the Road Safety and Transport Regulations 2021 clearly prohibit private vehicles and taxis from parking in bus stops or other restricted zones. Section 367 of the regulations specifies that only buses are permitted to use these areas, and violators are subject to penalties.
The City Bus Service authorities have appealed to the public to cooperate by respecting bus stop rules. They said adherence benefits not only bus commuters but also the wider community by ensuring smoother traffic flow and safer roads. Authorities are now considering stricter monitoring and penalties, along with awareness campaigns, to curb the growing misuse of bus stops by private vehicle owners.

The Manager of the City Bus Service said the misuse of designated areas has created difficulties in running smooth operations. He explained that in the past, the traffic police fully monitored bus stops and ensured that no private vehicles were parked in those zones. However, with limited manpower, the police are no longer able to maintain the same level of supervision. “This has led to frequent misuse of bus stops, forcing buses to halt on the main road and obstruct traffic flow,” he said.

The Manager noted that discussions have already been held with the traffic police, who advised installing clear signboards to deter unauthorized parking. He stressed that the issue is not just inconvenient but also a matter of safety. “When buses are forced to stop in traffic lanes, it delays passengers, causes traffic congestion, and increases the risk of accidents,” he said. The City Bus Service, together with the traffic police, plans to strengthen monitoring and raise awareness among drivers. He urged the public to cooperate by refraining from using bus stops as parking spaces, adding that these areas are reserved to provide safe and efficient public transport.

The Traffic Division has also raised concern that congestion near city bus stops is largely caused by private vehicles and taxis occupying spaces meant exclusively for buses. Officials said many drivers may not be fully aware that they are parking in restricted areas. To address this, the division has recommended the installation of proper signboards and road markings at all designated stops. “Once appropriate signboards and markings are in place, there will be no reason for such mistakes,” an official said. The division emphasized that stricter enforcement, combined with awareness campaigns through mainstream media, social media platforms, and in collaboration with the BCTA and Thromde, will help improve traffic management in the city.

Nakphela, a city bus driver who also serves as the captain of the city bus drivers, highlighted the growing challenges faced by drivers due to private vehicles occupying designated parking spaces. Having worked as a driver for five years and as captain for the past two, he is responsible for overseeing parking management, maintaining schedules, and ensuring that buses depart and arrive on time. He said the problem is especially noticeable at night when many private vehicles occupy areas strictly reserved for buses.

“Sometimes the vehicle owners show their power and it becomes difficult to explain to them. In such cases, we often compromise to avoid escalating the matter, but these incidents make our work very difficult,” he said.
Nakphela added that some private vehicle owners justify their actions by claiming that there are no clear signboards or markings to indicate that the spaces are reserved for buses. This lack of proper signage, he said, leaves room for disputes and makes it difficult for drivers to assert their rights. Despite these challenges, he stressed that bus drivers continue to work in accordance with the law. “If problems arise between bus drivers and private vehicle owners, we compromise and try to handle the situation peacefully, but ultimately we must work as per the rules and regulations,” he said.

City bus drivers believe that stronger enforcement, along with clear signboards and road markings, would help reduce such problems. For them, the priority is ensuring that buses operate on time so that passengers are not inconvenienced by delays caused by parking disputes.

Officials and bus operators further explained that when passengers wait along different points of the main road, it not only creates traffic congestion but also increases the risk of accidents. They said using official bus stops would allow smoother movement of traffic and prevent unnecessary jams. At the same time, they urged the public to make better use of the city bus service rather than relying on private cars for daily travel. With more people shifting towards public transport, the number of vehicles on the road would reduce significantly. This, they said, would help minimize parking challenges in busy urban areas, where space is already a pressing issue.