NBC Still Wrestling With Bus Standees and Scheduling

The National Bus Company (NBC) is up and running with seventeen operators on board, but the transition to a cleaner, more organised public transportation system is proving to be easier said than done.

Bus run schedules remain an issue, and Minister of Transport Dr Louis Zabaneh says that changing years of deeply ingrained practices in the sector are not going to disappear overnight.

“We have always known that is the heart of this problem: where we had so many road service permits issued out at times that are very close to each other. Some of that is being culled out,” Zabaneh explained. He added that so‑called “express” buses often fail to operate as true express runs, overtaking regular buses only to later revert to a regular run.

Then there’s the issue of standees. Despite safety concerns, passengers are still being carried without seats. Zabaneh says the practice is rooted in the old system, where operators relied on standee fares to make up for lost income along their routes.

“We are working hard to change that culture,” he said.