Buses from 21 companies operating on various routes from Abdullahpur in Dhaka will begin running on a counter-based system starting Thursday, announced Md Saiful Alam, general secretary of the Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association (DRTOA), on Tuesday.
In total, approximately 2,610 pink-coloured buses will operate under this new system, according to Alam. The announcement was made during a press conference held at Paribagh in the capital on Tuesday, February 4, organized to highlight the initiative for implementing counter-based bus services on multiple routes originating from Abdullahpur.
At a meeting held on December 19 at the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry, it was decided that transport owners would shift from trip-based agreements with drivers to weekly or monthly contracts. To facilitate this transition, the counter service will officially launch at 10:30am on Thursday, February 6.
Saiful Alam explained that buses running on routes such as Mirpur, Gabtali, and Mohammadpur will adopt the counter-based system later this month. Under this system, buses will only pick up and drop off passengers at designated stops and passengers must purchase tickets from counters before boarding the buses.
This move aims to streamline public transportation operations, reduce congestion, and improve overall service quality for commuters in Dhaka.
The implementation of the counter-based system is expected to set a precedent for other routes across the city, promoting efficiency and better management of bus services.
The bus owners association expressed optimism about the positive impact this initiative will have on both passengers and operators, ensuring smoother and more organised travel experiences in the capital.