City Desk : dhakamirror.com
In Dhaka, rickshaw pullers are known for charging higher fares, and even short rides can set passengers back between Tk50 and Tk70. For school students or their guardians, that fare gets doubled.
To tackle this problem as well as to reduce traffic congestion, an electric shuttle bus service has been launched on a trial basis in the Bashundhara Residential Area.
Passengers, particularly school students, are really enjoying this new service since the shuttle bus fare is much lower than what they’d pay for a rickshaw.
This eco-friendly and spacious vehicle can accommodate 10 to 12 passengers at a time.
One school student shared, “The new vehicle is fantastic! A rickshaw ride costs over Tk40, but the shuttle bus fare is only Tk10.”
With its open design, affordability, and comfort, passengers are calling for the service to be expanded.
A guardian expressed, “The fare is fair, but we won’t see the full benefits unless it’s rolled out on a larger scale. We’re hopeful that the shuttle bus service will soon grow, providing more commuting options in the Bashundhara Residential Area.”
Right now, there are two shuttle buses operating from the Bashundhara entrance on 300 Feet Road to the pocket gate of Evercare Hospital.
Sohel Rana, a driver of an electric shuttle bus in Bashundhara, noticed a sharp rise in demand within just a month of the service’s introduction.
He mentioned that there are currently three shuttle buses in operation from Bashundhara 300 feet to Evercare Hospital, along with an additional ten buses servicing various blocks. There are plans to increase the number of buses soon.
