Community bus routes now available

New community buses at Meilinyicun Bus Station on Monday. Cheng Rui

The first batch of community buses is now operating on eight short routes in Futian, Yantian, Nanshan and Longgang districts after an inauguration ceremony in Meilinyicun Bus Station on Monday.

Citizens can wave to get on the buses, and press a bell to get off the buses.

These buses will be free in the first operating week. After that, bus fare will be1 yuan (US$0.15) per person.

Different from regular buses, these buses have a three-to-five-minute interval and the routes are more flexible. Apart from the fixed bus stops, request stops are also set along the routes in every100 meters which enable people to hail for the bus, and on-bus passengers to get off the bus.

Drivers will drive through the request stops if they see no passengers intend to hop on or off the bus.

The first batch of54 buses run eight routes, namely B666 in Futian, B662 in Yantian, B661, B667, B668 and B669 in Nanshan and B663 and B660 in Longgang.

The routes have most stops near Metro stations, and have stops near large-scale residential communities, high-tech park areas, schools and commercial areas. The new community buses are aimed at connecting with Metro and major bus routes, as well as serve shorter trips.

The7-meter-long buses, decorated in blue with a yellow fish printed on both sides, are equipped with lower steps to provide accessibility for the elderly, children, the disabled and pregnant women. Accessible ramps are also installed for those using wheelchairs.

A citizen surnamed Yang told a reporter from Shenzhen Evening News that she lives in the east area of Meilinyicun housing estate and would walk to Futian Agricultural Product Wholesale Market every day.“The market is only one block away from my home, but walking back with my stroller full of food made me tired. Also it’s too short a trip to take a taxi,” Huang said.“With the community bus, I have no worries for the inconvenience to the market,” she added.

Tan Xiushan, a driver for the route B666, said that they have had safety training.

Shenzhen Bus Group, the buses’ operator, told the Daily that the company will keep improving service by way of big data analysis and field trips.