Socio-cultural aspect

Although the bus service is available, UBDians usually use their own personal transport. On top of this, no one seems to carpool. Due to the heavy car usage, there is also a lack of parking space and thus people waste time and fuel looking for a place to park. Fuel wastage and parking space problems can be solved by the public transport system. However, it is unpopular, mainly because buses would not fit with everyone’s schedules, and riding buses is seen as tarnishing one’s social image.

Economic aspect

Anyone can purchase a car for as low as $200 a month, on top of the heavily subsidised fuel prices. Even UBD students, who get a $350 monthly, can afford owning one.

Infrastructure/ Governance/ Legal aspect

The bus stops are located too far away from the campus. There is also a lack of encouragement done by any sector for the use of the public transport. The bus schedule is not publicized and the bus service quality considered uncomfortable and unclean. Enforcement on automotive standard by the Land Transport Department is also lax.

Environmental aspect

Car emissions cause climate change and can also cause acid rain. There is also the matter of noise pollution, from the heavy traffic and old engines. At the end of their lives, cars leave a lot of solid and liquid waste, such as lubricant oils and scrapped vehicles. Statistics show that Bruneians drive further, own more vehicles, use them more, and share them less every year. It is true that engines are more efficient nowadays but it is offset by the higher car usage and poor maintenance.

Governance aspect

1. Decrease road tax for more fuel efficient cars and increase them for the less efficient

2. The Land Transport Department (JPD) can work together with the Environment, Parks and Recreation Department to inculcate environmental consideration in JPD’s regulation of vehicles e.g. revision of exhaust emission levels, more thorough vehicle inspection, and proper regulation of car imports

Infrastructure aspect.

1. Increase public transport usage by allocating bus schedules around UBD

2. Offer incentives for bus users e.g. free rides for students etc.

3. Ensure parking space efficiency by the implementation of the parking permit system

4. Improve the bus service by making it cleaner and more comfortable

5. Build bus stops at better locations such as where students usually wait to be picked up

6. The bus service could be fitted to accommodate UBD population’s schedules

7. Construction of specified bus lanes or routes for easy bus travel

Socio-cultural aspect

1. Educate society on issues of fuel and vehicle overuse and its effects through media

2. Promote bus usage in the urban areas as there are more cars used there

3. Bus companies could promote their services more e.g. through the UBD website

Legal aspect

1. Produce laws which explicitly specify issues of emission control, etc.

2. Increase the price of imported cars, revise car taxes and subsidies on fuel

Economic aspect

1. Practise emission trading schemes where a participant must keep to a government specified emission amount. Those who are unable to keep to it would be fined.

Environmental aspect

1. Implement voluntary sponsorship opportunities of environmental projects such as hydroelectricity or wind farms. A person would be given some sort of recognition for their sponsorship and would be informed of their efforts in balancing out the effect on the environment from their driving.

1. The plan was to incorporate a prepared handout (Appendix 8) and questionnaire about the overuse of cars into the UBD website. As UBD prohibits the publication of students’ work on the UBD website, the handouts were only printed out and distributed by hand.

2. A meeting with an administrative officer of UBD was held to find out the feasibility of the provisioning for frequent efficient buses to cater to UBD population’s transportation needs. It was found out that UBD already has three contracting buses, charging $100-$200 per day of usage. The cost and time spent on maintenance of buses is also very high. On the issue of parking permits or tickets, UBD’s population would complain if they had to pay for it every day. It would be better that the students’ welfare section provide these buses for a monthly fee from the students. These plans, however, would take several years to fruition as such an endeavour would need approval from relevant higher authorities and lengthy procedures.

3. An interview was made with the manager of the bus company catering to UBD. Several suggestions were made by the manager. Passengers can contact the bus drivers or bus operation centre to provide efficient timing thus reducing waiting time, frequent UBD passengers need only show their UBD cards to be given a discount, bus frequency is subject to commuter demand, the drivers need emergency training and cultural awareness of the Bruneian passengers, and free travel for the disabled as the buses currently have no specific designs to cater to them.

4. An interview session was conducted with JPD officers. From them, it was found out that a new bus terminal was being planned in the Lambak Terunjing area. This would encourage the UBD population to use it. A feasibility study was conducted on Mass Rapid Transport system and electric cars but both were deemed unfeasible due to high cost to land area, of construction, manpower and maintenance. The equipment for measuring vehicle emission is currently out of order and tests were conducted only by visual assessment of exhaust fumes. There is however going to be new technology to test these to be built in the Tutong district. Zoning of areas where private vehicles are prohibited from entering were also investigated but were thought impractical.

5. Questionnaires were distributed among the UBD population to find out their views on the current public transport system and public transport in general. Due to time constraints only 45 respondents complied.