As temperatures drop, public dissatisfaction has grown over declining public transportation accessibility and longer bus waiting times in Ulaanbaatar City. In response, the capital city’s Public Transportation Policy Department has established a rapid response team to improve bus availability and regulate waiting times.

The department reported that the average bus speed increased to 16.7 kilometers per hour last week following the team’s establishment. L.Erdenesuvd, a network planning specialist at the department, said that 1,186 buses operate every weekday, while 1,081 buses run on weekends. Public buses carry approximately 670,000 passengers per day across the capital, including repeat journeys.

The specialist explained that traffic congestion frequently disrupts bus schedules, leaving vehicles stuck in traffic or unable to return promptly for their next trips. To address the issue, the rapid response team has been coordinating with the Traffic Management Center and Traffic Police Department to introduce adjustments along key routes and keep the first lanes of roads clear for public transportation. These measures have contributed to a noticeable improvement in bus speeds.

As part of efforts to improve service availability and reduce waiting times, the number of buses has also been gradually increased on high-demand routes since October 28. Passenger numbers on these routes have risen by six percent, while public complaints have reportedly declined.

Meanwhile, night buses operate daily from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. along four routes: Tavan Shar to the Officers’ Palace, Sukhbaatar Square to the airport, Zunjin Shopping Center to Sukhbaatar Square, and Sukhbaatar Square to Chinggis Khaan International Airport.