When the blue B44 bus finally arrived at the stop after a 90-minute wait, no one moved. Although a line of people waited by the sign, none of the would-be-passengers hopped on the vehicle.

In fact, it was practically empty -- save one passenger and the conductor.

The B44 bus -- or the original No.54 -- runs one of eight pilot routes, set for a one-month test-run as part of a future bus route reform that began Aug 14. Five non-air-conditioned vehicles were sent on each route in addition to the normal buses.

But the Department of Land Transport's (DLT) bewildering system of new names, featuring English letters, colour-codes -- green, blue, yellow and red, one for each of the capital's operation zones -- and routes were met with disinterest at best, and with irritation and complaints in many cases.

"We ran this route four times already today and had less than 100 passengers altogether," the conductor said as we were riding towards Rama IX. People still don't understand how it works and don't dare to use it, he said.

Since its launch two weeks ago, the pilot project has garnered strong public criticism. The DLT's failure to properly communicate with bus riders prior to the rerouting was frequently cited as the main problem.

In a recent report, the DLT chief admitted to the project's initial collapse: new buses only attract 20 to 30 passengers per ride, as opposed to over 100 for the old routes. And none of the screens displaying promotional videos, attached to the back of the conductor's seat, helped. You'd have to actually get on one of the new buses first before you can watch the clip.

For the time being, this fee collector says he spends a lot of time yelling through the bus windows, explaining the new route to passengers waiting at the stop.

"After a couple of days, my voice broke," he added. But just how difficult is it to catch one of these new buses, adorned with shiny coloured stickers or painted stripes? Well, it depends on how patient you are.

I arrived at my usual bus stop just below the Ratchathewi BTS station at 1.40pm when one bus, No.54 -- the line for which B44 is a stand-in -- passed in front of me.

Patchara, a woman in her 60s, happened to be waiting there as well. When asked what she thought about the new routes, she admitted they were somewhat of a nightmare for her and her granddaughter. The route they usually take to visit their relatives in Lat Phrao has been shortened and diverted, meaning that they would need to get off and change at one point -- only she didn't know which line to take next.

"Because Bangkok bus stops don't have maps, I'll have to ask each bus conductor that passes which direction they are taking. It's such a hassle," she said.

While she understands that new routes will likely try to avoid highly congested areas such as the Lat Phrao intersection where the MRT line passes, it causes significant loss of time for people in her situation.

Perhaps the new route is better for the general public, she added, but the DLT should at least provide more information and collect feedback from regular bus riders before they make any definitive change.

At 2.26pm, I spot another 54 bus riding through, then another one at 2.31pm -- but there's still no B44 vehicle in sight.

A man in his early 30s, your average middle-class urbanite, walks down from the BTS station and waits by the roadside. What's his impression of the new bus routes?

"I don't take them. They have weird names, it's difficult to understand," he replies before hopping on one of the regular vehicles.

Wibul Wangruaynam, a retired academic, is sitting on the bench, fidgeting with his mobile phone. The bus routes reform is an aberration, when there are so many other problems to tackle.

"In most Asean countries, buses are air-conditioned and have a card-reading system. Why don't we start by installing those?" he asks.

The old routes are confusing enough as they are, Wibul adds, arguing that maps and a mobile application detailing bus itineraries should be the priority.

"When I travel abroad, it only takes me a couple of minutes at the bus stop to figure out my route. But in Bangkok, I sometimes don't even know on which side of the road I should catch my ride -- in my home city!"

It's 2.45pm now, and five or six 54 buses have passed. But the wait can be fruitful for those wishing to ride directly to Rama IX, says a coconut juice vendor whose stall is located next to the bus stop.

In the past, many people walked to him to ask which line they could take to go in that direction. He would tell them to ride to Victory Monument and change for another line. But for the past two weeks, he hasn't been asked that question anymore.

"It's a popular destination, therefore it makes sense to have a direct ride there," he argues. The vendor has a perfect view on the roadside and bus stop. He frequently observes people's reactions to the new buses and spots their confusion.

"They're clearly puzzled. They see it, they look intrigued, but still, I hardly see anyone taking it."

At 3.10pm, a seventh 54 bus rides through and then -- just as I was about to walk away and call my story off -- it's followed by a B44 bus.

"Phong", the administrator of the popular Rotmaethai.com Facebook page, is perhaps the most knowledgeable person when it comes to Bangkok's 269 bus routes. But that doesn't mean he isn't as puzzled by the new routes as any other user.

A lot of people voiced their complaints through comments on his page, which provides information and news regarding Bangkok buses, their routes, schedules and everyday incidents.

Some people appear pleased with the routes, although the majority are confused and angered by the lack of information provided by the DLT, he said.

A regular bus rider, Phong observed that the new routes aim to reduce redundancy between existing bus lines but retain the buses' function as a feeder system to railway transportation lines. In short, this could be a good way to alleviate traffic.

However, what struck him is the lack of public participation in the pilot project. The DLT has studied routes but never asked for bus riders' opinion before planning out the new trajectories. Nor are they collecting feedback in any substantial way.

A Facebook page called "Bus Reroute BKK" has been set up by the department, allowing the mobile application users to comment on the new routes. However, not everyone is familiar with using such devices, he adds.

"Employees from the DLT should be on the buses, interviewing passengers and gauging their reaction. But we see none of that."

Furthermore, there is a myriad of problems to be tackled when it comes to the capital's bus system -- from fixing conductors' attitude, to providing comprehensive route maps and improving the working conditions of BMTA employees.

"Changing routes' names and colour-coding them should be the last thing on officials' minds."