As of June 1 this year, owners of public buses in Chinese cities that skip stops on their fixed routes will face a fine up to 5,000 yuan (600 US dollars), according to new regulations enacted by the Ministry of Construction Monday.

The ministry has issued the regulations to improve the public transportation service in the cities, said an official with the ministry Tuesday.

According to the regulations, a bus that stays at one stop for a long time to get more passengers or skips stops to make up for the time, will be given a fine between 1,000 yuan (120 US dollars)and 5,000 yuan (600 US dollars).

If a bus company fails to arrange its buses on time along the designated line, it will face a fine between 10,000 (1,200 US dollars) and 30,000 (3,600 US dollars).

If the company does not prepare "reserved seats" on its buses for the elderly, weak, ill, disabled and pregnant passengers, it will face a fine between 1,000 yuan (120 US dollars) and 5,000 yuan (600 US dollars), according to the regulations.

The regulations also demand any temporary changes of the bus lines for certain reasons be announced and publicized at least 10 days ahead of time.

Faced with worsening traffic congestion in its major cities, China is turning to public transportation facilities to avoid the waste of urban road resources caused by a private cars boom in recent years.

In the national capital Beijing, special lanes were reserved for public buses on major roads during rush hours. Nevertheless, many local residents are discouraged from taking the buses as the service is often out of schedule and marred by the poor attitudes of bus drivers and conductors.