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RapidPenang To Start Aug 1

April 20, 2007 09:16 AM

PENANG, April 19 (Bernama) -- The RapidPenang bus service will begin operations on Aug 1 and eight routes have been identified for the service.

Rapid KL Chief Operations Officer Mohd Ali Mohd Nor said today, five routes were on the island and they were from Teluk Bahang, Air Itam, Balik Pulau and Bayan Baru to Pengkalan Weld in George Town as well as Teluk Bahang to Balik Pulau.

"The three routes on the mainland or Seberang Perai are from Kepala Batas, Bukit Mertajam and Nibong Tebal to the bus and ferry terminal in Butterworth," he told a news conference here.

RapidPenang is a subsidiary of Syarikat Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd (Rapid KL).

Mohd Ali said the eight routes had been identified as the primary routes to facilitate the people getting the best access to the bus service.

"For the mainland, we will use the Mega Mall in Prai as the hub where all buses will pass through, and passengers from there can proceed to other places including the island," he said. He said the eight corridors would be divided into additional routes to meet the needs of the people in the interior areas, especially Balik Pulau and Bayan Baru.

Saw a Rapid Penang bus in front of Krystal Point, I guess that's the first bus for trial run...same bus as RapidKl but the logo is diffrent

any pic?

Saw a Rapid Penang bus in front of Krystal Point, I guess that's the first bus for trial run...same bus as RapidKl but the logo is diffrent

Is the color scheme same as RapidKL :) ?

Bus link to Seberang Prai

By BERNARD SEE

PENANG: A bus service linking the island to Seberang Prai will be revived when RapidPenang starts operating on Aug 1.

The company is also introducing several new routes, including to Vale of Tempe, Teluk Tempoyak and Pulau Betong in Balik Pulau, said RapidKL chief operating officer Mohd Ali Mohd Nor.

“We have conducted studies on commuters’ travelling habits in Penang so as to fine tune our services,” he told a press briefing yesterday.

RapidPenang is a subsidiary of RapidKL which is fully owned by the Ministry of Finance. It will ply five main corridors on the island – Balik Pulau to Weld Quay, Bayan Lepas to Weld Quay, Air Itam to Weld Quay, Teluk Bahang to Weld Quay and Teluk Bahang to Balik Pulau.

A total of 135 buses will ply from 6am to 11pm daily, at intervals of 20 to 30 minutes. Fifteen other buses will be on standby in case of breakdowns.

Mohd Ali said the company was given the task to overhaul the state's public transport by the Government in January and had spent RM30mil on the new buses.

“We have started to recruit drivers who will undergo a defensive driving and courtesy course before starting work,” he added.

Mohd Ali said that the fares had yet to be confirmed, adding that RapidPenang was here to provide a service and not to merely make profits.

State Traffic Management Committee chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan said 111 air-conditioned buses would ply the island with the remaining buses servicing the mainland.

“Many outlying villages, especially those in the districts of Balik Pulau, Bukit Mertajam and Butterworth will also by served by the company’s fleet of brand new buses,” he added.

Dr Teng said the main bus terminal would be located in Weld Quay with sub-terminals in Tanjung Bunga, Air Itam, Teluk Bahang, Balik Pulau and Bayan Baru.

“Parking bays along certain roadsides will be reduced and parking charges increased to encourage office workers to use public tran-sport.

“Park and ride sites have also been identified but this would only be integrated into the bus system when the monorail system is up.”

On the fate of the present bus operators, Dr Teng said they would still be allowed to ope-rate alongside RapidPenang but their buses would have to be Puspakom-certified.

Is the color scheme same as RapidKL :) ?

Same bus and same colour as RapidKL...the only diffrnce is the logo, Insead of KL..the word Penang is written under the word Rapid. No pics but later I saw the bus being towed away by a towing lorry,by then they have covered over the title rapidpenang on the bus...Earlier saw some people in the bus.

^^ RM1 for the first 7 kms ?? I hope they apply the same ticketing price like RapidKL. I like it !

Always tot they'll use white,yellow and blue like the colos of Penang flag.:)

I am going to Penang this weekend for the May 19 forum on accessible transit...I hope to see some test buses while I am up there....

anyone here know where Kompleks Masyarakat Penyayang, located on Jalan Utama, would be?

Assume that I start from Komtar.

Cheers, m

I am going to Penang this weekend for the May 19 forum on accessible transit...I hope to see some test buses while I am up there....

anyone here know where Kompleks Masyarakat Penyayang, located on Jalan Utama, would be?

Assume that I start from Komtar.

Cheers, m

Kompleks Masyarakat Penyayang is beside the Governor's house, which is near the General Hospital. :yes:

Kompleks Masyarakat Penyayang is beside the Governor's house, which is near the General Hospital. :yes:that will get me started...thanks...

If anyone is interested in attending and/or showing support...the cost is RM20 for the fees, can pay at the door.

Cheers, m

Rapid Penang and Its Driver

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/4346/50565672927633ac64eocx8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

^^ what's his right hand doing?? :lol:

Gatal kut?

whoa, that's something I dont want to see on the Visit Malaysia 2007 posters....

Ok, for those that are interested in RapidPenang....see next post...-

Ok, here is some info as "allowed" by the MPPP representative at the forum I attended on the weekend.

Dates
Phase 1 - 1 August 2007 (or before?)
Phase 2 - Dec 2007


Buses
Phase 1 is 150 buses, of which:

112 island
38 mainland

Phase 2 is 100 buses for mainland and island

3 types of buses...

7.8 meter minibuses (high floor)
10 meter bus (1 step, mixed floor)
12 meter bus (1 step, mixed floor)

No flat floor or Very Low Floor buses have been ordered for the 1st 150 buses. These will arrive in Dec 07. They will be wheelchair accessible

Corridors
RapidPenang will operate buses on 8 corridors, of which there will be 5 on the island and 3 on the mainland.

Additional
East-West Monorail Line
North-South Monorail Line
Hybrid (diesel-electric) inner city tram (currently not approved).

Cheers, m

i wonder why they didnt approve the trams for inner city mass rapid transport.

for me it's more appropriate for Georgetown to have city trams instead of monorail because monorail construction might jeopardize pre-war houses structure. The cost of construction is also considerably less and it's more efficient without the need to build platform and stations. It adds to aesthetic feeling of all georgetown, which used to have efficient public transport system in the 1970's.

Monorail can be build outside protected pre war houses zone for example in gat lebuh nordin. for inner city especially around chulia street, citibank, esplanade, jalan masjid kapitan keling up to Penang road, trams are more economical due to space constraint in these area.

any opinions?

Cannot have tramla,incompatible with driving habits of Malaysians.

i don't know why there are so many people in the forum saying that trams are more appropriate for Penang than monorails.

look at the narrow streets of George Town and the volume of vehicles in them. try to put a tram in that picture and what do you get?? a complete gridlock! most of the streets in George Town are not more than 1 lane on each direction, if the tram takes another 1 lane and maybe some crazy drivers take up the tram's lane, the whole city will come to a stand still!

i do love to have the trams back in the city just like the olden days but times have changed. trams are no longer suitable for the city at this time. unless the streets are closed for pedestrians only. but by doing so, other problems will arise - the weather, logistics. who wants to walk in the hot sun or rain?? and how are the traders going to transport their goods? to counter those problems are possible, no doubt, but that means more money. build covered roofs for the entire city? (cool ey??:D) and build the logistics facilities for the traders, etc.

well, in the past the tram was used to transport people and goods.....

today, a tram could be designed the same way...as a small "people mover" during the day and with trailers to move products and goods at night....

I think that if the tram were built it would be far more for historical and tourist purposes than any effective transportation feature...

so you would be likely to see a one-way loop, in the old city only.

Probably it would start from the ferry terminal and run as far as west as Penang Rd....but not as far south as Komtar...

As I said, it is still being examined....Penang is moving towards more pedestrian areas, who knows what will happen.

As for the monorail...inside the city the early plan is to take over some empty shophouses and renovate them for station access....

Cheers, m

well, in the past the tram was used to transport people and goods.....

today, a tram could be designed the same way...as a small "people mover" during the day and with trailers to move products and goods at night....

I think that if the tram were built it would be far more for historical and tourist purposes than any effective transportation feature...

so you would be likely to see a one-way loop, in the old city only.

Probably it would start from the ferry terminal and run as far as west as Penang Rd....but not as far south as Komtar...

As I said, it is still being examined....Penang is moving towards more pedestrian areas, who knows what will happen.

As for the monorail...inside the city the early plan is to take over some empty shophouses and renovate them for station access....

Cheers, m

i still don't think the tram idea will work unless they come up with something really brilliant.

i like the idea of making the empty shophouses into stations. just hope they don't destroy their image too much

Interesting article
RapidPenang to cover all corners (http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2007/5/24/north/17817712&sec=north)

AN additional 100 RapidPenang buses will be put on the road after the initial deployment of 150 buses on Aug 1, bringing the total number of buses to 250.

State Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan said the extra 100 buses would be deployed before the end of the year.

He said the first 150 buses would ply designated routes which include four corridors in Seberang Prai in the first phase of the new bus service.

Replying to a question from Arif Shah Omar Shah (BN – Seberang Jaya) at the state assembly sitting, Dr Teng said the four corridors are:

> Kepala Batas to Megamal Pinang via the Butterworth ferry terminal.

> Bukit Mertajam to Megamal Pinang and the Butterworth ferry terminal whereby one route would pass Seberang Jaya.

> Nibong Tebal to Megamal Pinang and the Butterworth ferry terminal

> Megamal Pinang to Bayan Baru and Weld Quay on Penang Island.

Dr Teng said Megamal Pinang would be like a hub on the main-land where shuttle buses would leave for Bayan Baru and Weld Quay via Komtar.

“With the creation of the corridors, there will be an integrated bus service from Nibong Tebal, Bukit Mertajam, Kepala Batas and Seberang Jaya to the island,” he said.

Dr Teng said RapidPenang would be able to service more routes when the second batch of 100 buses is deployed.

“We will do anything to ensure all corners of the state is covered by RapidPenang,” he added.
How nice...to bad they are not willing to do anything to ensure that all passengers can use RapidPenang....

Cheers, m

^are u talking about the disabled ah?

they are doing it slowly. u cant expect complete system at one go. it takes time but they surely will. i cant wait to see penang get rid of ugly and non air conditioned buses. it's time to stand up.

go penang.

I think they should get rid the lousy bus stop .. They should replace with glass and solid metal structure like in KL..

I think they should get rid the lousy bus stop .. They should replace with glass and solid metal structure like in KL..

We have such bus stops? :nuts: Only in the city centre...the suburbs still have 'reban ayams' as bus stop.

^are u talking about the disabled ah?not only the disabled, but everyone ....

fact is, the government is getting things but but they can afford to pump more money into the Penang system...

they can afford to buy barrier-free buses

the mini-buses should be low floor not high floor....

they can afford to have buses operating past 10:30 pm...

and they can afford to have a pass system just as in KL.

the fare by distance system is not going to encourage Penang transit use the way a day-pass system would....Penang doesnt have the space for so many cars, so the more trips made by bus and motorcycle, and LMT the better....

cheers, m

not only the disabled, but everyone ....

fact is, the government is getting things but but they can afford to pump more money into the Penang system...

they can afford to buy barrier-free buses

the mini-buses should be low floor not high floor....

they can afford to have buses operating past 10:30 pm...

and they can afford to have a pass system just as in KL.

the fare by distance system is not going to encourage Penang transit use the way a day-pass system would....Penang doesnt have the space for so many cars, so the more trips made by bus and motorcycle, and LMT the better....

cheers, m


they have the bus for disable ppl. but the buses that come in first phase do not have them..the buses that come with second and third phases, wil have all these system for disable.

they have the bus for disable ppl. but the buses that come in first phase do not have them..the buses that come with second and third phases, wil have all these system for disable.so that makes the disabled people 2nd class?yes, if they get 100 accessible buses in Dec 2007, then they can say that 40% of the bus fleet will be accessible in Dec 07...oh, so sorry for the delay

Actually, there is more to "barrier-free" and "accessible" buses than just having a flat floor and a ramp.

think of:

stop announcements
bus hailing
training drivers to treat disabled passengers well
bus stops have to be accessible
large print and clear and understandable signs
teletype phone service when asking for information
ticketing

All of these are challenges that have to be met...

Cheers, m

June 16, 2007 20:55 PM

RapidPenang Recruits 150 Bus Drivers

PENANG, June 16 (Bernama) -- RapidPenang has recruited 250 bus drivers who will begin their training on Monday, said Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop.

He said RapidPenang, a subsidiary of Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd, would provide free bus service on the first two days of its operation beginning Aug 1.

"Everything is ready and we will begin the service as promised on Aug 1," he told reporters after visiting the RapidPenang bus depot here today.

He said the government hoped the public would use the service as it was convenient and could leave their vehicles behind to reduce traffic congestion.

Nor Mohamed said in developed countries, 50 per cent of the working population took public transport to work as their public transportation system was efficient.

Nor Mohamed said the government was striving to provide a convenient and efficient public transportation system to encourage more people to use the service to go to work.

"By providing a convenient bus service, I hope the number of bus commuters in the country would increase as only 16 per cent of the people in major towns in the country commute by bus."

He said RapidPenang would appoint an officer to monitor and coordinate the system to ensure efficient service.

-- BERNAMA

^^ Yo.... ramai sangat guna kereta kat M'sia ni.... harap2 lepas ni ada Rapid KB.. Rapid AS.... Rapid JB..

with so many taxis and busses aka rapid, they just causes more traffic jam especially in the city.

with so many taxis and busses aka rapid, they just causes more traffic jam especially in the city.

perhaps with better service people will start using rapid buses to go to their destination.

I see Rapid Penang buses around Bukit Jambul, Greenlane (Jln Masjid Negeri)and Sungai Dua today! Their base is currently in front of Vistana Hotel.

ya...they park it in front of Vistana...so happy when c them everyday :D:D:D

Take pics!!!! :banana:

is the color scheme same with rapidKL?

is the color scheme same with rapidKL?

everything is the same except the word of KL become penang:)

yep! the livery and buses are exactly the same but they replace RapidKL with RapidPenang.

doesn't it much better if rapid penang use the penang flag color scheme instead?..blue, yellow..

doesn't it much better if rapid penang use the penang flag color scheme instead?..blue, yellow..

Yeah good idea... but I guess because the parent company is RapidKL... so they want to use their original colours and design

doesn't it much better if rapid penang use the penang flag color scheme instead?..blue, yellow..

Good Idea!

Good Idea!might have happened if they had stuck with the Bus Negeri Pulau Pinang concept/....

Hmmmm...I notice that there are no pictures and no RapidPenang page at Wikipedia yet...anyone want to try?

Cheers, m

Are the buses model the same as the Chinese origin ones used in KL? Or refurbished ones?

Are the buses model the same as the Chinese origin ones used in KL? Or refurbished ones?looks like the larger 12m buses are the Chinese ones...but I dont know about the others.

Here are a couple of interesting articles...2nd one and 3rd one with photos....

50% of Penangites will use public transport by 2011 (http://www.thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2007/7/17/north/18322867&sec=North)

RapidPenang ready to hit the streets on July 31 (http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Tuesday/National/20070717093832/Article/index_html)

See the photos in this article (http://www.thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2007/7/17/north/18321512&sec=North)

Cheers, m

(Article 3)
Busmen raring to go

By PRISCILLA DIELENBERG

Rapid Penang's 220 bus drivers pledged to carry out their duties with responsibility and dedication towards ensuring that Rapid Penang is the preferred public transport in the state.

The drivers also promised to adhere to rules and regulations and to provide comfortable, safe and trusted service.

They were taking an oath during a visit by Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop to the company’s depot in Sungai Ni-bong yesterday.

There, he met the workforce and launched a half-day course on ‘driving’ manners con-ducted by the Road Transport Department (JPJ).

As a demonstration of their training in dis-cipline, the workforce formed a parade for inspection by Nor Mohamed.


Symbolic:Nor Mohamed sprinkling water on a Rapid Penang bus.

Big fleet:Rapid Penang buses at the Sungai Nibong depot.
Marching was a totally new experience for Azhar Mat Rejab, 35.

“I did not expect that I would be learning how to march when I joined the company. I find it a real encouragement to the spirit,” he said.

Former factory bus driver Mohd Razi Abu Yamin, 49, said he received training on etiquette and handling of the new buses.

S. Thevadass, 47, a former express bus driver, said he had worked for several companies in the past and this was the first time he was attending training sessions.

Former public bus drivers Yim Kwai Wong, 47, and Chan Yooi Ham, 50, said they joined the company because of the better benefits.

“I am also happy about the emphasis on providing good service to passengers. There are drivers out there who give their passengers rough treatment. Here, we are reminded to take care of our passengers,” said Chan, who was one of the last few drivers to be recruited.

Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd acting chief executive officer Douglas David said the company now had 220 drivers, 34 mechanics and five administration staff members under its first phase.

He said the company was now carrying out trial runs without passengers on its 33 routes.

He said 100,000 brochures on the routes – 26 on the island and seven on the mainland – would be distributed and made available at all hubs from the day of the launch on July 31.

Besides the depot in Sungai Ni-bong, the hubs on the island are at Weld Quay, Komtar, Air Itam town, Balik Pulau, Batu Maung, Gertak Sanggul, Pondok Upeh, Pulau Be-tong, Pantai Acheh, Teluk Bahang, Batu Ferringhi, Tanjung Bungah, Ba-yan Baru, Pepper Estate, Jalan Tan Sri Teh Ewe Lim, Jalan Mesjid Negri, Paya Terubong, Tesco Penang, Relau, Batu Maung, Bukit Gedung, Bagan Jermal and Teluk Tempoyak.

The hubs on the mainland are at the Butterworth ferry and bus terminals, Megamal Pinang, Seberang Jaya, Kepala Batas, Bukit Mertajam bus terminal and Nibong Tebal.

Nor Mohamed said Rapid Penang buses would start plying all its routes in the state on July 31 and rides would be free for three days until Aug 2.

Everything appears to be ready for Rapid Penang to commence operations but, as JPJ director Hassan Yac-cob pointed out, the true test would be when the buses hit the road.

“All new things tend to attract a lot of attention and all eyes will be on Rapid Penang,” he said, and gave his word that summonses would be issued if the company’s drivers were in the wrong.

Nod for Rapid Penang
Thursday July 19, 2007
By PRISCILLA DIELENBERG
TheStar

If there is not much difference in the fare and if the air-conditioning works, many public bus commuters in Penang said they would give Rapid Penang a try rather than wait ages for a bus from another company.

One commuter, however, said he had plenty of free time and would rather wait for another bus if he could get a cheaper fare.

“I would not get on the bus even if it were air-conditioned and more frequent, if the fare is expensive. Waiting for a bus may be time-consuming for most commuters but I am free, I can sit here and wait,” said retiree K.S. Tang, 58, at the Komtar bus terminal yesterday.

Rapid Penang had announced that its fares would start from RM1 and thereafter increase by blocks of 50 sen to a maximum of RM3.

“The company should make it more affordable and increase its fares by blocks of 20 sen every few km instead of 50 sen,” said Tang, who lives in Jalan Mesjid Negri but will often go to George Town for breakfast and leisure.

Security guard A. Ramakuttippan, 60, said that even if the fare were expensive, he would still get on board if the bus was air-conditioned and if it kept to its schedule.

“For now, the fares are not standardised and bus drivers are charging ikut suka (as they liked). I have been charged between RM1.50 and RM2 for a ride from Komtar to Bukit Jambul.

“I am sometimes given a ticket and sometimes not. And the waiting period can be as long as an hour or two,” he lamented.

Factory operator Faridah Che Mat, 32, who has her three-year-old son in tow, said she would not mind paying a little extra if the service was good.

She said she normally paid 80 sen for a trip from her home in Sungai Pinang to Penang Hospital, and 90 sen from Komtar to Sungai Pinang, but would not mind the RM1 fare on Rapid Penang if it lived up to its promises.

Former hawker Chan Sooi Chang, 52, from Jelutong, who brought a friend's six-year-old son to George Town to see his paediatrician, said he had no choice but to take the bus as he did not have a car.

“The fare is RM1 from Komtar and RM1.20 from Weld Quay. Most of the existing buses are not air-conditioned and it can get very hot sometimes as the vehicles are usually crammed with passengers.

“This is very boh li pien (inconvenient),” he said.

KGN Hin Bus Co Sdn Bhd driver Najib Abu Hassan, 41, said he and his colleagues were ready to meet the challenges brought on by the new Rapid Penang services.

“We will not give in, we will fight with them,” he said, adding that his company's fare on air-conditioned buses was RM1.30 to Tanjung Bungah from Komtar, RM1.70 from Weld Quay, and RM2.70 to Teluk Bahang from Komtar and RM3 from Weld Quay.

According to a table of fares by Rapid Penang, the fares are similar at RM1.50 for a trip to Tanjung Bungah from Weld Quay and Komtar, and RM3 to Teluk Bahang.

Bus commuters waiting at Weld Quay yesterday morning turned to watch as a RapidKL bus passed by, full of people inside.

The “passengers” in the bus, however, were Rapid Penang's new drivers and two assessors on a route familiarisation trip.

RapidKL assessors Sutrisno Tu Gimin and Abdul Hamid Ibrahim said there were 22 drivers on board and they took turns behind the wheel every 10 to 15 minutes to familiarise themselves with the routes and the buses.

“Today, we are covering the routes under Rapid Penang's second corridor which includes George Town to Air Itam town,” said Sutrisno, adding that they started at 8.30am and would only finish at 5pm.

Are the tickets valid for one whole day like in KL?Or only one time use ticket?

I wish is like KL one, where you only need to purchase one time.

I wish is like KL one, where you only need to purchase one time.

So the ticket is not for the whole day?

uly 23, 2007 16:11 PM

RapidPenang All Set To Begin Operations Next Week

PENANG, July 23 (Bernama) -- RapidPenang, a subsidiary of Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd (RapidKL) which has been appointed to offer bus transport services in the state, is all set to begin operations from next week.

State traffic management, information and community relations committee chairman Datuk Teng Hock Nan said the company has given an assurance that things will go smoothly following the planning made in the past months.

He called on the public to give a chance to RapidPenang to show its capability in running the services for them.

"Give them a chance and we want a positive attitude," he told reporters after visiting a registration counter for issuing special RapidPenang cards with 50 percent discount for senior citizens at Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak (Komtar) here Monday.

Teng said several efforts were made in the past to improve public bus services in Penang but it was still not satisfactory.

RapidPenang will be using 150 buses when its operations start on July 31 with the aim of providing good services and reducing inconvenience for users, he said.

He added that members of the public could channel complaints or give their feedback on the bus services through Tel: 04-2288991.

Meanwhile, Ng Wei Aik, political secretary to the DAP secretary-general, handed a memorandum to Teng with an appeal to the state government to review the RapidPenang fares.

-- BERNAMA

Monday July 30, 2007

More buses to cover more routes

By NIK KHUSAIRI IBRAHIM

ALTHOUGH Rapid Penang operations will not be profitable, the Finance Ministry will continue to provide more buses to serve as many routes.

Finance Ministry parliamentary secretary Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya said the 150 buses allocated under the first and second phases were enough to provide extensive coverage, especially on the mainland.

“We will also look into providing more buses to cover as many routes as possible.

“The government will ensure Rapid Penang provides efficient services for the benefit of the people.

“It will continue servicing the non-profitable routes as the ultimate aim is to provide greater accessibility for the people,” he said.

Dr Hilmi, who is also Balik Pulau MP, said this after distributing flyers on Rapid Penang schedules and routes in Pekan Kongsi in Balik Pulau yesterday.

Also present was Pulau Betong assemblyman Muhammad Farid Saad.

Dr Hilmi and his team walked for about two kilometres from Pekan Kongsi to the new bus station in Jalan Tun Sardon to distribute the flyers.

Later, they hopped onto a Rapid Penang coach plying the Balik Pulau town.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will launch the Rapid Penang bus services tomorrow.

Dr Hilmi said even RapidKL was not making profit.

“But train services are benefiting from RapidKL services.

“We will look into ways of cross-subsidising Rapid Penang services through such integrated public transportation services,” he said.

Noting that routes plied by Rapid Penang were not complete, Dr Hilmi said more areas would be covered after the second phase of implementation in December.

“Our aim is to ensure the outskirts are also well-connected,” he said, adding that request for more routes would be studied on case-by-case basis.

Muhammad Farid said he would request Rapid Penang to service the Balik Pulau-Paya Terubong route.

Rapid Penang would be plying from Balik Pulau to George Town through Bayan Baru. It will also be plying Balik Pulau-Teluk Bahang and Balik Pulau Pantai Aceh routes.

I saw a RapidPenang a la minibus today. I didn't know they also have the smaller buses to ply certain routes!

Maybe is a pirated RapidPenang.

Maybe is a pirated RapidPenang.

RapidPenang operates those minibuses for shorter and non truck routes.

where are the pictures? :lol: pictures please please please :p

PM to launch Rapid Penang
Tuesday July 31, 2007
By PRISCILLA DIELENBERG
TheStar


PENANG: Rapid Penang buses will hit the roads from 11.30am today after the launching of the new state public bus transportation system by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

RapidKL chief operating officer Mohd Ali Mohd Nor said Rapid Penang’s operating fleet of 135 buses would start plying all its 33 routes on the island and mainland immediately after the launching.

“We have 150 buses but only 135 will be on the roads at any given time,” he said yesterday.

Mohd Ali said that from today until Thursday, 50 workers would be deployed at 13 hubs from 10am to 7pm to provide information on the new bus system.

The 13 hubs are at Weld Quay, Komtar, Teluk Bahang, Tanjung Bungah, Balik Pulau, Paya Terubong, Sungai Nibong, Bayan Baru, Mega-mal Pinang, Butterworth ferry terminal, Kepala Batas, Bukit Mertajam, and Nibong Tebal.

“Our staff will be stationed there to explain how to use the system. My advice is to find the time to hop on a bus to the nearest information hub,” said Mohd Ali.

He said that the buses would begin its normal operating hours from 6am tomorrow, adding that some of the routes would be serviced until 10pm while others would be until 11pm daily.

He also said the company hoped to overcome all its deficiencies and insufficiencies as soon as possible, and asked the public not to “hit the panic button”.

Mohd Ali said the company’s new hub at the Raja Tun Uda Ferry Terminal in Weld Quay was nearing completion but this would not hinder the bus services.

“Some facilities are taking a longer time to be completed and work is still being done, but they are not major issues. We did not have a choice except to begin operations as fast as possible because the state needed this new service,” he said.

He said Rapid Penang’s workshop and head office in Lorong Kulit was still being refurbished and that they expected to move in by next week or so.

Mohd Ali said the company’s contractor had not yet finished putting up Rapid Penang sign plates at bus stops to indicate that those stops were pick-up or drop-off points.

“We have about 1,000 bus stops. The contractor started work last week and was supposed to finish before the launch but work is still being done,” he said, adding that the route numbers would be pasted onto the sign plates at these stops over the next few weeks.

All systems go for Rapid Penang
Tuesday July 31, 2007
By ANNA CHEAH
TheStar


IT’S free bus rides for three days on all the 135 brand new Rapid Penang buses after the state public bus transportation system was launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today.

Rapid Penang is a subsidiary of RapidKL, a 100% government-owned company under the Minis-try of Finance Incorporated.

It is an integral part of the mega infrastructure develop-ment under the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) master plan.

Expectations are high. After all, Penang Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan was quoted as saying that Rapid Penang “is expected to be 10 times better than the present system.”

Tan Sri Dr Chin Fook Weng, a member of the 120-strong Penang Local Government Consultative Forum, seemed to speak for all when he said: “If we fail this time, it will be the end of the road for us.”

Dr Teng had said that bus com-muters should not expect every-thing to fall into place.

“We cannot expect everything to be in order instantaneously,” he said.

From random interviews con-ducted by The Star on Rapid Pe-nang’s operation in the state over the past few months, commuters have almost given up hope of getting a decent public bus service in the state – until now.

This time around, Penangites have reason to believe that the system may well work.

For starters, all the buses are spanking new, so at least there will not be any complaints about buses not passing the road wor-thiness test, bone-shakers break-ing down halfway or grouses about dirty, torn seats and air-conditioning not working.

The 220 bus drivers have been trained. They have made trial runs along their assigned routes earlier to ensure that all will go well to-day.

They had even taken an oath pledging to provide a safe, com-fortable trusted service.

The buses will cover 26 routes on Penang island and seven routes on the mainland.

Billboards display the bus routes at 13 bus stops and 100,000 booklets on the routes are distributed statewide.

And commuters are getting cheaper rides. Fares will start at RM1 and increase in blocks of 50sen up to a maximum of RM3.

There is a 50% discount for se-nior citizens aged 60 and above. They can apply for their discount card at the Penang Caring Society Complex (Tel: 04-2264531) and district welfare offices in Balik Pulau (Tel: 04-8668442), Butter-worth (04-3313455), Bukit Mer-tajam (Tel: 04-5382584) and Sun-gai Jawi (Tel:04-5821798). They are required to bring along their MyKad and two passport-sized photographs.

Children under 12 and students in school uniform will also enjoy the same fare discount.

Six types of colour-coded dis-count cards will be issued to the disabled by the state welfare de-partment.

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2007/7/31/north/rapid2.jpg

Getting prepared:Rapid Penang buses waiting in line to
fill up outside a petrol station on Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah.

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2007/7/31/north/rapid1.jpg

Last-minute rush:Workers racing against time
to complete the bus hub at Weld Quay.

Adelaide Metro also use similar mini buses in the suburbs.When I ride it to my friend's house, I notice there aren't many passengers taking the route. The mini bus does even use the button/buzzer as a bus stop, you have to tell the driver 'next stop please'.

I saw Rapid Penang on all the roads today!

The buses are so spanking new and shinning! LOL

I hope they will remain the same as time goes on.. quality wise

A forumer here, kelvinkhew passed some pics RapidPenang buses pics to mr, enjoy

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o245/hijazzains/dDSCN0021.jpg

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o245/hijazzains/dDSCN0013.jpg

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o245/hijazzains/dDSCN0019.jpg

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o245/hijazzains/dDSCN0018.jpg

Cool!! anyone used it before?? how's the ticketing system? is it like rapid kl's one day pass thingy??

KL one is a great system. Hope penang one will follow the same.
But actually i seldom ride with bus, cause normally will be ridding a motor

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o245/hijazzains/dDSCN0013.jpg looks like the "HK Minibus" has finally arrived in Malaysia :lol:

No website of RapidPenang, and Local government (MPPP) page (http://www.mppp.gov.my/english/routesm.htm)has very old info about the "April Fool's Joke" of 2006 (which actually wasnt such a bad plan if they had reorganized the bus system properly).

State government page has this info about Rapid Penang bus service (http://www.penang.gov.my/index.php?ch=1&pg=93&ac=652&lang=eng&format=ann): including route maps.

Georgetown and Island (http://www.penang.gov.my/view.php?dbIndex=0&website_id=1&id=542)
Perai (http://www.penang.gov.my/view.php?dbIndex=0&website_id=1&id=543)

Two Route maps (low quality scan) are also now posted to Wikipedia entry on RapidPenang.

Main Wikipedia page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_penang):
GT and Island routes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Rapidpenangroutemap2.jpg):
Perai routes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Rapidpenangroutemap1.jpg)

enjoy :lol:

Cheers, m

I just wondering whether the bas has flat floor plan which enable wheelchair to be located? Just want to confirm, coz I heard before they want to put that as their least priorities, maybe they have changed their mind?

I just wondering whether the bas has flat floor plan which enable wheelchair to be located? Just want to confirm, coz I heard before they want to put that as their least priorities, maybe they have changed their mind?no, the buses are not disabled friendly....I have it on account from friends up in Penang. Two of them are pictured in the Star Metro (Sat Aug 4 edition) trying to get onto the buses

the buses are not "barrier free" either....

Cheers, m

I just wondering whether the bas has flat floor plan which enable wheelchair to be located? Just want to confirm, coz I heard before they want to put that as their least priorities, maybe they have changed their mind?

RapidPenang will get disabled frenly buses next year with the 2nd batch of buses.

http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/6347/1057747459f466a43bfabhh1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

100 new buses for fleet
Tuesday August 14, 2007
TheStar


A HUNDRED new Rapid Penang buses will be added by end of the year to increase frequency of services.

State Local Government, Traffic Manage-ment, Information and Community Rela- tions Committee chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan said with the new buses, the intervals of 20 minute to 60 minutes might be shortened.

“Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd (SPNB) will be bringing in the new buses as promised and we will allocate them to the routes depending on the need,” he said.

He said there were many suggestions on extending and including new routes in housing estates and the Penang International Airport.

“We welcome the suggestions and will discuss them with Rapid Penang,” he told a press conference yesterday.

Dr Teng said a meeting was held earlier with all the related departments to discuss the progress and problems of Rapid Penang’s services after two weeks of operations.

The departments were Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB), Penang Municipal Council, Road Transport Department (JPJ), Puspakom, police, Seberang Prai Municipal Council and SPNB.

“We even invited the Citizens for Public Transport (Cepat) representatives to join us in the discussion,” he said.

He said the state would evaluate feedback raised at the meeting and take steps to improve services.

Dr Teng said so far nearly 100 complaints had been received, mainly on bus delay.

“According to Rapid Penang, 80% of the buses follow the schedule and the delay is usually not more than 30 minutes,” he said.

Dr Teng said there were isolated cases where buses were late for almost an hour due to breakdowns but the problems were immediately rectified.

The other reasons that caused the delay were traffic congestion and roads blocked by hawkers and illegally parked vehicles.

“We have asked the two councils to re-survey the parking bays along busy roads and also take stern action against drivers for obstructing traffic,” he said.

He added that the state was also studying the possibility of having bus lanes along certain roads.

Suggestions included the one-fare system allowing commuters to buy multi-trip tickets and monthly passes.

As for the route from Air Itam to Balik Pulau through Jalan Tun Sardon, Dr Teng said they would need special high-powered buses to ply it because of the high gradient of the roads.

Dr Teng said he was satisfied with Rapid Penang’s performance although there was room for improvement.

”Although it is many times better than the old system, it has yet to reach our expectations to provide effective, reliable, safe and comfortable public transport for the people,” he said.

Review of bus service
Sunday August 19, 2007
TheStar

PENANG: The state government has asked Rapid Penang to conduct a review of its service in six months.

State Local Government, Traffic Management, Information and Community Relations Committee chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan said the government-funded bus company had been told to analyse its daily bus operations to ensure it could meet the demand of commuters as part of the review.

“We have received public complaints over infrequent buses for certain routes but the Rapid Penang management is solving the problem with effective measures,” he said.

He was speaking to reporters after launching the Olympic Day Run at the Penang Municipal Park here yesterday.

thanks for the map, too bad i cant really c the words :(...

men.. the interior of those buses looks like the ones here but different color.. but is good! :cool:

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/1917/11582568188197a6a9c0onr7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/1231/11582664027a5f39d623okf6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Rapid Penang Bus Station
The bus station at the Penang Ferry Terminal.
by lspeng

http://img39.picoodle.com/img/img39/9/8/25/f_008m_8019dd0.jpg

http://img28.picoodle.com/img/img28/9/8/25/f_009m_a80fa1d.jpg

still learning about proper design for a bus terminal....

one problem is that the "linear" bus bay design (buses queuing up) does not allow enough buses, and the buses are stuck in the line up.

"Shark's tooth" design (very sharp angle) allows lots of buses but it is unsafe as buses have to back up...

"saw tooth" design (gradual angle) is the best choice, it allows more buses, buses can move in and out of the bays easily, not stuck behind another bus.

Cheers, m

"saw tooth" design (gradual angle) is the best choice, it allows more buses, buses can move in and out of the bays easily, not stuck behind another bus.

Do you happen to have any pictures of this design type?

And if designing for Malaysia I think a station should have a high roof giving ample cover. Preferably over both the bays and lanes. Like the pictures in Post #62.

Do you happen to have any pictures of this design type?

And if designing for Malaysia I think a station should have a high roof giving ample cover. Preferably over both the bays and lanes. Like the pictures in Post #62.I have photos but I dont know how to load the saved photos to the forum.

One example that is shown in Malaysia is the Putrajaya Sentral terminal.

The drop off area uses the "saw tooth" design, while the other side - the waiting (and waiting and waiting) area uses the "shark's tooth" design....

Cheers, m

A reminder for your safety on the public buses:

Bus commuter dies after falling off emergency exit (http://www.thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2007/10/15/north/19172300&sec=North)

Dont' lean against door (http://www.thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2007/10/16/north/19177249&sec=North)

Cheers, m

Rapid Penang eyes nine new routes Operator also looking into buying 100 more buses
Sunday October 28, 2007
By CHRISTINA CHIN
TheStar


PENANG: Passengers can look forward to new Rapid Penang routes next year.

The company is now studying the feasibility of plying five new routes in Bukit Mertajam and four in Balik Pulau, Rapid Penang chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad said.

Speaking to reporters during the company’s Hari Raya luncheon at the Rapid Penang head office, he said the new routes would be announced by the middle of next year.

“We are also looking into purchasing 100 additional buses. Currently, we have 150 vehicles – 130 of which are in use.

“Tomorrow, a walk-in interview for drivers will be held from 10am to 5pm at Dewan Ahmad Badawi in Butterworth. We hope to have a to-tal of 140 buses on the road by the end of this year,” he said, adding that this would increase the frequency of Rapid Penang buses.

“Our buses now arrive on 30-minute intervals. We hope to reduce passenger waiting time to 20 minutes.

“However, this also depends on the traffic system and whether special bus lanes would be introduced by the state,” he said before pre-senting 233 Rapid Penang drivers with their new uniforms.

“By Nov 1, all drivers will be sporting white-collared shirts. When we started our operations in August, the shirts were not ready so they were given temporary polo tees.

“We want our employees to have a cleaner and more professional image. This is a reflection of our continual effort to provide better and safer service for our passengers, averaging 1.2 million a month,” he said.

At a separate function earlier, Rapid Penang board member Ong Thean Lye said it was the right of the family of passenger Ng Siam Kiang to initiate legal action against the company.

Ng had died after falling out of the emergency exit door of a Rapid Penang bus near the Jalan Air Itam bus station on Oct 13.

“It is their right to seek legal redress. On our part, Rapid Penang will do everything we can to help faci-litate their insurance claims.

“I will contact the family to brief them on the procedures involved and assist them in following up with the insurance company,” he said, adding that the bus manufacturer's report showed that the emergency exit door was properly installed. Puspakom and the state Road Transport Department reports also show-ed no defects.

Ong said the company was still waiting for the police report as in-vestigations were still ongoing.

Faster trip for commuters
Friday November 9, 2007
By CAROLYN OOI
TheStar


Commuters will now enjoy a shorter travelling time with the introduction of Rapid Penang's Balik Pulau-Weld Quay express route.

Route 401E was introduced on Nov 5 specially to cater for passengers travelling to work, Rapid Penang chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad said.

“Unlike the 401 Balik Pulau-Weld Quay route which takes one hour and 45 minutes, the 401E Balik Pulau-Weld Quay route only takes one hour because of the limited number of stops.

”The express route is on trial for one month. If successful, we will implement an express route for the 101 Teluk Bahang–Weld Quay route,” he said.

He said that there were now four 401E buses with the earliest bus leaving at 5.30am at an hourly arrival interval.

Both full fares and conces- sion fares for the Balik Pulau-Weld Quay route will remain the same, he told reporters at the Rapid Penang bus depot at Sungai Dua.

The 401E buses from the Balik Pulau bus hub will stop at Jalan Balik Pulau, Teluk Kumbar town, Sungai Batu mosque or school, Bayan Permai flats, Queensbay Mall, Sungai Nibong bus terminal, University Sains Malaysia, Komtar and the Lebuh Pantai post office.

From Weld Quay, the buses will stop at Komtar, Queens- bay Mall roundabout, Sungai Nibong bus terminal, Sungai Batu mosque or school, Teluk Kumbar town and Jalan Balik Pulau before its last stop at Balik Pulau.

The last 401E bus from Komtar leaves at 6pm.

by Roslan Tangah (aka Rasso)

http://img27.picoodle.com/img/img27/5/11/22/f_06m_f5fa6f5.jpg

Very clean and look comfortable.

Come on Penang! You'll get monorail if you prove it anymore :cheers:

Rapid Penang concession card registration begins Monday
Saturday November 24, 2007
TheStar


PENANG: Rapid Penang will distribute registration forms for special concession cards for senior citizens (aged 60 years and above) and the disabled from Monday.

Its corporate communications and creative department assistant manager Yap Lee Ying said the forms would be available at its headquarters at Lorong Kulit here from 8am to 5pm on weekdays and at its information counter in Weld Quay from 6am to 11pm daily.

“The senior citizens are required to bring two passport-sized photos and a copy of their MyKad.

“Disabled applicants are to bring a copy each of their MyKad, Welfare Department card, government doctor or Health Ministry certificate, relevant association card, two passport-sized photos and a 3R photo showing the body part of their physical disability,” she said in a statement yesterday.

A processing fee of RM2 will be charged for applications before Feb 29 while the charge is RM5 thereafter.

For details, call 04-2381313.

Melewar, Putera Capital bid for Penang monorail project
By Hamisah Hamid
hamisahhamid@nstp.com.my

A CONSORTIUM comprising Melewar Industrial Group Bhd (MIG) and Putera Capital Bhd last month submitted a bid to design, build and operate the Penang monorail system.

The bid was submitted on the closing date of the tender, November 14.

The monorail project is believed to be worth more than the estimated RM1.6 billion for the previous proposed monorail job.

MIG managing director and chief executive officer Tunku Ya'acob Tunku Abdullah said the RM1.6 billion was the estimated cost for the proposed loop system.

"The loop involves one line only, so it is cheaper. Now the project involves longer route and double-track. Of course, it will be more than RM1.6 billion," he told a news conference after the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement between MIG's wholly-owned subsidiary Melewar Metro Sdn Bhd and Putera Capital in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Also present were Melewar Integrated Engineering Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Uwe Ahrens, Putera Capital chief executive officer Wan Azman Wan Salleh and Putera Capital director Kamil A Rahman.

The signing of the memorandum of understanding is a prelude to cooperation between both parties in the proposed Penang monorail project. Melewar Metro submitted its bid through Melewar Metro (Penang) Sdn Bhd (MMP).

Both parties have also agreed to sign a share sale agreement later on the acquisition of a stake in MMP, where Putera Capital would acquire 20 per cent of MMP.

The previous proposed Penang monorail project was based on private funding initiative. This time around, the government, through Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd, will provide the funding, and the private sector has been asked to submit tenders as contractors of the project.

Steel maker MIG and civil and structural expert Putera Capital are confident that their consortium would win the bid for the Penang monorail job.

However, they were tightlipped about the cost of their proposed bid.

Bus ‘war’ erupts in Penang (http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2007/12/8/north/19703199&sec=North)

By BERNARD SEE

PENANG: Threatened by Rapid Penang’s popularity, some drivers from other bus companies are resorting to sabotage and threats to “steal” passengers.

Rapid Penang corporate communications assistant manager Yap Lee Ying said the company’s designated bus lanes at the Weld Quay and Komtar terminals were constantly blocked by buses from rival companies.

Blockade: A rival company bus blocking the lane designated for Rapid Penang buses at the Komtar terminal yesterday.
“Our drivers have also been threatened with bodily harm by other bus company drivers but are afraid to lodge police reports.

“They will sometimes find themselves tailed by tontos on their way back to the Sungai Dua depot after their late shift,” she said.

“We welcome competition as it would enable us to improve our services from time to time but it must be a healthy one,” she said.

Rapid Penang started plying various routes in the state with 150 buses on Aug 1 and now attracts about 40,000 passengers daily.

Yap noted that still plying the streets were old buses that were not roadworthy.

Rapid Penang had recently written to the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) in Putrajaya and the state Road Transport Department about the matter.

“I hope the authorities will look into this as soon as possible and not wait for something bad to happen before taking action.”

On another matter, Yap said Rapid Penang’s bus cushioned seats had been damaged by uncivic-minded passengers who used penknives to vandalise them.

“These passengers also used permanent markers to scrawl on the cushions or the back of the seats.

“They should stop all this nonsense as it is very unsightly and will give tourists a bad impression of the state and the locals,” she added.

Hmmm...I just knew this was going to happen

Cheers, m

These other bus companies should be banned straight away!!! They failed in their work for years.Police should take action.RapidKL should also offer jobs to rival bus co drivers in the future if Rapid wish to expad their bus fleet.

Sometimes I don't know what the hell CVLB is doing. Buses that are old are stil allowed on the roads. Certain bus drivers are driving recklessly and are threathening road users. Just like Metrobus in KL, the drivers sometimes drives faster than a normal car which travels about 90kph and on overtaking lane!:ohno:

Sometimes I don't know what the hell CVLB is doing. Buses that are old are stil allowed on the roads. Certain bus drivers are driving recklessly and are threathening road users. Just like Metrobus in KL, the drivers sometimes drives faster than a normal car which travels about 90kph and on overtaking lane!:ohno:

Metrobus drivers also seem like to park their buses anywhere in Wangsa Maju, blocking half the road or in front of people's houses while the driver drink teh tarek somewhere.

PA system for Rapid Penang buses, terminals
Friday December 21, 2007
By TAN SIN CHOW
TheStar

RAPID Penang will equip all its buses and bus terminals with the public announcement (PA) system early next month.

Its chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad said the company wanted to improve its service and increase customers’ satisfaction.

“By having the PA system at the bus terminal, our passengers will know which buses to board and when the buses are coming.

“All the announcements will be made between five and 10 minutes prior to the arrival of a bus at our terminal.

“With the PA system, passengers need not have to scramble to get up on a bus. It also reflects our systematic manner in doing things,” he said before presenting goodies to bus commuters at the bus terminal in Weld Quay.

Rapid Penang gave out 3,000 goody bags comprising mini calendars, pens and sweets to its commuters.

Azhar said currently, only the information counter at Weld Quay was equipped with the PA system.

He said two others, in Balik Pulau and Komtar, would have the system installed soon.

“However, we need to secure approval from the Penang Municipal Council before we can erect the information counter at the two sites,” he said.

Of the 140 buses owned by Rapid Penang, Azhar said about 40 had already been equipped with the PA system. The rest will have the system installed in stages.

“Once everything is fixed, our drivers will then be able to make announcements to passengers on bus route and destinations.

“They will also inform passengers via the system on the safety measures to be taken on board the bus,” he said.

Earlier, Azhar showed his cool while dealing with an enraged commuter who claimed he had to wait for three hours to board a Rapid Penang bus in Kampung Melayu.

“We will address your problem. But let me investigate first,” he told the commuter.

The commuter had earlier blamed Rapid Penang for its irregular service in Kampung Melayu.

But as far as Azhar was concerned, he said a Rapid Penang bus would ply the route in 30 minute intervals.

“Of course, we cannot expect the bus to reach its destination on time every time. But sometimes, we have to take into consideration various factors like traffic jam and bus breakdown,” he said.

He added that passengers can lodge their complaints through email to careline@rapidpg.com.my.

by nazrimashor

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2065/1722200380_fd20bac50d_o.jpg

by yikyeou.flickr

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1090/1212586040_cb33a9e12f_o.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1035/1211722937_0883059271_o.jpg

by yeoh_ts

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1200/1057747459_f466a43bfa_b.jpg

by lspeng

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2104/1524072149_8491e12335_b.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1382/1049369008_f2d1d37927_b.jpg

Rapid Penang official website

http://www.rapidpg.com.my

Should i get the royalty?
they took my picture from flickr!
what do u guys think?
1.
http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/7522/57980339um7.jpg
2.
http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/2313/23yz7.jpg

^^^^

Yeah. They are identical!!!

get yourself a lawyer first. very likely if you ask straight to them without legal representative on your side, the one who will reply to you will be their lawyer threatening you with nonsense thing such as taking photo without permission

thanks for the advice!

at least they did notice my work hehe
thanks rapid for choosing my pic! i forgive u!

Website on Rapid Penang
Tuesday February 5, 2008
TheStar

RAPID Penang commuters can now view online bus route maps and find out which buses go to their destinations by visiting its website http://www.rapidpg.com.my

A check on the website shows the buses to take to places of interest like the Kek Lok Si Temple, Little India, Snake Temple, War Museum, Penang Hill, Fort Cornwallis, Penang Hill, Toy Museum and several shopping complexes.

Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd board member Datuk Abdul Jalil Abdul Majid said the website offered three languages – English, Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese.

“Other than providing the company’s background, there is a search engine which gives information pertaining to bus routes.

“Tourists can find out the correct bus routes to the tourist spots,” he said.

State executive councillor Dr Teng Hock Nan said all the buses would be equipped with GPS (global positioning system) tracking devices that would be linked to the web portal soon.

“The headquarters will be able to keep track of their buses at all times and make sure they keep to their assigned routes.

“Commuters can also know when the buses will arrive or leave by just checking online,” he said.

On hand to launch the web portal was Penang Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon.

Dr Koh also launched the latest edition of Rapid Penang’s guide book on the bus routes.

He also presented 25 certificates of appreciation to bus drivers who have been recognised as ‘bus captains’.

‘Captain’ Mohd Fadzli Lim Abdullah was adjudged the bus driver of the month for January.

rapid penang should have a small lcd tv just like in rapid kl...

Nation
Wednesday February 6, 2008


Bus drivers on strike

By BERNARD SEE, K. KASTURI DEWI and K. SUTHAKAR

Bus drivers strike leave thousands stranded

PENANG: Thousands of bus commuters rushing for work and last-minute Chinese New Year shopping were left stranded yesterday when striking Rapid Penang drivers brought transport to a standstill.

The commuters were left standing for hours at bus stops and terminals as the 100-odd bus drivers refused to start their engines after reporting for work at 6am yesterday.

Many commuters were late for work when 120 of the 150 Rapid Penang buses did not leave the depot in Sungai Nibong and bus terminals at Komtar, Weld Quay and Balik Pulau. However, Rapid Penang bus service in Seberang Prai was unaffected.


Going nowhere: The bus drivers gathering at the bus depot during the strike in Sungai Nibong, Penang, yesterday.
The drivers decided to go on strike after management rejected their demands for better pay and perks.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon asked the two parties to solve the matter immediately.

Rapid Penang board member Ong Thean Lye said the drivers were holding the company to ransom.

“We had a table talk with about 100 drivers.

“We agreed to increase their daily allowance from RM25 to RM30 but that was not enough. They wanted a salary increase of RM200 to RM900 a month,” he said.

He said they were all asked to go home and those still interested in keeping their jobs were asked to report to work today.

In a statement, Rapid Penang corporate communications assistant manager Yap Lee Ying said certain drivers were pressuring the company to settle their traffic summonses amounting to RM12,000.

“We refused to do so as the summonses were issued to them when they were not working with us,” she said.

Yap added that the company hoped to resume the bus services by today.

Rapid Penang started plying various routes in the state with 150 buses on Aug 1 last year and carries about 40,000 passengers daily.

Bus driver Idris Noor Mohamad, 37, said they felt short-changed by the company as their counterparts in Kuala Lumpur had better salaries and benefits.

“A RM200 raise is not too much as everything from food to apparel has gone up in price.

“All of us will turn up for work as usual but whether we drive the buses or not will depend on the company’s response to our demands,” he said.

by eastglam

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3031/2419492887_540500bc9e_b.jpg

Rapid Penang keen to upgrade bus stops
Friday April 25, 2008
TheStar

RAPID Penang has proposed to upgrade bus stops on Penang island to make them user-friendly and barrier free for the convenience of disabled passengers under a three-phase project.

Its chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad said the company had last week submitted the proposal, akin to an ‘adoption’ programme, to state Local Government, Traffic Management and Environment Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow for approval.

He said Chow promised to give a reply in two months.



http://thestar.com.my/archives/2008/4/25/north/rapid.jpg

Free trips: Students Muhamad Naquiddin Mohd Shah (left) and Mohamad
Faezwan Mohd Rohaizard showing their monthly passes issued by Rapid
Penang.



If approved, Azhar said the company would adopt 60 bus stops at strategic locations under the first phase which would cost RM3.2mil and take two years to implement.

”The money will be used to provide user-friendly facilities for the convenience of disabled passengers and to maintain the bus stops,” he told reporters after launching a monthly pass for students at the Rapid Penang office in Lorong Kulit yesterday.

There are now 303 bus stops on the island. Azhar said the existing bus stops did not allow passengers on wheelchairs to get onto the high kerbs to reach the waiting area.

He said although some 40 Rapid Penang buses were equipped with wheelchair ramps, they could not be fully utilised due to the existing condition of the bus stops.

At the event, Rapid Penang gave out 60 free monthly student passes to children of St Joseph Home, The Salvation Army and Wisma Yatim Islam Pulau Pinang, and six free passes to students who turned up at the Rapid Penang office yesterday.

Penang looks at tram alternative
By Lee Wei Lian
Email us your feedback at fd@bizedge.com


The Penang Heritage Trust (PHT) has proposed that the Penang government reintroduce trams as a mode of public transport in the island. Penang used to operate an electric tram system until 1936 when it was discontinued in favour of trolley buses.
The proposal is based on a study done by the PHT last year. According to a copy of the proposal obtained by The Edge, the first two phases will cover the routes with the heaviest traffic, totalling 7km in length. It will be serviced by 10 electric tram cars, of which seven can accommodate 220 passengers and the remaining three 40 passengers. The estimated cost is RM63.98 million or RM9.14 million per km. The proposal also estimates that the project would take no more than 24 months to implement from the appointment of consultants to the commissioning of the system.
This proposal comes at an interesting time because a monorail system that was supposed to be implemented in the state under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP) is in question. In January, Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd awarded a letter of intent for the construction of the monorail system in Penang to a consortium led by Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd. The other members of the consortium are Penang Port Commission and Scomi Engineering Bhd.
Last month, Melewar Industrial Group presented a proposal to the Penang government for a 52km monorail system costing RM2.2 billion. In March, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was reported to be considering a subway system for the island.
The federal government is currently reviewing its projects under the 9MP and speculation is rife that the implementation of the monorail project may be delayed.
When contacted, Lim Hock Seng, state executive councillor in charge of air, sea and rail transport, says Penang welcomes any federal government initiative, such as the monorail, but if none is forthcoming, the state government will have to explore alternatives.
Ahmad Chik, the author of the proposal and a PHT council member, says electric trams, or light rail transit as they are known in many countries, do not require a licence from the federal government to operate but can be undertaken by the local council.
He adds that the proposal was presented to the previous state government, which was in favour of it, and that it was mentioned to the new state government in a brief meeting. But a formal presentation is still pending. He says a more detailed study should be commissioned before any major transport decision is made.
Chow Kon Yeow, Penang exco member in charge of local government, traffic management and environment, confirms that the proposal was mentioned to him but there still has not been a formal presentation.
Dr Choong Sim Poey, the PHT's president, says trams are environmentally friendly and some of the old tram lines still exist on Georgetown roads and can be reused. "Don't go for expensive solutions. Look at multi-modal public transport and show the cost benefit to the people," he says.
Trams were very popular in the early 19th century. However, with the growth in popularity of motor vehicles, many cities decided to remove the tram system, which was perceived to be old fashioned, in favour of cars and buses. Notable exceptions include San Francisco, Zurich and Melbourne.
Melbourne not only preserved its tram system, but also expanded it into the world's most comprehensive one, with over 245km of lines, 500 trams and 1,813 stops.
In the 1970s, the term "light rail transit" or LRT was coined by the industry to update the image of the tram and the two terms are often used interchangeably.
Unlike in Malaysia, LRT in most other countries refers to modern electric trams, which run on unobtrusive rails embedded in the road as well as conventional rail tracks. Today, LRT is enjoying a resurgence and dozens of cities around the world have reintroduced LRT to their streets.
These include Los Angeles, which once had the world's largest tram system, and Sydney, which reintroduced trams to its streets in 1997. Last year saw the opening of new LRT lines and cities that joined the tram fraternity include Buenos Aires, Argentina; Nice, France; and Toyoma, Japan. The latest city to do so was Shanghai, which started construction on a 10km LRT line last December, some 30 years after the last tram was taken off its streets.
While some people perceive trams as old-fashioned vehicles, modern electric trams can look quite sleek and futuristic. Their main advantage is that they operate at surface level and commuters can hop on and off without the hassle of trekking up to an elevated platform. The cost of building a tram stop is also negligible compared to building an elevated platform station. The stops are also less visually disruptive and tend to blend in with the urban landscape.
Tim Hunter, head of sector for rails at Siemens, tells The Edge that there are some challenges to reintroducing the tram system, which include integrating with the road traffic. "Integration is key. If the planners can resolve how the system can work with the traffic, it will be an excellent mode of transport as people can hop on and off and you can also increase capacity easily. It's also flexible enough to serve both the city and suburban areas. While in the city, the trams will be treated as road vehicles and obey speed limits, but once they are out of the city and are on dedicated tracks, they can reach speeds of up to 100kph."
To make trams a more attractive option, he says there are technologies that can help them achieve greater mobility in the city, including giving them priority at traffic lights.
Siemens is working on a project to reintroduce trams to Edinburgh, where the last tram was taken off the streets in the 1960s. The new trams are scheduled to be operational in 2011. However, when asked about the PHT's cost projections, Hunter says they are too low.

Sweden's Scania wins order for 152 city buses in Malaysia
Tue. February 10, 2009; Posted: 06:18 AM

Feb 10, 2009 -- Swedish truck and bus manufacturer Scania AB has won a Malaysian tender for 152 city buses, the company said on Tuesday (10 February).

The order, Scania's largest single city bus deal in Malaysia to date, covers delivery of Scania K-series buses for the public transport system in the island state of Penang.

Scania will deliver 30 buses with 12-metre bodies and 122 buses with 10.6-metre buses, better suited for inner city routes.

No financial details were disclosed.

Scania, headquartered in Sodertalje, Sweden, is a manufacturer of trucks and buses and of industrial and marine engines. The company has 35,000 employees in some 100 countries, and reported sales of SEK89bn in 2008.

^^

Scania K-series.....does that mean the Penang buses will be similar to SBS Transit Scania buses (also K-series)?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/92/SBS8138K_174_311007_IMG1545sml.jpg

^^

Scania K-series.....does that mean the Penang buses will be similar to SBS Transit Scania buses (also K-series)?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/92/SBS8138K_174_311007_IMG1545sml.jpgThat's what I was told.
:banana:
Now I have to arrange a trip to Shah Alam to see the buses!

Cheers, m

Finally got out to Shah Alam to see the Prototype bus at the Scania plant.

Mr Ho of Scania was kind enough to take these photos of the bus after my camera stopped working.

http://transitmy.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/interior-full-facing-rear-img_7233.jpg?w=468&h=312

http://transitmy.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/driver-station-full-img_7250.jpg?w=468&h=351

http://transitmy.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/driver-station-driver-view-img_7254.jpg?w=468&h=351

http://transitmy.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/dscn4573.jpg?w=468&h=351

See the TRANSIT website (http://transitmy.org/2009/05/19/images-of-new-scania-k-series-bus-to-be-operated-by-rapidpenang/) for more photos.

Cheers, m

Finally got out to Shah Alam to see the Prototype bus at the Scania plant.

Mr Ho of Scania was kind enough to take these photos of the bus after my camera stopped working.

http://transitmy.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/interior-full-facing-rear-img_7233.jpg?w=468&h=312

http://transitmy.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/driver-station-full-img_7250.jpg?w=468&h=351

http://transitmy.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/driver-station-driver-view-img_7254.jpg?w=468&h=351

http://transitmy.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/dscn4573.jpg?w=468&h=351

See the TRANSIT website (http://transitmy.org/2009/05/19/images-of-new-scania-k-series-bus-to-be-operated-by-rapidpenang/) for more photos.

Cheers, m

Great bus! Hopefully the back of the bus also has a screen to show the bus number - For some reason Rapid KL buses do not show bus numbers on the back.

Great bus! Hopefully the back of the bus also has a screen to show the bus number - For some reason Rapid KL buses do not show bus numbers on the back.On the back of the bus on the outside?

Yes, it does have that screen-aka 'rear destination sign'.

Cheers, m

Penang-Kulim Monorail (Penang Rapid Transit Diagram) link Penang and Kulim together, proposed by Penang's Government.
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/222613_10150243117861539_296350071538_9082429_7964804_n.jpg
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/228754_10150243105221539_296350071538_9082333_3343730_n.jpg

Penang-Kulim Monorail (Penang Rapid Transit Diagram) link Penang and Kulim together, proposed by Penang's Government.
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/222613_10150243117861539_296350071538_9082429_7964804_n.jpg
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/228754_10150243105221539_296350071538_9082333_3343730_n.jpg

Never heard penang government have the plan for this route before. Perhaps they should plan MRT (subway) in island, and LRT or monorail in mainland (extend the network to sp, kulim and parit buntar as well).

Penang-Kulim Monorail (Penang Rapid Transit Diagram) link Penang and Kulim together, proposed by Penang's Government.
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/222613_10150243117861539_296350071538_9082429_7964804_n.jpg
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/228754_10150243105221539_296350071538_9082333_3343730_n.jpg


is this for real?? never heard this news...hope is real...

even klang valley residents need better public transport....how come penang just a small island and population is so small wanna get a better monorail service......

what a joke

That is just a concept something to dream about

i think, the one in seberang prai can be something like KTM Komuter whereby on the island side something which is rapid(monorail/mrt/hongkonglrt/tram)

even klang valley residents need better public transport....how come penang just a small island and population is so small wanna get a better monorail service......

what a joke

It is called forward planning. Urban planning is not about planning for the next 10 or 20 years. It must be planned ahead for say 50 years or even longer. This shows the visionary mindset of Penang Government.

It is called forward planning. Urban planning is not about planning for the next 10 or 20 years. It must be planned ahead for say 50 years or even longer. This shows the visionary mindset of Penang Government.

i dont think so this monorail can even take place.....what about other city like Johore bahru?

its all about money and budget...if no money and lesser passenger no point of having those monorail....

if penang go\t monorail other cities also want the same thing....so is there will be a trasparent allocation of money spending to develop this mega project?since DAP is controlling Penang state where they want to find money to keep this project going?they all want assistance from federal goverment....

LOL!!! that's a mock up done by our fellow forumer:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=67768641&postcount=1102

It is called forward planning. Urban planning is not about planning for the next 10 or 20 years. It must be planned ahead for say 50 years or even longer. This shows the visionary mindset of Penang Government.

well the visionary mindset gov.they didn't even started the studies yet!!

Penang-Kulim Monorail (Penang Rapid Transit Diagram) link Penang and Kulim together, proposed by Penang's Government.
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/222613_10150243117861539_296350071538_9082429_7964804_n.jpg
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/228754_10150243105221539_296350071538_9082333_3343730_n.jpg

Balik Pulau area needs to be connected too.. at least from BP's new Rapid PG bus terminal.. How about a tunnel through the hill from Relau Station to BP Bus Terminal.. Just a thought..

it will be too expensive to build a tunnel just to balik pulau, somemore it is not worth as population there is very small