Lets post anything about RapidPenang in this thread.:)

May 11, 2007 22:15 PM

RapidPenang Set To Begin Operation On Aug 1



BUS SERVICE… Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop views an artist’s impression of RapidPenang bus station and workshop at a press conference to announce the transport company’s operation. RapidPenang is set to begin its operations in Penang on Aug 1 by offering free services for the first two days. Pix: K.Ganeson

PENANG, May 11 (Bernama) -- RapidPenang is set to begin its operations in Penang on Aug 1 by offering free services for the first two days, Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop said.

He said that 150 new buses would ply all the main roads in Georgetown, Batu Feringghi, Balik Pulau and Seberang Perai from 6am to 10pm.

"The bus fare would be RM1 for the first seven kilometres and 50 sen for every subsequent seven kilometres," he told reporters here today.

RapidPenang is a subsidiary of Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd which operates RapidKL, a bus service in Kuala Lumpur.

He refuted claims that the new bus service would not start on schedule.

Nor Mohamed welcomed the formation of a liaison committee by the Penang state government to hear feedback from the public on the service.

"RapidPenang will be operating based on information and cater to the needs of the public," he added.

On the Penang Outer Ring Road (PORR), he said the construction of the 17km by-pass between the Penang bridge and Tanjung Bungah would begin this year.

:nuts: Realized a similar thread in Urban thread.Hope mod could merge this.Sorry.

‘New bus service will succeed’
By : Sharanjit Singh


http://www.nst.com.my/Saturday/National/20070512085435/insidepix1
Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop looking at an artist’s impression of the RapidPenang depot in Penang yesterday.


GEORGE TOWN: RapidPenang will not be a failure.
This assurance was given by Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop who said that the scepticism on whether the transportation system involving the company will succeed was unfounded.

"I want to say that we have thought it out and planned it well.

"We have put in a lot of effort and there is a lot of political will to ensure it will work," he said.

While admitting that there may be some teething problems when the service is introduced by Aug 1, he said the public should view the development in a positive light.
"I am happy that issues that have cropped up have been settled and everything is proceeding smoothly.

"There will be no recurrence of previous failures," he added.

Speaking at a press conference to give an update on the RapidPenang service, which has been touted as the beginning of better things for the public transportation system in Penang, he said it would offer two days free service for commuters on its launch date.

Also present at the press conference was State Local Government and Traffic Committee chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan.

The poor state of the public bus system in Penang has been constantly criticised by commuters and non-governmental organisations for many years.

RapidPenang, a company under the Ministry of Finance Incorporated, will manage and run its own buses soon.

The company has bought 150 new buses for RM50 million, and passengers could look forward to an efficient and reliable service.

On the RM1.02 billion Penang Outer Ring Road and Monorail projects, he said both were being pursued and would be carried out as planned.

NST

Courtesy classes for Penang bus drivers

He said the drivers would also be trained to be considerate and res-ponsible.

This was because many com-plaints had been received about drivers who were reckless, rude and rough to passengers, he said.

“We have also advised RapidPe-nang to be cautious when hiring bus drivers,” he told a press conference here yesterday.

RapidPenang acting chief executive officer Douglas David said about 200 bus drivers would be recruited for the service which would be starting in August.

Dr Teng also said the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) was expected to approve the routes and fare structure for RapidPenang buses by end of the month.

He said the state was working very closely with RapidPenang to finalise details of the routes.

“We are also working out the fare structure including day and monthly passes, passes for students, senior citizens and the disabled,” he said.

Dr Teng said the state had ordered 150 low-floor buses from China for the bus service.

“For the time being, we will not be having special buses for the disabled who use wheelchairs,” he said.


http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/619/rapidxn7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Working together: (From left)Penanti assemblyman Datuk Abdul Jalil Abdul Majid,Dr Teng,Datuk Keramat assemblyman Ong Thean Lye and David looking at some documents on the new bus system.

RapidPenang ready to hit the streets on July 31
2007/07/17
NewStraitTimes


http://img31.picoodle.com/img/img31/9/7/17/f_519m_80e1676.jpg

Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop launching the
courtesy and road-safety campaign for RapidPenang bus drivers at the
company’s depot in Sungai Nibong yesterday.

GEORGE TOWN: Half of the commuters on the island may be using public transportation by 2011.

This is expected to become a reality with the completion of major projects like the second Penang Bridge, Monorail, Penang Outer Ring Road (PORR) and the introduction of RapidPenang bus services.

Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop said the projects were in the process of being implemented.

"I am sure that the public transportation system in Penang will be transformed once the projects are ready in four to five years," he said.

Nor Mohamed said an efficient public transportation system was crucial to the economy as it was linked to productivity and the country could not afford to continue losing valuable man hours due to traffic jams.
"That is why we have planned several significant projects, which are now being carried out.

"It is hoped that public transportation service will no longer be an issue in Penang once these projects are ready," he added.

He was speaking after officiating a courtesy and road-safety campaign for RapidPenang bus drivers at the company’s depot in Sungai Nibong here yesterday.

On RapidPenang, Nor Mohamed said everything was already in place for the company to start operations on July 31 when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi launches the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER).

RapidPenang, a company under the Ministry of Finance Incorporated, has bought 150 new buses for RM50 million.

Nor Mohamed hoped the company would emulate the success of RapidKL, which had been serving Kuala Lumpur since 2004.

"Many are happy with the services provided by RapidKL and it is hoped that a similar trend will be seen in Penang."

The company has identified 33 routes, of which 26 are on the island. It is estimated that some 20,000 passengers will use RapidPenang buses daily.

Nor Mohamed said passengers could now look forward to a reasonable fare, ranging from RM1 to RM3.50 per trip, depending on the route.

There will also be free rides when the service is introduced on July 31 until Aug 2.

The Star Online > Nation

Friday November 23, 2007
MYT 3:21:32 PM



Rapid Penang bus drivers under fire

By BERNARD SEE

PENANG: Rapid Penang bus drivers’ attitude on the road has become a cause for concern, said state DAP Action team chief Tham Weng Fatt.

"I have personally received more than 40 complaints from motorists about the bus drivers 'King of the Road' attitude over these past two months.

"I conducted a check on my own and found that they speed, beat the traffic lights and stop wherever they like to pick up passengers,” he told a press conference here on Friday.

Tham said most complaints came from motorists travelling along Jalan Burma, Jalan Jelutong, Jalan Air Itam, Jalan Paya Terubong Lebuh Chulia and along Weld Quay.

"I would like to urge motorists to join me in the fight to identify these drivers," said Tham, who urged motorists to note down the number of the bus and also the time and place that the incident took place and send it to him.

Tham said what he was doing was as a concerned citizen and not a politician, adding that motorists could call him at 012-4289937 to report the drivers' behaviour.

Rapid Penang corporate communications assistant manager Yap Lee Ying when contacted admitted that the company had received a few complaints about the drivers.

"Most of the complaints were for speeding and failure to issue tickets. Passengers can complain to us directly by calling 04-2381313 or through e-mail (careline@rapidpg.com.my).

"Disciplinary action against the drivers can be in the form of dismissal for major cases or a reduction in their incentive payments," she said.






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rapid Penang bus drivers under fire

By BERNARD SEE

PENANG: Rapid Penang bus drivers’ attitude on the road has become a cause for concern, said state DAP Action team chief Tham Weng Fatt.

"I have personally received more than 40 complaints from motorists about the bus drivers 'King of the Road' attitude over these past two months.


"Most of the complaints were for speeding and failure to issue tickets. Passengers can complain to us directly by calling 04-2381313 or through e-mail (careline@rapidpg.com.my).

"Disciplinary action against the drivers can be in the form of dismissal for major cases or a reduction in their incentive payments," she said.I've said this for RapidKL and I will say the same for RapidPg...
Passengers need to be able to complain immediately when they see some dangerous action by the driver...

So here is my solution...

First, set up an SMS number for complaints.

Second, put a sign inside the bus so that passengers know that they can complain immediately by SMS

Third, place the vehicle plate number inside the bus, beside the clock.

This way if a passenger notices something happen, he/she can SMS: route <space> bus # <space> time <space> details and send to RapidKL or RapidPg.

Investigation happens immediately...

Cheers, m

^^ The worst attitude among Rapid drivers is not stopping at certain stops !! It happens sometimes in Federal Highway, for example the bus am frequently taking U80 ( KL Sentral-- Shah Alam UiTM ) moves very fast on Federal Highway and don't stop at all even ppl raise their hands to signal the bus to stop !

Crazeyyyyy

Rapid Penang launches bus route U602
Tuesday March 11, 2008
TheStar

RAPID Penang has launched its new bus route – Route U602 – from Butterworth to Kampung Selamat in Tasek Gelugor on March 9.

It will be the company's second route for North Seberang Prai after its first – U601 – from Kepala Batas to Megamal bus terminal in Prai.

Four buses will ply the U602 route from 6am to 9pm half-hourly, depending on the traffic flow along the route.

Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd creative communication assistant manager Yap Lee Ying said in a press statement recently that there would be 16 pickup points in Butterworth, Bagan Luar, Bagan Jermal, Bagan Ajam, Sungai Puyu, Sungai Lokan, Sungai Dua, Lahar Yooi, Merbau Kudong, Nyior Sebatang, Permatang Endah, Pokok Sena, Pokok Machang, Tasek Gelugor, Simpang Tiga Kampung Selamat and Kampung Selamat.

The fares range between RM1 and RM2.50. Senior citizens and disabled people with concession cards issued by the Welfare Department will be given a 50% discount. Those who wish to enjoy discounted rates can apply for discount cards at Rapid Penang’s headquarters in Lorong Kulit or at its information counter in Weld Quay. Students in school uniforms would also be charged half price.

any idea when they will have a bus route into the airport?

I cannot understand why they dont pick up that market...it helps passengers and airport employees as well!

Cheers, m

Looks like Penang UMNO wants the federal government to cancel the rapidpenang bus service. They said its because Penangites reject development and wanted change by voting for the opposition. What kind of mentality is that?

I guess Penang UMNO don't care about the citizens of Penang who rely on buses to get around.

I think these people that make such ridiculous statements should be kicked out.

Looks like Penang UMNO wants the federal government to cancel the rapidpenang bus service. They said its because Penangites reject development and wanted change by voting for the opposition. What kind of mentality is that?

I guess Penang UMNO don't care about the citizens of Penang who rely on buses to get around.

I think these people that make such ridiculous statements should be kicked out.

umno penang memang gila dari dulu. macam kene sawan kat otak.

memang sengal diorang ni.. macam buruk siku jer.. pemikiran UMNO penang ni betol2 mcm orang zaman batu...:ohno:

Hi Everyone

The above is the exact title of a report (of sorts) that I have been asked to submit to the Ministry of Finance in preparation for Budget 2009. I have created a thread (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=19025349#post19025349) with more information.

I find that the title is vague enough to allow me a lot of leeway, so this is what I am going to do...produce 2 reports.

One will be a summary of my views and opinions about the state of public transport in Malaysia, including 3 years worth of articles and letters.

The other report will be from the rakyat...a collection of opinions from the people of Malaysia - articles, letters, and direct submissions.

So, I am asking those of you who are interested...please reply to this thread (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=19025349#post19025349) with your perspectives on public transport in Malaysia and suggestions on how to improve it. You can also send your ideas to the following email address... transportkini@gmail.com

if you can be as specific as possible with the emails, (e.g. KTM Komuter, KTMB, RapidKL Bus, RapidKL LRT, Rapid Penang, Regulation of Public Transport, High Speed Rail, etc etc) that would be very helpful.

My goal is to swamp the Minstry of Finance with the opinions of the public who are just tired of poorly managed, poorly regulated, low quality public transport...as well as the opinions of those who see the good in what we have and the light at the end of the long dark tunnel.

I will not take credit for anyone's ideas that go into the 2nd report. I promise I will also give credit to others as much as possible, including a full credit each report.

Oh, and here is the fun thing...they want the report by 31 March 2008...

Cheers, m

RapidPenang tingkatkan khidmat pengguna

PULAU PINANG 13 Mac - Rapid Penang Sdn. Bhd. (RapidPenang) akan meningkatkan perkhidmatannya dalam menyediakan perkhidmatan pengangkutan awam yang efisien kepada orang ramai.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya, Azhar Ahmad berkata, ia penting memandangkan pengguna perkhidmatan syarikat pengangkutan itu kini mencecah purata 1.65 juta orang sebulan.

"Memandangkan pengguna perkhidmatan RapidPenang semakin bertambah semenjak ia mula beroperasi tujuh bulan lalu, kami akan pastikan perkhidmatan yang ditawarkan baik dan memuaskan.

"Kami mahu para pengguna gembira dan selesa dengan perkhidmatan yang disediakan tidak kira di bahagian pulau atau pun di kawasan Seberang Perai," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian selepas majlis penghargaan kepada salah seorang Kapten Bas RapidPenang, Ibrahim Abdullah, 48, kerana menolong mangsa ragut, di ibu pejabatnya di sini, semalam.

Dalam kejadian pada 16 Januari lalu, Ibrahim membantu tiga mangsa yang terdiri daripada pekerja kilang dengan membawa mereka ke balai polis berdekatan.

Memandu

Semasa kejadian kira-kira pukul 1.30 petang itu, beliau sedang memandu bas di sekitar kawasan Bukit Minyak ketika menuju ke arah Butterworth.

Dalam pada itu, Azhar memberitahu, pihaknya akan memperluaskan lagi perkhidmatan dengan menambah jumlah bas sedia ada dan laluan operasi bas di negeri itu.

"Kami akan melebarkan lagi 'sayap' RapidPenang ke kawasan sekitar utara negeri ini seperti di Penaga, Kota Kuala Muda dan Kepala Batas dengan menambah kira-kira 50 buah bas lagi," jelasnya.

Beliau berharap dengan perkembangan positif itu, RapidPenang mampu mempertingkatkan lagi jumlah penggunanya pada masa hadapan di samping mengekalkan perkhidmatan bas yang sistematik, tersusun dan mesra serta bersih.

put 2 tv la in rapid penang!!

whats the background to this...

Rapid Penang to suspend service to Komtar for safety reason
By Bernama

27 March, 2008

PENANG: Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd will suspend its bus service to Komtar indefinitely beginning tomorrow for the safety of its drivers and passengers. Its chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad claimed that the company’s bus drivers plying the route were either threatened or beaten up by some people who were unhappy with them providing the service in the area.

“The suspension of our bus service to Komtar will be lifted once the authorities have taken action to ensure the safety of our drivers and passengers,” he told reporters who accompanied him during his visit to the Komtar bus terminal here today.

Several buses were seen to be blocking the exit route of Rapid Penang buses from the terminal by stopping there for a long time despite not taking any passengers.

“Some of our drivers were threatened but they dared not lodge police reports as they feared for their safety,” said Azhar.

He said Rapid Penang had lodged several reports to the police and the Penang Island Municipal Council but no action had been taken so far.

“We hope stern action will be taken for the sake of the safety of our drivers and passengers,” he added.

Threatened, Rapid Penang skips Komtar

PENANG: Rapid Penang buses will no longer stop at the Komtar bus interchange from Friday onwards.

Rapid Penang chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad said the company made the decision after one of its bus captains was threatened with a parang (machete) there on Sunday.

“This time, things have gone too far with a tonto threatening our bus captain with a parang in front of commuters.

“We are concerned for our drivers’ safety and will not stop at Komtar until action is taken to stop such acts,” he said, adding that bus commuters at Komtar could board Rapid Penang buses at the next stop in Jalan Datuk Keramat.

Azhar was speaking at a press conference onboard a Rapid Penang bus on Thursday.

He also showed pressmen the daily situation at the Komtar bus terminal, where buses from other companies often hogged Rapid Penang bus lanes.

“Lane 1 and 2 are for Rapid Penang buses but the other bus drivers just drive in, stop their buses and sometimes even park there."

Azhar said over a dozen police reports on threats and harassments had been lodged since last year.

They included cases of tontos threatening to beat up and pour acid on Rapid Penang drivers, and other bus drivers banging into their buses on the road.

Azhar said no arrests had been made so far.

“We hope the authorities will be more committed to putting an end to such unethical practices, which are also making commuters suffer,” he said.

When asked to comment on Rapid Penang’s move to stop plying Komtar, state Local Government, Traffic Management and Environment Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said it would inconvenient commuters.

“Rapid Penang should not skip the Komtar stop but find a way to solve the problem,” he said.

“The state government will hold a meeting with representatives from the company, police, Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (LPKP), Road Transport Department (JPJ) and other related bodies to find a solution as soon as possible to discuss the matter,” he said.

wah...penang become from bad to worse lah......

Rapid buses won’t stop at Komtar

PENANG: Rapid Penang buses will no longer stop at the Komtar bus interchange from Friday.

Rapid Penang chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad said the company made the decision after one of its bus captains was threatened with a parang there on Sunday.

“This time, things have gone too far with a tonto threatening our bus captain with a parang in front of commuters.

“We are concerned for our drivers’ safety and will not stop at Komtar until action is taken to stop such acts,” he said, adding that bus commuters at Komtar could board Rapid Penang buses at the next stop in Jalan Datuk Keramat.

Azhar was speaking at a press conference onboard a Rapid Penang bus yesterday.

He also showed pressmen the daily situation at the Komtar bus terminal, where buses from other companies often hogged Rapid Penang bus lanes.

“Lanes 1 and 2 are for Rapid Penang buses but the other bus drivers just drive in, stop their buses and sometimes even park there.”

Azhar said over a dozen police reports on threats and harassments had been lodged since last year.

They included cases of tontos threatening to beat up and pour acid on Rapid Penang drivers, and other bus drivers banging into their buses on the road.

Azhar said no arrests had been made so far.

“We hope the authorities will be more committed to ending such unethical practices which are also making commuters suffer,” he said.

State Local Government, Traffic Management and Environment Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said Rapid Penang's move would inconvenience commuters.

“Rapid Penang should not skip the Komtar stop but find a way to solve the problem,” he said.

“The state government will hold a meeting with representatives from the company, police, Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board, Road Transport Department and other related bodies to find a solution as soon as possible,” he said.

OMG.What's is the use of the police :ohno:.

OH MY GOD.....this is unacceptable....no other ways to solve this problem beside suspend the service to komtar, this is not the best way to cope the problem

i call this as sabotaging state government....

i call this as sabotaging state government....

i oso think likewise.Or police dun want to co-operate :ohno:

by this way...rapid penang wants rakyat (the stupid one) to blame state government. even tho state government i believe has the power to control the situation.....well, i don care lah..i'm not penangite and not using rapid penang...:lol:

Penang State Government Rejects 'Leasing' System For Buses

PENANG, April 6 (Bernama) -- The Penang state government has rejected a "leasing" system adopted by certain bus operators in the state because of problems caused to competitors and the public, said a state government official.

Chow Kon Yeow, Chairman of the Penang Local Government, Traffic Management and Environment Committee, said if they persisted on using the system, the state government would not hesitate to urge the Commercial Vehicle Licencing Board (CVLB) to take stern action against them.

Under the "leasing" system, a bus company would lease buses to certain bus drivers who would then be responsible for the upkeep of the vehicles, including fuel cost.

Chow said besides from failing to adhere the operating schedules, these bus operators had also broken several CVLB rules.

"This issue has been raised by the Citizens for Public Transport (Cepat) to the CVLB for quite some time now. Unfortunately, no action had been taken against such bus operators," he told reporters, here Sunday. He said the drivers of such buses had caused problems to other bus operators as well as the public and jeorpadised the bus service in Penang.

Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd (RapidPenang) recently claimed that its drivers had been threatened and harassed by "leasing" system drivers.

by this way...rapid penang wants rakyat (the stupid one) to blame state government. even tho state government i believe has the power to control the situation.....well, i don care lah..i'm not penangite and not using rapid penang...:lol:

:lol:

If Metrobus can sue the CVLB and Cepat can sue the CVLB then RapidPenang can also sue the CVLB. :lol:

Highlight of my report to the ministry of Finance (and highlight of all future discussions) > No more CVLB!!! :bash: (for public transport, at least)

Cheers, m

RapidPenang buka kaunter daftar pas pelajar

PULAU PINANG 17 April - Rapid Penang Sdn. Bhd. (RapidPenang) akan membuka kaunter pendaftaran bagi permohonan pas bulanan pelajar di dua lokasi berasingan pada hujung minggu ini.

Penolong Pengurus Komunikasi Kreatif RapidPenang, Yap Lee Ying berkata, kaunter pendaftaran pertama pada 19 April ini akan diadakan di kaunter maklumat pusat membeli belah Bukit Jambul dan kaunter kedua pula dibuka di Queensbay Mall pada 20 April.

Menurutnya, kedua-dua kaunter tersebut akan dibuka selama tiga jam bermula pada pukul 2 hingga 5 petang.

''Semua pemprosesan kad pelajar dan pas bulanan bernilai RM50 akan disiapkan di lokasi pada hari sama pendaftaran.

''Ibu bapa serta pelajar tidak perlu ke Ibu Pejabat RapidPenang untuk membuat pungutan kad seperti yang dilakukan sebelum ini," katanya dalam kenyataan yang dikeluarkan di sini hari ini.

Menurut Lee Ying, para pemohon diminta membawa salinan kad pengenalan atau surat beranak dan juga kad pelajar (sekiranya ada) dan dua keping gambar berukuran pasport pada hari tersebut.

Di samping itu, beliau berkata, para pemohon juga dinasihatkan supaya membawa RM50 untuk pembelian pas bulanan Mei 2008.

''Semua pemprosesan adalah percuma dan pihak RapidPenang juga akan membekalkan sarung plastik dan tali penyandang kepada pemohon untuk kegunaan harian.

''Melalui penggunaan pas itu, pelajar tahun satu hingga tingkatan enam (18 tahun) hanya perlu membayar RM1.70 pada setiap hari (termasuk hari minggu) untuk semua destinasi sekitar negeri ini tanpa had dalam tempoh sebulan," ujarnya.

Sementara itu katanya, semua permohonan juga boleh dibuat di Ibu Pejabat RapidPenang di Lorong Kulit pada waktu pejabat, Isnin hingga Khamis (8 pagi hingga 1 petang atau 2 hingga 5 petang) dan Jumaat (8 pagi hingga 12.30 tengahari atau 2.30 hingga 5 petang).

Lee Ying menambah, untuk maklumat lanjut sila hubungi Bahagian komunikasi Kreatif di talian 04-2381313 sambungan 223 atau 216.

The following is an account on the bus terminal of one of the most advanced states of Malaysia: Penang.


Saturday, April 19, 2008
Butterworth Bus Terminal Blues!
Malaysiakini Blog

Everytime I arrive at the Butterworth Bus Terminal, I cringe with anticipating the express bus that I am in toppling over as it's tyres descend into the many potholes reminiscent of the bomb blasted airport runway craters of Beirut.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/vsgan/Clean%20Government/Butterworth2BTerminal2B1.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/vsgan/Clean%20Government/DSCN0349.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/vsgan/Clean%20Government/DSCN0353.jpg

Guess Koh Tsu Koon was just too busy trying to hold on to his Chief Ministership to have bothered to do anything about the crater filled bus terminal at Butterworth?

I sure hope that Lim Guan Eng, our new Penang Chief Minister will please order the MPSP to get those craters drained and have cement poured in and tarred over pending the completion of the new Express Bus Terminal there.

No point in allowing those new Rapid Penang air conditioned buses getting their tyres damaged and their alignment go bonkers after dropping in to those craters at the Butterworth bus terminal!

If that wasn't depressing enough, I was disturbed to see for myself an elderly Indian lady scavenging for aluminum cans from the garbage bins which I am sure she was collecting to sell at the recycling centres for a few ringgits!

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/vsgan/Clean%20Government/DSCN0364.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/vsgan/Clean%20Government/DSCN0363.jpg

I also chanced upon an elderly Chinese man who looked like a mental patient with a handicap on crutches plodding his way across the scorching hot terminal with all kinds of plastic bags tied to his crutches! :(

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/vsgan/Clean%20Government/DSCN0360.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/vsgan/Clean%20Government/RSCN0362.jpg

It's sickening to see all these sad situations still prevailing in our society whose governments are all so into those record breaking stunts that burn off millions of precious ringgits just so we can add our nation's name into the Guinness Book of Records or our own apple polishing record book of sorts?

What good did that blasting into space of that doctor cum part time model into orbit and eventually doing his thingamajig at the International Space Station do for Malaysians?

Many Malaysians are suffering here on Earth and we have the BN clowns at Putrajaya burning money like what people do during the Hungry Ghosts Festival?

Only difference is that these Putrajaya clowns burn real money!

There's no point in having a ministry that purports to be in charge of Social Welfare when the only welfare they are concerned about is theirs?

Poor desperate people like that Indian lady and the elderly mental patient need real serious help from the ones appointed into power?

The conditions for bus passengers at the Butterworth Bus Terminal is enough to drive people nuts and the hot, scorching sun plus the dirty, trash filled areas are a real nightmare that gives me the shivers everytime I have to be there?

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/vsgan/Clean%20Government/DSCN0351.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/vsgan/Clean%20Government/DSCN0354.jpg

There was this group of guys with a loudhailer adding to the din of the terminal with their staccato of 'Alor Star! Alor Star! Alor Star! Alor Star! Alor Star! Alor Star!' going off like a scratched vinyl record, irritating those of us who had to suffer the heat, the stench, the dirt and grime that is so prevalent there in that scorching hot stuffy bus terminal that we can be said to be among the worst 3rd world countries to have such a depressing bus terminal in what is supposed to be one of the most developed states in Malaysia?


All Hopes Now Lie On the Pakatan Rakyat State Government of Penang.

A heartfelt advice to the new Pakatan Rakyat State Government of Penang!

Please go and take a look at the depressing conditions prevalent at the Butterworth Bus Terminal and do something about it!

Your chances at retaining political power in the next GE will be assured if you can take care of such things that the BN ignored all those 50 over years!

Do not forget the grassroot Malaysians who don't have the luxury of air conditioned vehicles to transport them here and there in ease as government officials enjoy!

The bus terminal urgently needs some restorative work done in order to make things better for the bus drivers and passengers.

I also hope that the law enforcement officers can go arrest those bus ticket touts who are a real menace and harass almost each and every bus passenger who arrives at the terminal from either the ferry or the express and local buses.

Such annoying folks ought not be left to disturb the people. It really seems like no law enforcement agencies really care about these daily lawbreakers who seem to be at large as they please without a care about government action?

Don't tell me that the relevant law enforcers are on the take?

I didn't see even a single MPSP 'Penguatkuasa' there! Not even one! Where the hell were they?

No wonder the bus ticket touts are acting like they own the freaking bus terminal and roaming all over the place at will?

Really frustrating to see Butterworth still remain as a depressing area with all these conditions turning people feeling really blue after all these years!

Posted by MAHAGURU58 at 4/19/2008 03:14:00 PM

very dirty:ohno:

Rapid Penang does its part


PENANG: For a week starting today, 10 sen from every Rapid Penang bus fare paid will go to the company’s Cyclone Nargis Myanmar Victims Humanitarian Fund.

The fund-raising effort will end on May 15.

Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad said the money collected would be handed to Mercy Malaysia.

“We feel tremendously for the victims of Cyclone Nargis.”

wah only 10 sen and the fund-raising effort will end on may 15? so cheappppp..

Heard that the state government is looking into the Tram system for georgetown. It will replaced the monorail project. It will cover the georgetown with many tram-stop. I guess that the Rapid PG can stop it operation in Georgetown and focus on outer city.

Improve the current bus system first. Exploit and capitalise all available opportunity before moving to a another mass transit. We need public transportation at the moment - not mass transit.

I don't want another tourist gimmick in the city. I want something viable. So, let's see what are the proposal submitted and we shall decide.Hear hear!

This is exactly the attitude that we need...combined with a committment to improving public transportation across the board.

The government must work to build public transportation from the most basic service level before they can look at mass transit.

Unfortunately, it is too easy for the people to fall in love with the idea of mega projects as a solution...whether it is a monorail or a subway or LRT or underground tram.

Cheers, m

Pay your bills while on the bus
By : Audrey Dermawan

GEORGE TOWN: RapidPenang has introduced a new service which enables commuters to pay their bills or top up their handphones.

For a start, the RapidPay service -- touted as the first of its kind in the region -- will be available on 25 buses.

The service is available to those with automated teller machine cards from Affin Bank, Alliance Bank, AmBank, Bank Islam, CIMB Bank, EON Bank, Bank Rakyat, Hong Leong Bank, Public Bank, Maybank and RHB Bank.

Commuters can use the service to pay their bills from Celcom, Maxis, DiGi, TMnet, Jaring, TD Tone, TimeContact, Redtone, Postpay and Chatz (IDD/STD calling cards).

Under the system, a commuter only needs to insert the bank card, key in the required transaction and the payment amount, type of account and the personal identification number before confirming the payment. A receipt will be issued for every transaction.

Commuters can also buy F1 tickets for the Sepang race as well as Plusliner express bus tickets from a terminal located next to the driver.

Instructions on how to use the service will be available in the bus.

RapidPenang chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad said the system was introduced for the convenience of passengers.

"It is simple. We hope to expand the service in the near future to enable commuters to also pay their utility bills.

On another matter, Azhar said RapidPenang would start a service to the Penang International Airport in Bayan Lepas.

Eight buses will operate between 6.35am and 11pm, with one bus every 30 minutes. The fare is RM2.

The three main stops for the service are Pengkalan Weld, Komtar and the Sungai Nibong express bus terminal.

Bas RapidPenang dilengkapi GPS menjelang Ogos ini


http://www.bharian.com.my/Current_News/BH/mutakhirPix/pix5
CANGGIH: Pekerja Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd, Padilah Mohd Salleh (kiri) dan Jaslinna Mohd Yusoff menunjukkan kemudahan pembayaran bil dan tambah nilai prabayar telefon bimbit yang yang tertera pada bas RapidPenang di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Bayan Lepas Pulau (LTABL) di sini, hari ini. Syarikat pengangkutan awam pilihan itu merupakan syarikat bas pertama di Asia Tenggara yang memperkenalkan sistem 'RAPIDPAY' di dalam bas itu yang mula beroperasi hari ini.

PULAU PINANG: Semua bas milik Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd (RapidPenang) akan dilengkapi Sistem Kedudukan Global (GPS) menjelang Ogos ini, kata Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya Azhar Ahmad. Beliau berkata penyediaan kemudahan pengangkutan yang lebih efisien itu adalah bagi menyediakan pengangkutan awam yang sistematik. Katanya setiap bas yang dilengkapi sistem itu akan memudahkan pengguna mengetahui tempoh masa sesebuah bas tiba dan bertolak dari lokasi tertentu.

"Bas-bas yang dilengkapi dengan GPS itu akan memudahkan pergerakan penduduk dan pengguna RapidPenang di negeri ini dan penerapan GPS itu bagi memastikan perkhidmatan bas berjalan mengikut jadual dan tepat pada masanya," katanya kepada pemberita selepas melancarkan laluan operasi RapidPenang di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Bayan Lepas (LTABL) di sini hari ini. Beliau berkata tender untuk pemasangan GPS itu dibuka sehingga hujung bulan ini kepada syarikat-syarikat yang berminat.

Dalam pada itu, Azhar berkata pihaknya akan menambah 100 buah bas dalam tempoh dua bulan ini berikutan permintaan pengguna yang semakin meningkat di negeri ini ekoran kenaikan harga minyak.



Beliau berkata kerajaan pusat juga telah bersetuju menambah 100 buah bas lagi menjelang tahun depan.

Sebanyak 150 bas RapidPenang kini beroperasi di 26 laluan di bahagian pulau dan tujuh laluan di Seberang Perai dengan tambang antara RM1 dan RM1.30 bergantung kepada destinasi dan laluan. - Bernama

Rapidpay mudahkan jelas bil, tambah nilai prabayar telefon


GEORGETOWN: Mulai hari ini, penumpang bas RapidPenang yang memiliki kad bank boleh menjelaskan bil dan tambah nilai prabayar telefon bimbit menerusi sistem yang dikenali Rapidpay.

Difahamkan, kemudahan pembayaran di atas bas itu adalah yang pertama oleh sebuah syarikat bas di Asia Tenggara.

Sebagai permulaan, kemudahan itu disediakan di atas 25 bas RapidPenang sebelum diperluaskan kepada bas lain milik Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd.



Penolong Pengurus Komunikasi Kreatif RapidPenang, Yap Lee Ying, berkata antara kad bank yang boleh digunakan adalah Affin Bank, Alliance Bank, Am Bank, Bank Islam, CIMB Bank, Eon Bank, Bank Rakyat, Hong Leong Bank, Public Bank, Maybank dan RHB Bank.

Katanya, antara bil yang boleh dibayar menerusi sistem itu termasuk bil Celcom, Maxis, DiGi, TMnet, Jaring, TD Tone, TimeContact, Redtone, PosPay dam Chatz (kad panggilan IDD/STD.

Selain itu, penumpang juga boleh membeli tiket untuk memasuki Litar F1 Sepang dan tiket bas ekspres, Plusliner.

"Kemudahan ini akan diperluaskan dalam tempoh terdekat demi kepentingan dan kemudahan masyarakat umum di Pulau Pinang termasuk membayar bil air dan elektrik," katanya dalam kenyataan, semalam.

Menerusi sistem itu, penumpang hanya perlu memasukkan kad bank dan diikuti pemilihan jenis produk dan jumlah pembayaran, jenis akaun, memasukkan nombor pengenalan diri (PIN) kad bank dan sahkan jumlah pembayaran serta simpan resit urus niaga.

Untuk maklumat lanjut, orang ramai boleh menghubungi RapidPenang di talian 04-2381818 atau e-mel careline@rapidpg.com.my atau layari laman web www.rapidpg.com.my.

Sementara itu, Yap berkata, RapidPenang juga akan memulakan perkhidmatan bas ke Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Bayan Lepas, bagi kemudahan orang ramai.

Sebanyak lapan bas akan beroperasi iaitu U401 dan 401E bermula jam 6.35 pagi sehingga 11 malam, dan kekerapan setiap bas adalah setengah jam tetapi bergantung kepada keadaan lalu lintas.

Katanya, tiga lokasi perhentian utama bagi laluan itu adalah di Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak (Komtar), Weld Quay dan Terminal Bas Balik Pulau.

"Sebagai inisiatif tambahan atas permintaan tinggi, tambang bagi perjalanan itu ditetapkan RM2 saja," katanya.

Perkhidmatan itu disediakan dengan kerjasama beberapa pihak termasuk Malaysia Airports Sdn Bhd (MAB).

RapidPenang mula operasi di LTABL

PULAU PINANG Rapid Penang Sdn. Bhd. (RapidPenang) akan memulakan operasi laluan baru di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Bayan Lepas (LTABL) bermula 1 Julai bagi memenuhi permintaan pengguna yang amat tinggi di negeri ini.Penolong Pengurus Komunikasi Kreatifnya, Yap Lee Ying berkata, laluan baru itu dibuat selepas persetujuan yang dibuat dengan beberapa pihak termasuk Malaysia Airports Sdn. Bhd. (MAB) dan RapidPenang sendiri.

''Kami membuat laluan baru ini atas permintaan tinggi daripada masyarakat umum dalam dan luar negara yang memerlukan perkhidmatan bas untuk memudahkan pergerakan mereka,'' katanya dalam satu kenyataan di sini.

Katanya, laluan baru itu nanti melibatkan lapan buah bas, dan bas terawal akan memulakan operasi pada pukul 6.35 pagi serta berakhir pada pukul 11 malam setiap hari.

Jelasnya, kekerapan perjalanan adalah setiap 30 minit bergantung kepada keadaan lalu lintas dan tiga lokasi hentian utama adalah Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak (Komtar), Weld Quay (jeti) dan Terminal Bas Balik Pulau.

Sebagai inisiatif tambahan, Lee Ying berkata, tambang maksimum yang akan dikenakan hanyalah RM2 bagi mengelakkan pengguna berasa terbeban.

http://www.rapidpg.com.my/images/poster06.1.jpg

Poster on how to use Rapidpay service from www.rapidpg.com.my

http://www.rapidpg.com.my/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=86&Itemid=108

^^^^^^^^

http://www.rapidpg.com.my/images/FINAL-POSTER-RAPID-PAY-3_large.jpg

RapidPay but not Touch N Go?

Drivers still selling paper tickets?

That is quite confusing.

Just to clarify...are the bills being paid while on the bus? Because I have never in my life seen people paying bills while on the bus...at stations, yes, but not on the bus.

As for the trip to the Airport all I can say is what took you so long???? :banana:

Cheers, m

Why would they introduce that before a digital payment or ticketing system, I have no idea. What's the use of paying bills on buses?

Why would they introduce that before a digital payment or ticketing system, I have no idea. What's the use of paying bills on buses?

There's a first time for everything... :cheers:

Utara: Pengguna RapidPenang meningkat
Oleh Tuty Haryanti Ahmad Rodzi

http://www.bharian.com.my/Thursday/EdisiWilayah/20080703073836/mainpix
LANCAR: Azhar (kiri) menjadi pengguna pertama ketika melancarkan mesin Rapidpay sambil diperhatikan Pengarah Pembangunan keusahawanan Mobility One Sdn Bhd, Wan Azmawi Wan Azmi (kanan) dan Syed Ahmad Fuad.



Tambahan penumpang lapan peratus bukti pengangkutan

awam diutama

GEORGETOWN: Jumlah penumpang bas Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd (RapidPenang) meningkat lebih lapan peratus sejak penstrukturan semula subsidi minyak dibuat kira-kira sebulan lalu.



Jumlah penumpang pada hari bekerja meningkat daripada 43,000 kepada 48,000 orang sehari, manakala hujung minggu pula bertambah daripada 50,000 kepada 58,000 orang.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya, Azhar Ahmad, berkata peningkatan itu jelas menunjukkan orang ramai mula beralih kepada pengangkutan awam daripada menggunakan kenderaan sendiri berikutan kenaikan harga bahan bakar.

“Orang ramai mula mencari alternatif yang terbaik untuk berjimat dalam keadaan sekarang ini termasuk memilih bas awam sebagai pengangkutan utama," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian kepada pemberita selepas melancarkan perkhidmatan bas RapidPenang di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Bayan Lepas dan Rapidpay di lapangan terbang itu, kelmarin.

RapidPenang memperluaskan perkhidmatan hingga ke lapangan terbang menggunakan lapan buah bas iaitu U401 dan 401E, bermula jam 6.35 pagi sehingga 11 malam setiap hari.

Sistem Rapidpay pula membolehkan penumpang yang memiliki kad bank membuat pembayaran bil dan tambah nilai prabayar telefon bimbit.

Azhar berkata, berikutan penambahan penumpang, syarikat akan menambah 200 buah bas lagi menjelang tahun depan yang bertujuan mengurangkan kesesakan dalam sesebuah bas.

Katanya, dengan penambahan bas itu, ia diharap dapat meningkatkan mutu perkhidmatan bas awam di negeri ini.

"Dengan penambahan ini, saya harap jumlah penumpang akan meningkat daripada kira-kira 48,000 penumpang kepada lebih 100,000 penumpang setiap hari," katanya.

Sementara itu, Azhar berkata, semua 150 bas RapidPenang akan dilengkapi Sistem Kedudukan Global (GPS) menjelang bulan depan bagi memudahkan penumpang mengetahui tempoh masa sebuah bas tiba dan bertolak dari satu-satu destinasi.

"Dengan adanya sistem itu, ia akan melancarkan setiap laluan bas dan memastikan setiap perjalanan tepat mengikut jadual," katanya.

Beliau menjelaskan tender bagi pemasangan GPS dibuka sehingga akhir bulan ini kepada syarikat yang berminat.

OMG, this will take how long?
Every bus stop will be packed with people waiting to go up bus.that's why the machines should be at the bus stops...pay your bills while you wait.

Cheers, m

Council to offer free bus service


THE Penang Municipal Council is expected to introduce its free shuttle bus service in inner George Town latest by September.

Its president Datuk Zainal Rahim Seman said yesterday the council would introduce the bus service once it had obtained approval from the state.

“We are studying the T10 route currently serviced by Rapid Penang for the free shuttle service,'' he told reporters after an ordinary council meeting yesterday.

(The T10 route covers Weld Quay- Gat Lebuh Chulia- Lebuh Pantai- Lebuh Light- Jalan Masid Kapitan Keling- Lebuh Farquhar- Jalan Penang- Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong- Jalan Ria (Komtar)- Jalan Magazine- Jalan Penang- Jalan Burma- Jalan Anson- Jalan Macalister- Jalan Penang- Jalan Burma- Jalan Transfer- Jalan Hutton- Jalan Penang- Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong- Lebuh Carnavon- Jalan Kampung Kolam- Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling- Lebuh Farquhar- Lebuh Light- Lebuh Penang- Lebuh Bishop- Lebuh Pantai- Lebuh Downing- Weld Quay).

He said with George Town’s recent listing as a world heritage site, the free shuttle would be a feasible mode of transport, especially for tourists.

The council will spend between RM50,000 and RM60,000 a month to provide the service.

The project will be given to an interested party through an open tender system.

RapidPenang perlu depoh baru

PULAU PINANG 15 Julai - RapidPenang Sdn. Bhd. (RapidPenang) berharap usahanya untuk memperoleh beberapa lokasi bagi dijadikan depoh bas syarikat berkenaan mendapat reaksi positif daripada kerajaan negeri.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya, Azhar Ahmad berkata, cadangan RapidPenang telah dihantar kepada kerajaan negeri bagi mendapatkan beberapa lokasi yang sesuai bagi tujuan itu.

Keperluan itu, katanya, amat penting berikutan tambahan sebanyak 200 buah bas akan dibekalkan secara berperingkat-peringkat mulai hujung tahun ini sehingga penghujung tahun 2009.

''Kertas cadangan itu telah pun diserahkan kepada kerajaan negeri bagi mendapatkan kawasan sesuai untuk dijadikan depoh dan berharap mendapat pertimbangan dikenakan bayaran pajakan pada kadar yang nominal,'' katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia, di sini hari ini.

Menurut Azhar, depoh sedia ada di Sungai Nibong tidak mampu untuk menampung kesemua bas RapidPenang yang berjumlah 350 buah pada masa depan.

Dengan pertambahan 200 buah bas itu, seluruh laluan di bahagian pulau dan Seberang Perai akan diliputi oleh RapidPenang bagi memberi keselesaan kepada semua penumpang.

Katanya, 100 buah bas baru akan ditempatkan di bahagian pulau, manakala 100 buah bas lagi akan ditempatkan untuk laluan di Seberang Perai.

Beliau berharap kerajaan negeri dapat membantu menyelesaikan masalah itu bagi memberi keselesaan kepada RapidPenang untuk menempatkan kesemua bas tersebut.

Azhar memberitahu, RapidPenang tidak boleh menanggung risiko dengan meletakkan kesemua bas di luar kawasan depoh atau di tepi-tepi jalan jika tidak beroperasi.

''Kita tidak mahu menanggung risiko untuk meletakkan bas-bas RapidPenang di tepi-tepi jalan, sedangkan di dalam depoh pun boleh diceroboh inikan pula diletakkan di luar,'' katanya.

Selain itu, katanya, RapidPenang dalam proses perbincangan untuk mengambil alih dan menaik taraf 303 perhentian bas di negeri ini bagi tujuan menyeragamkan reka bentuknya.

Syarikat pengangkutan itu memperuntukkan RM3.72 juta bagi menyeragamkan 20 peratus hentian bas bersaiz besar, 30 peratus bersaiz sederhana dan 50 peratus lagi hentian bas yang menggunakan tiang cacak secara berperingkat.

Bagi tujuan itu, RapidPenang telah menyiapkan kertas kerja untuk pengambilalihan tersebut dan diserahkan kepada kerajaan negeri baru-baru ini.

''Kita masih menanti keputusan kerajaan negeri berhubung perkara ini dan berharap ia dapat disegerakan,'' katanya.

120,000 expected to take bus daily by 2010
Monday July 21, 2008
TheStar

THERE will be more public transport users in Penang when more buses and routes are added to Rapid Penang service at the end of 2009, said Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop.

He stated the number of people using public transport in Penang would increase from the current 10% to 30% of Penang’s population by 2010.

“Some 48,000 passengers take Rapid Penang buses daily. From the extra routes Rapid Penang will be plying upon getting the additional buses, the passenger load is expected to increase to 120,000 passengers a day,” he said after launching of the Penang Sentral temporary bus terminal in Butterworth on Saturday.

Nor Mohamed said the Federal Government would spend about RM100mil to buy 200 extra buses.

“Rapid Penang would add 14 routes to the present 33 routes in 106 housing areas on the island and mainland. These measures would then increase the number of people using public transport,” he explained.

He said Rapid Penang’s current fleet of 150 buses controlled 60% of the bus services in the state.

“I believe the additional buses would help solve the traffic problems faced by the state,” he said.

RapidPenang buktikan mampu beri cabaran

Oleh wan najib wan daud

PULAU PINANG 27 Julai - RapidPenang Sdn. Bhd. (RapidPenang) yang bakal menyambut ulang tahun pertamanya pada 31 Julai ini, kini boleh dianggap berjaya di dalam misinya merubah pola pengangkutan awam terutamanya perkhidmatan bas di Pulau Pinang.

Sejak beroperasi 1 Ogos 2007 sehinggalah sekarang pelbagai tanggapan, masalah dan komen timbul dan ada juga yang meragui kemampuan RapidPenang untuk bersaing dengan syarikat-syarikat bas veteran di negeri ini.

Bagi RapidPenang, persaingan dengan lima syarikat bas veteran iaitu KGN-Hin Co. Sdn. Bhd., Siang Cemerlang Sdn. Bhd., Transit Link Sdn. Bhd., Milan Travel Sdn. Bhd. dan Inter Runner Sdn. Bhd., bukan sahaja mencabar tetapi juga menjadi satu penanda aras bagi anak syarikat di bawah Kementerian Kewangan Diperbadankan (MOFinc) dalam memenuhi matlamat penubuhannya.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya, Azhar Ahmad mengakui bahawa semua itu mencabar beliau dan kakitangannya untuk membuktikan kemampuan RapidPenang yang baru setahun jagung beroperasi selain menarik kepercayaan pengguna.

Bermula dengan 150 buah bas beroperasi di seluruh laluan di bahagian pulau dan beberapa laluan di Seberang Perai, RapidPenang kini dijanjikan tambahan bas baru sebanyak 200 buah akan dibekalkan secara berperingkat-peringkat mulai hujung tahun ini sehingga akhir tahun depan sekali gus meliputi keseluruhan laluan di Pulau Pinang.

"Imej dan mutu perkhidmatan bas awam di Pulau Pinang ketika awal penubuhan RapidPenang sering diperkatakan malah kami dicabar untuk membetulkan keadaan dan juga minda penduduk di sini agar menggunakan pengangkutan awam.

"Malah kami menjanjikan perkhidmatan bas yang sistematik, tersusun dan mesra serta bersih bagi mengembalikan kepercayaan penumpang bas-bas kami," katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia di sini baru-baru ini.

RapidPenang telah dilancarkan perkhidmatannya oleh Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi 31 Julai tahun lalu dan mula melebarkan perkhidmatannya secara berperingkat ke seluruh Pulau Pinang.

Kejayaan awal yang benar-benar mengujakan ialah kemampuan RapidPenang mencatatkan jumlah penumpang sehingga melebihi satu juta dengan purata harian kira-kira 40,000 penumpang sehari.

Beliau memberitahu, kerajaan memperuntukkan RM100 juta bagi menambah 200 buah bas untuk membaiki dan meningkatkan sistem pengangkutan awam di Pulau Pinang.

Ia membuktikan kesungguhan dan komitmen Kerajaan Pusat membantu Pulau Pinang di dalam sistem pengangkutan awam walaupun dua projek mega iaitu monorel dan Jalan Lingkaran Luar Pulau Pinang telah dibatalkan.

Selain dari pembatalan dua projek mega itu yang merupakan rahmat buat RapidPenang, pengendali bas awam itu tidak lari dari berdepan dengan kenaikan bahan api selain terpaksa menyerap kos operasi yang tinggi setiap hari.

Sebagai contoh katanya, dari RM1 tambang yang dikenakan, 95 sen adalah untuk membiayai kos operasi sebuah manakala 5 sen lagi digunakan untuk penyelenggaraan.

"Bayangkan dengan duit sebanyak itu apa yang kami mampu lakukan, tetapi kami percaya pulangan yang diberikan oleh penumpang kepada kami akan dibayar dengan perkhidmatan memuaskan," katanya.

Selain itu Azhar berkata, usaha RapidPenang untuk mengubah pola pengangkutan awam bukan tertumpu kepada penyediaan bas tetapi kepada usaha untuk membangunkan modal insan terutamanya kapten bas dan juga penumpang.

Anak kelahiran Pulau Pinang ini berkata, walaupun baru setahun memegang jawatan tersebut, industri pengangkutan bukanlah satu perkara yang asing kepadanya kerana beliau memiliki pengalaman luas di dalam pelbagai sektor korporat di negara ini.

Malah, beliau amat teruja dengan cabaran baru di dalam industri pengangkutan awam kerana percaya aspek layanan, pengetahuan kapten bas dan perkhidmatan cemerlang akan menarik lebih ramai pengguna untuk menggunakan pengangkutan awam.

RapidPenang buktikan mampu beri cabaran

Oleh wan najib wan daud

PULAU PINANG 27 Julai - RapidPenang Sdn. Bhd. (RapidPenang) yang bakal menyambut ulang tahun pertamanya pada 31 Julai ini, kini boleh dianggap berjaya di dalam misinya merubah pola pengangkutan awam terutamanya perkhidmatan bas di Pulau Pinang.


Ia membuktikan kesungguhan dan komitmen Kerajaan Pusat membantu Pulau Pinang di dalam sistem pengangkutan awam walaupun dua projek mega iaitu monorel dan Jalan Lingkaran Luar Pulau Pinang telah dibatalkan.

Selain dari pembatalan dua projek mega itu yang merupakan rahmat buat RapidPenang, pengendali bas awam itu tidak lari dari berdepan dengan kenaikan bahan api selain terpaksa menyerap kos operasi yang tinggi setiap hari.

.
:bash::bash::bash::bash:

^^

I wonder if it is reporter's gloss or the word from the man himself...

Rapid Penang Bus Terminal Balik Pulau
by Les Chang

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2076/2239654164_d29f11ed91_b.jpg

by fablee

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3150/2584139604_0ae7cda261_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3085/2584137492_163013578a_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3120/2583309945_d91db6ccbe_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2407/2583310751_163b78df19_o.jpg

by 5xmom

http://img34.picoodle.com/img/img34/4/7/29/f_07m_781ac63.jpg

Buses more suitable for Penang


HAVING more buses on the streets will be a more feasible solution to public transportation woes in Penang than building a monorail system.

Rapid Penang chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad, who supports the deferment of the federal-funded monorail project, said public buses are more suitable for Penang.

“The monorail costs too much but does too little. It is more suited for point-to-point travel rather than mass rapid transit, which is what we need. The monorail is like a theme park ride.

“A more feasible solution would be to have more buses on the streets, which is what we are doing.

“By the end of next year, Rapid Penang will have 200 new buses. The first 30 buses will arrive at the end of this year - the rest will be delivered in stages.

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2008/7/31/north/Rapid.jpg
Man-in-charge: Azhar is confident that Rapid Penang can solve the state's public transportation woes.

“We recently established our Rapid Penang Academy to train bus captains and mechanics. By next year, 120 new captains will join our existing team of 270,” he said.

Azhar said he is confident that Rapid Penang could solve the state’s public transportation woes.

“But it is not just about having more buses. We need to improve existing infrastructure and facilities,” he said, adding that the company has forwarded a proposal to the state to help improve public transportation.

He said bus lanes could be introduced to ensure smoother traffic flow.

“The state should also provide adequate and affordable parking, especially at places like Komtar, Bukit Mertajam, Butterworth and Batu Kawan (when the second Penang bridge is ready) to implement the ‘park-and-ride system’ especially for those travelling between the island and mainland,” he said.

Azhar said Rapid Penang is running a campaign to encourage the public to leave their vehicles at home.

“If we can change the public’s mindset about taking buses, we can solve the state’s traffic congestion problem.

“In the past, buses were seen as a means of transportation for the lower income group but I think that if we can provide cheap, efficient and comfortable service, everyone from students to professionals will be more than willing to travel by public buses,” he said.

Acknowledging that Rapid Penang was “not perfect”, Azhar said it was committed to continue improving its services.

“When the new buses come and the global positioning system (GPS) is installed in all our buses, the current 25 minutes waiting time will be reduced to 10 minutes.

“Sixty per cent of the new buses are wheelchair-friendly. If the state accepts our proposal to adopt all 303 bus stops on the island and those on the mainland, we will make sure that it is comfortable and disabled-friendly.

“We now have 40 wheelchair-friendly buses but we had to remove the ramps because the bus stops were not disabled-friendly.

“It will cost us about RM3mil just for the first phase of construction because we need to have proper shelters if we want people to take the bus,” he said, adding that the entire project would take more than three years to complete.

Asked if Rapid Penang has achieved its objective after one year of operating here, Azahar said it had.

“According to a state survey conducted in April, 66.6% of our passengers were happy with Rapid Penang. Nonetheless, we will continue to improve and we welcome healthy and fair competition.

“Every Friday, my staff and I take the bus to work for ‘quality control’ and I appreciate feedback from the public as well as NGOs like Citizens for Public Transport (CEPAT).

“In our first month, ridership was 1 million. Now it is 1.45 million - that’s an increase of 40%. With the new buses, 14 new routes covering north and south Seberang Prai, Nibong Tebal, Juru, Kuala Muda, Kepala Batas and Bukit Mertajam will be introduced.

“There is a demand for our service from those living in Tasik Gelugor, Kulim and Padang Serai but are working in Penang.

“By 2010, we should be able to service these areas but for now, our priority is to improve public transportation in the state,” he said, adding that the company was currently negotiating with companies in the Bayan Lepas free industrial zones (FIZ) to ply the area.

“We should be able to provide the service by the end of the year once we get clearance from the Customs Department,” he said, assuring that there would not be a fare increase in the “near future”.

“If we do increase our fares, it is because we do not have a choice. For every ringgit earned, 95 sen goes to our operations cost,” he said.

...he making a funny statementlah dis guy!!!!...

Thumbs up for Rapid Penang service


STARMETRO interviewed some Rapid Penang passengers on the bus service provided by the company. The following are their views and their hopes:

Ahmad Fadzil Abdul Rashid, 44 (visually-impaired masseur): “I am very satisfied with the service particularly its bus design. It is very convenient for the disabled people like us as well as the elderly.

“Unlike other buses that would usually wait to be full before departing, Rapid Penang buses would leave for the destination on time.


Nurul Fazila: Buses are usually on time.

“The fares are reasonable and I am happy that there is a 50% discount in the bus fare for us.”

Nurul Fazila Md Pauzi, 22 (student): “It is more convenient and cheaper to take Rapid Penang buses so I would really appreciate if the bus fare could be cheaper.

“The buses are usually punctual but there are times where we have to wait for about 45 minutes when there is bumper-to-bumper traffic.”

Mohd Izwan Abdul, 20 (student): “If I use the Rapid Penang bus, I do not hang out with my friends until midnight for I have to rush back for the last bus which is at 10.30pm. I hope the service can be extended to midnight.”

Leow Hung Liang, 13 (student): “I have been using taking Rapid Penang buses to return home since it hit the streets last year.

“My parents would drop me at the school in the morning and I’ll go back by Rapid Penang. We save a lot on transport expenses when we use the bus especially after the rise in fuel prices.”


Chin Ching: Bus drivers are more polite.

Lee Chin Ching, 25, (student): “I prefer Rapid Penang buses compared to others because they are air-conditioned and cleaner.

“The bus drivers are also more polite and the comfortable atmosphere makes the ride worth the fare I pay.

“I like Rapid Penang to come up with a prepaid card for bus fare payment.

“Singapore is currently using a similar technology which I think Rapid Penang could adopt.”

S. Vanitha, 18 (student): “Rapid Penang buses are more spacious and the air-conditioner actually works. So far I am quite happy and can’t really think of any fault in the service.

“I hope Rapid Penang can add more routes and buses on the mainland as the area is quite big.”

Muhamad Hujwiri Sabri, 19 (student): “I have to wait at least an hour for buses from the jetty on the island to Queensbay Mall. And the buses to my university, UiTM Permatang Pauh is sometimes punctual and sometimes its not.

“Rapid Penang should introduce daily passes like the ones in KL where you can take unlimited rides for RM2.”

...he making a funny statementlah dis guy!!!!...

Although i am dismayed to see the monorail project, derailed....but then, i think he is right in one....focus on bus service first...

If we have comprehensive Rapid Penang network, then the bus ridership on Rapid Penang high enough, only then any kind of mass transit will be feasible...

As i said in other thread....

Rapid Penang : 48,000 passengers per day with 150 buses
Rapid KL : 400,000 passengers per day with 650 buses
KL Monorail : 45,000 passengers per day as of 2005

There is a lot more room of expansion for Rapid Penang......Penang state needs a master on transport and some yardsticks....

I like the look of Rapid Penang bus, the LED sign has bigger font than those on Rapid KL...

Buses more suitable for Penang

“There is a demand for our service from those living in Tasik Gelugor, Kulim and Padang Serai but are working in Penang.



Rapid penang now have service to the Tasek Gelugor which the distance with Padang Serai only few kilometre..:) this is manifesto second finance minister to provide services rapid penang to his parliamentary district :nuts::nuts:

Tasik Gelugor still penang lerrr

Rapid penang now have service to the Tasek Gelugor which the distance with Padang Serai only few kilometre..:) this is manifesto second finance minister to provide services rapid penang to his parliamentary district :nuts::nuts:

Tasik Gelugor still penang lerrr

hehehe...tak payah naik bas #52 dah...dulu bas aircon, skarang dah tak ada aircon...nasib baik rapid penang ada...

hehehe...tak payah naik bas #52 dah...dulu bas aircon, skarang dah tak ada aircon...nasib baik rapid penang ada...

dulu bas #52 elok skang kalau langgar lopak.. orang dalam bas pon leh kena percikan lopak tuee.. :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

I like the look of Rapid Penang bus, the LED sign has bigger font than those on Rapid KL...

kl also got maaa....the new buses....

Syarikat Bas P. Pinang akan beroperasi semula

PULAU PINANG 31 Julai - Syarikat Bas Negeri Pulau Pinang akan beroperasi kembali bagi menampung keperluan perkhidmatan bas yang tidak mencukupi di negeri ini terutama untuk perjalanan antara jabatan kerajaan dengan kawasan taman perumahan.

Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kerajaan Tempatan, Pengurusan Lalu Lintas dan Alam Sekitar negeri, Chow Kon Yeow berkata, keputusan tersebut juga diambil bagi melahirkan persaingan yang sihat di kalangan pengusaha perkhidmatan awam.

''Kita sedar bahawa perkhidmatan pengangkutan awam di antara jabatan-jabatan kerajaan dan taman-taman perumahan tidak mencukupi.

''Oleh itu, selain menggerakkan semula operasi syarikat bas negeri, kerajaan negeri juga sedang berunding dengan pengusaha bas awam sedia ada untuk menubuhkan konsortium perkhidmatan bas awam bagi menampung keperluan itu.

''Bagaimanapun, kita sedar perkhidmatan pengangkutan awam secara amnya telah bertambah baik sejak Rapid Penang Sdn. Bhd.(RapidPenang) memulakan operasinya pada 1 Ogos tahun lalu di negeri ini," katanya di sini baru-baru ini.

Menurut Kon Yeow, RapidPenang juga dijangka menambah 200 buah bas dalam usaha meningkatkan mutu perkhidmatan pengangkutan awam di Pulau Pinang.

Sebanyak 100 buah bas, katanya, akan diperoleh dalam jangka masa terdekat manakala 100 buah lagi akan diperolehi dalam tempoh 12 bulan.

Dalam pada itu, mengulas mengenai penggunaan sistem gas asli padat (CNG), Kon Yeow berkata, pihaknya telah mengenal pasti tapak untuk membolehkan kemudahan itu disediakan kepada pemandu teksi dan pengangkutan awam.

''Dengan adanya kemudahan ini, pengusaha perkhidmatan awam dapat menjimatkan kos dan dalam masa yang sama dengan menggunakan CNG, sistem teksi bermeter dapat diperkenalkan," katanya.

RapidPenang komited tawar khidmat terbaik
Oleh Norakmah Mat Youb
norakmah@nstp.com.my
Syarikat sasar 120,000 pengguna sehari menjelang 2010, kurangkan tempoh menunggu

HARI ini, RapidPenang Sdn Bhd (RapidPenang) genap setahun beroperasi di Pulau Pinang sejak dilancarkan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi pada 31 Julai 2007. Wartawan Berita Harian, Norakmah Mat Youb menemubual Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya, Azhar Ahmad, bagi penjelasan mengenai mutu perkhidmatan syarikat itu dalam menjayakan misi untuk mengubah pola pengangkutan awam di negeri ini.

S: BAGAIMANAKAH prestasi RapidPenang dalam usia setahun beroperasi di negeri ini?



J: Pada peringkat mula, pelbagai komen negatif dikeluarkan dan ada pihak meragui kemampuan RapidPenang untuk mengubah pola pengangkutan awam di negeri ini. Bagaimanapun, hasil kerjasama dan sikap tidak putus asa kami berjaya membuka mata rakyat mengenai keseriusan syarikat memberikan perkhidmatan terbaik kepada pengguna bas di negeri ini. Purata pengguna sebulan meningkat daripada sejuta kepada 1.4 juta orang sekarang.

S: Setakat ini, berapakah jumlah bas yang ada di negeri ini?

J: Kita mempunyai 150 bas, 70 peratus beroperasi di bahagian pulau, selebihnya di Seberang Prai. Bagaimanapun, kerajaan akan membekalkan 200 bas lagi secara berperingkat mulai hujung tahun ini sehingga pertengahan tahun depan.

S: Bagaimana bas tambahan itu akan diagihkan?

J: Kita akan mengagihkannya sama rata. Seratus bas ditempatkan di Seberang Prai manakala bakinya di pulau. Di Seberang Prai, kita akan tambah 14 laluan baru menjadikannya 22 laluan. Di pulau pula, penambahan bas akan mengurangkan tempoh menunggu daripada 25 kepada 10 minit. Hujung tahun ini, kita akan menyediakan pengangkutan ke Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Bayan Lepas (LTABL) dari jeti. Selain itu, hampir semua kawasan pinggir bandar akan turut mendapat kemudahan.

S: Adakah kenaikan harga minyak baru-baru ini menjejaskan operasi syarikat?

J: Ada sikit kesan tetapi kenaikan harga minyak itu juga sekali gus menyaksikan orang ramai beralih menggunakan pengangkutan awam. Ini mengurangkan beban kami.

S: Difahamkan RapidPenang tidak mendapat subsidi minyak. Adakah bercadang untuk menaikkan harga tambang?

J: Sebelum ini, kita tidak mendapat subsidi, tetapi sejak Jun lalu kita sudah diberikan subsidi sebanyak 90 peratus bagi diesel. Ia meringankan bebanan kerana kami menggunakan 500 liter diesel sebulan. Jadi, tiada cadangan menaikkan tambang, sebaliknya kita tawarkan diskaun kepada pelajar dan warga emas selain orang kurang upaya (OKU). Ini adalah tanggungjawab sosial kami kepada masyarakat.

S: Apakah cabaran dihadapi RapidPenang sepanjang tempoh setahun ini?

J: Kami tempuhi pelbagai cabaran, termasuk persaingan tidak sihat daripada operator bas lain yang mengamalkan sistem pajak. Kebanyakan syarikat itu hanya berorientasikan keuntungan dan ia berbeza dengan objektif kami yang mengutamakan pengguna. Kewujudan RapidPenang, syarikat bas lama rasa tergugat dan menggunakan pelbagai taktik kotor termasuk membaling batu pada bas dan mengugut pemandu.

S: Ada cadangan kerajaan negeri menubuhkan syarikat bas sendiri. Adakah ini akan menjejaskan RapidPenang?

J: Kami melihatnya sebagai persaingan sihat untuk kebaikan pengguna pengangkutan awam. Bagaimanapun, pada 70-an dan 80-an, Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang (MPPP) pernah menyediakan kemudahan bas awam tetapi ditutup. Jadi, mengapa kerajaan negeri mahu berbuat demikian, lebih baik menggunakan wang itu memperbaiki kemudahan awam sedia ada.

S: Apakah harapan dan rancangan RapidPenang pada masa depan?

J: Kami teruja dengan kejayaan awal iaitu 40,000 pengguna setiap hari. Dengan tambahan 200 bas lagi, kita sasarkan 120,000 pengguna sehari menjelang 2010, selain mengurangkan tempoh menunggu.

Syarikat Bas P. Pinang akan beroperasi semula

PULAU PINANG 31 Julai - Syarikat Bas Negeri Pulau Pinang akan beroperasi kembali bagi menampung keperluan perkhidmatan bas yang tidak mencukupi di negeri ini terutama untuk perjalanan antara jabatan kerajaan dengan kawasan taman perumahan.

Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kerajaan Tempatan, Pengurusan Lalu Lintas dan Alam Sekitar negeri, Chow Kon Yeow berkata, keputusan tersebut juga diambil bagi melahirkan persaingan yang sihat di kalangan pengusaha perkhidmatan awam.

''Kita sedar bahawa perkhidmatan pengangkutan awam di antara jabatan-jabatan kerajaan dan taman-taman perumahan tidak mencukupi.

''Oleh itu, selain menggerakkan semula operasi syarikat bas negeri, kerajaan negeri juga sedang berunding dengan pengusaha bas awam sedia ada untuk menubuhkan konsortium perkhidmatan bas awam bagi menampung keperluan itu.

''Bagaimanapun, kita sedar perkhidmatan pengangkutan awam secara amnya telah bertambah baik sejak Rapid Penang Sdn. Bhd.(RapidPenang) memulakan operasinya pada 1 Ogos tahun lalu di negeri ini," katanya di sini baru-baru ini.

Menurut Kon Yeow, RapidPenang juga dijangka menambah 200 buah bas dalam usaha meningkatkan mutu perkhidmatan pengangkutan awam di Pulau Pinang.

Sebanyak 100 buah bas, katanya, akan diperoleh dalam jangka masa terdekat manakala 100 buah lagi akan diperolehi dalam tempoh 12 bulan.

Dalam pada itu, mengulas mengenai penggunaan sistem gas asli padat (CNG), Kon Yeow berkata, pihaknya telah mengenal pasti tapak untuk membolehkan kemudahan itu disediakan kepada pemandu teksi dan pengangkutan awam.

''Dengan adanya kemudahan ini, pengusaha perkhidmatan awam dapat menjimatkan kos dan dalam masa yang sama dengan menggunakan CNG, sistem teksi bermeter dapat diperkenalkan," katanya.

Puh leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezzz.... Just let Rapid Penang to take over the whole bus operation in Penang !! :bash: :bash:

Just got this through email

Rapid Penang Carnival 2008

Date : 30th August 2008
Time : 10.00am onwards
Venue : Gurney Plaza

Dear Commuters,

Greetings!

In conjunction with Rapid Penang’s 1st Anniversary and Merdeka Celebrations 2008, we are pleased to inform you that a Rapid Penang Carnival will be held on 30th August 2008 at the Gurney Plaza Al-Fresco area (in the middle of Chili’s, Dome and Starbucks).

Part of the exciting activities lined-up include the Rapid Penang Coloring Contest, the Rapid Penang Urban Dance Competition, a special appearance by International Superstar Vandal: The Nomadic Addict, and the very first Rapid Penang Treasure Hunt 2008!

We would hereby like to invite you to be a part of the upcoming celebrations. Attached is the necessary Entry Forms and the Rules & Regulations of the various competitions for your further action. Please note that the closing date for registration is the 15th of August 2008; and that registration is on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Rapid Penang Colouring Contest (see attached entry form)

- Open to all Children aged 7 years to 12 years old.
-- RAPID A for children aged 7 to 9 years
-- RAPID B for children aged 10 to 12 years.

- Participants will be required to colour a picture within a given time frame.

Prizes (for each category) :

1st Prize – RM 300 cash
2nd Prize – RM 200 cash
3rd Prize – RM 100 cash

Rapid Penang Urban Dance Contest (see attached entry form)

Categories : Group / Solo

Type Of Dance : Break Dance, Bboy Dance, Shuffling , Latin, Hip-Hop, Modern Dance

Prizes :

1st Prize - RM 1,000 cash
2nd Prize - RM 500 cash
3rd Prize - RM 300 cash

Rapid Penang Treasure Hunt 2008 (see attached entry form + rules & regulations)

Open to Malaysian Citizens aged 18 and above. Participants must register in a group of 4.

Prizes :

1st Prize – RM 2000 cash
2nd Prize – RM 1000 cash
3rd Prize – RM 500 cash

Good luck!

Other Activities

***face painting***henna art***sand art***games***clown appearances***magic shows***snake shows***stilt walkers***unlimited candy floss***unlimited pop corn***and many, many more!** only @ the Rapid Penang Carnival!

I admire RapidPenang for really focusing on interesting ideas and service.
Now...how many people will actually use public transport to get there?

Cheers, m

Rapid Penang treasure hunt on Aug 30
Thursday August 14, 2008
TheStar

RAPID Penang is calling on the public to participate in the Rapid Penang Treasure Hunt 2008 to be held at Gurney Plaza Al-fresco area on Aug 30.

Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd creative communication assistant manager Yap Lee Ying (pic) said the treasure hunt was being organised in conjunction with Rapid Penang Carnival, which would start at 9.30am and end at 6pm.

“The treasure hunt will be a fun-based event to showcase Rapid Penang as a comfortable, affordable and reliable transport service apart from creating public awareness of our services,” she said.

Yap said participants of the treasure hunt would be divided in teams of four and each team would be given a road book with clues to guide them from one location to another.

“These locations are places of interests where teams will be required to search for answers or complete simple challenges in order to complete the hunt,” she said, adding that there would be a participation fee of RM40 per team. T-shirts will be given.

A total of RM3,500 cash prizes would be given to the win- ners.

Apart from treasure hunt, there is also colouring contest for children aged seven to 12, an urban dance contest and guest artiste appearance.

Yap said the objective of the carnival was to launch Rapid Penang’s global positioning systems (GPS) that had been installed in all buses effective Monday to help commuters anticipate when buses would arrive.

She added that the carnival was also to celebrate Rapid Penang’s first year anniversary, Merdeka as well as to recognise the employees’ contributions.

For details on the carnival, call Melissa at 2381313 ext 216 or Yap at ext 203.

Extended bus services on Aug 30


RAPID Penang will extend its service hours for most of its routes until past midnight on Aug 30 to provide rides home for National Day Eve revellers.

Rapid Penang assistant communication manager Yap Lee Ying said the service hours for the U101, U103, U104, U201, U202, U203, U204, U301, U302, U303, T304, T306, U307, U401, U401E, U601, U602, U701, U702, T703, U704, U705 and U801 routes would be extended until 1.30am on Aug 31.

Service hours for these routes normally end at 10pm or 11pm.

Yap also said the U307 and 401E buses would not be entering Queensbay Mall from today until Sunday in view of the National Day parade, its rehearsals and preparation.

She said the two buses would pass Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah and Jalan Aziz Ibrahim from Kompleks Bukit Jambul before exiting at the Persiaran Bayan Indah roundabout on these days.

For further information, call Rapid Penang’s hotline at 04-2381313.

51st Merdeka: Flag down this 'special' bus


http://www.nst.com.my/Friday/National/2335240/insidepix1
RapidPenang staff pasting the Jalur Gemilang and 51st Merdeka logo on one of the buses in conjunction with the Merdeka celebrations yesterday.


GEORGE TOWN: Even RapidPenang is getting into the Merdeka mood.

Two of the company's buses now have the Jalur Gemilang on both sides, with the faces of the nation's five prime ministers on the rear.

Its creative communications assistant manager Yap Lee Ying said the idea was mooted by the creative communications department to chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad.

"He agreed and the buses now have the Jalur Gemilang," she said at the company's headquarters here yesterday.

Yap said both buses plied the Pengkalan Weld-Balik Pulau route, adding that the vehicles would be used during the RapidPenang carnival tomorrow at Gurney Plaza to ferry treasure hunt participants to the first checkpoint at Pengkalan Weld.

"Both buses will then resume their respective routes."

What about Rapid Penang services!?

by venycal

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3221/2809622531_5afe5b7e42_o.jpg

http://www.rapidpg.com.my/news/NST2908.html

Ah, finally the GPS system installed on Rapid Penang buses, now commuters can call the hotline or through SMS...

Source : http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Sunday/National/2337190/Article



'Hello, hello, when is my bus coming?'
By : Tan Cheng Yean

GEORGE TOWN: From tomorrow, all commuters need to do is call 04-2381313 to know how long it would take for the next Rapid Penang bus to reach their stop.
Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad said commuters could use the hotline for 18 hours a day beginning from 5am.

Speaking after launching the Penang Intelligent Commuter Information System (ICIS) at Gurney Plaza here yesterday, Azhar said commuters would also be able to download the bus arrival schedule through the short messaging service (SMS).

The ICIS is an innovative automatic vehicle locator system which uses the Global Positioning System (GPS) to keep track of the buses.

"Rapid Penang's fleet of 150 buses is the first in Malaysia to be equipped with the Global Positioning System."
Azhar said 17 million people had used the Rapid Penang bus service since the company began operating on Aug 1 last year.

He said Rapid Penang would take delivery of another 200 new buses over the next 12 months.

The new buses will reduce commuters' waiting time from 25 minutes to 10 minutes, besides expanding services to 14 new routes on the mainland.

A total of 140 new buses will also have disabled-friendly facilities, including a state-of-the-art ticketing system.

Azhar said Rapid Penang had proposed to the state government to take over the maintenance of 300 bus stops on Penang island.

This would improve the quality of the facility for the public and the disabled.

Azhar later flagged off two buses carrying 25 teams of contestants taking part in the Rapid Penang Treasure Hunt.

The teams were from various organisations and companies like Kelab Media Pulau Pinang, Penang Press Club, Intel, Osram, CIMB bank, Penang Island Municipal Council, Celcom, Maybank, Agilent, Holiday Inn, Befrienders and Robert Bosch.

The carnival also had a colouring contest, dance competition and a performance by international superstar Vandal.

^^ Isn't that old news? That was started 1 September. I will be trying to get RapidPenang to release all the GPS data. Wish me luck.

^^ Isn't that old news? That was started 1 September. I will be trying to get RapidPenang to release all the GPS data. Wish me luck.

Ha, i don't know it was old news, i just knew about the GPS system on Rapid Penang from an advertisement on Rapid KL bus....

Anyway, this video, i found from Youtube, tells how the ICIS system works on Rapid Penang...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKbCNJ0QL7o

I am impressed that a Malaysian company is behind the technology that they are using. Anyway, I suggested to RapidPenang long ago that they should implement a system like this. Little did I know they were looking into it.

Ultimately I think they are, and I hope they will be looking into screens on major stops informing the commuters when the buses will arrive, instead of having people to call or sms. It's actually relatively, conceptually easy to implement. Just need a lot of $.

^^

I wonder whether SMS service is available currently or not, because i cannot find their SMS number...

Nah, I don't think it's available. Probably a little harder to implement. A human can understand where you are when you say it. SMS would most likely rely on bots replying back. Unless all the stations have a identifying number or tag, it's quite hard to estimate the time of arrival.

Gotta sms/ make phone call to knw arrival time ?

Until they install arrival time screen/ paper timetable in every bus stop, am not gonna be impressed.

Gotta sms/ make phone call to knw arrival time ?

Until they install arrival time screen/ paper timetable in every bus stop, am not gonna be impressed.

Install it at major stations enough i guess, if install at every stops, it is likely to be stolen, hehe

^^ Screens at major stations and paper timetable at otherz

Now this is what i like, local council such as MPPP fund the free shuttle bus service inside George Town!

Source : http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/10/15/nation/20081015100319&sec=nation



Free shuttle bus service in inner George Town
By WINNIE YEOH

GEORGE TOWN: Rapid Penang is ready to introduce a free shuttle bus service in inner city George Town by the end of the year, its chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad said.

The company is ironing out the final details with the Penang Municipal Council, which will fund the service, he said.

“We started negotiations with the Council in June and we’ll have three or four shuttle buses covering the T10 route currently provided by Rapid Penang.

“The shuttle buses will be stationed at the main terminal in Weld Quay and cover a distance of about 13.5km,” he told reporters after a Public Transportation seminar on Tuesday.

Pengguna RapidPenang dapat bas perantara
Oleh Norakmah Mat Youb
norakmah@bharian.com.my

Khidmat percuma jangka dilancar hujung tahun ini

GEORGETOWN: Kira-kira 10,000 pengguna bas Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd (RapidPenang) di bandar ini bakal menikmati perkhidmatan bas perantara percuma, mulai hujung tahun ini.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya, Azhar Ahmad, berkata pihaknya sedang menunggu keputusan akhir mengenai pelaksanaan itu daripada Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang (MPPP).



Jika cadangan itu dilaksanakan, kerajaan negeri akan membayar pampasan kepada RapidPenang.

"Jika semuanya berjalan lancar, perkhidmatan percuma yang diberhentikan sejak dua tahun lalu itu akan dilancarkan semula hujung tahun ini," katanya selepas menghadiri Forum Pengangkutan Awam Lestari di sini, kelmarin.

Forum yang dihadiri kira-kira 50 wakil pelbagai badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) itu dianjurkan RapidPenang bagi mencari penyelesaian terbaik pengangkutan awam di Pulau Pinang.

Turut hadir, Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kerajaan Tempatan, Pengurusan Lalu Lintas dan Alam Sekitar negeri, Chow Kon Yeow.

Azhar berkata, RapidPenang akan menggunakan perkhidmatan tiga bas perantara bagi laluan T10 iaitu membabitkan perjalanan sejauh 13.5 kilometer dengan kekerapan setiap 15 minit.

Laluan bermula di Pangkalan Weld-Gat Lebuh Chulia-Lebuh Pantai-Lebuh Light-Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling-Lebuh Farquhar-Jalan Penang-Kompleks Perangin-Komtar-Jalan Magazine-Jalan Penang-Jalan Burma-Jalan Anson-Jalan Perak-Jalan Utama-Jalan Penang-Jalan Burma-Jalan Transfer-Jalan Hutton-Jalan Penang-Lebuh Farquhar-Lebuh Downing-Pangkalan Weld.

Terdahulu, Azhar berkata, maklumat yang diperoleh dalam forum berkenaan akan digunakan untuk menambah baik pengangkutan awam di negeri ini bagi memastikan pengguna menikmati perkhidmatan terbaik.

"Kita sentiasa sedia untuk mendengar dan menerima kritikan membina demi meningkatkan mutu pengangkutan awam, selain mengalu-alukan setiap cadangan daripada orang ramai," katanya.

Revival of free bus rides
Thursday October 16, 2008
TheStar

RAPID Penang is ready to provide free shuttle bus service by dropping its RM1 fare for rides in inner city George Town by year end, its chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad said.

He said the final details were being ironed out with the Penang Municipal Council, which is funding the service, and the plan was expected to be approved by year end.

“We started discussions with the council in June and we’ll have three or four shuttle buses covering the T10 route currently serviced by Rapid Penang.

“The shuttle buses will be stationed at the main terminal in Weld Quay and will cover a distance of about 13.5km,” he told reporters after attending a public transportation seminar on Tuesday.

Before this, the council had funded a free shuttle bus service in the inner city operated by Milan in 2001 until the firm’s unsatisfactory performance led to the service being taken over by Rapid Penang in July last year.


http://thestar.com.my/archives/2008/10/16/north/tram.jpg

Australian tram engineer Ric Francis speaking on the topic
"Proposed Tram Service for Penang' at the seminar.


Since then, Rapid Penang has been charging RM1 for round a trip from Weld Quay to Komtar.

State Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow who also attended the seminar suggested that Rapid Penang took over the other bus companies in the state.

However, Azhar quipped that it would be like “asking Cuba to join the United States.”

Azhar said the other bus firms were operating using a different system - pajak (lease) - and it was not easy to take over them.

“We’re not sure whether they are compatible with our system and we’ll have to explore further on the matter,” he said.

Other than Rapid Penang, there are currently three other bus operators in Penang ” Milan, Transit Link and KGN-Hin Bus.

Mum of three takes the bus down Penang’s streets every day at work
By LOOI SUE-CHERN


GEORGE TOWN: Driving a bus along Penang Island’s narrow, winding streets may seem like a daunting task but for mother of three Asiah Yaacob, it is all part of her daily job.

Asiah is Rapid Penang’s first female bus captain and despite being on the job these last four months, has never failed to surprise commuters.

“Most Penangites are not accustomed to seeing women bus drivers. Many still look at me and ask if I am sure I can drive. I always smile and tell them to ride with me to find out themselves,” she said.

Asiah, 41, drives the U307 route that covers the ferry terminal at Weld Quay to Batu Maung in a 12m bus that can accommodate 60 passengers.

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2008/10/22/nation/n_pg12asiah.jpg
Captain capable: Asiah, Rapid Penang’s first female bus captain, waiting for passengers at the Weld Quay ferry terminal which is part of her daily route.

The numerous daily trips add up to a lengthy distance but it is no big deal for Asiah who used to cover hundreds of kilometres from Kangar to Shah Alam when she was an express bus driver.

“I drove express buses for seven years for several different bus companies before I joined Rapid Penang this year.

“People think driving express buses is dangerous. I don’t disagree but I was always very excited to get behind the wheel, even when I had to drive all the way south to Johor,” Asiah said during an interview at Rapid Penang’s Weld Quay terminal.

Asiah was first inspired to be a bus driver about a decade ago. The former factory worker and her colleagues were on a company trip when she discovered that the express bus they were on was driven by a woman.

“I was surprised and impressed. A factory bus driver in my company encouraged me to obtain a bus driving licence.

“After toying with the idea, I finally went for the tests and got the licence about a year later,” she said, adding that she eventually gave up her “express” driving career for something less demanding.

“My family was worried about my long working hours and outstation schedule that took me away from home most of the time. I could only go home twice a month.

“They encouraged me to get a job closer to home. Now at Rapid Penang, I can go home every day to my three kids, who are 17, 15 and 11 years old,” said Asiah who stays on the mainland.

Asiah plans to remain a bus driver for as long as she can and even looks forward to having women colleagues at Rapid Penang.

“I think women are capable of doing jobs dominated by men. So, ladies, come join me at Rapid Penang if you have bus driving licences.”

Asiah wanita pertama pandu bas RapidPenang

http://www.utusan.com.my/pix/2008/1022/Utusan_Malaysia/Utara/wu_03.1.jpg
Asiah Yaacob memberi tiket kepada salah seorang penumpang RapidPenang di Pulau Pinang, semalam.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



PULAU PINANG 21 Okt. - Hendak seribu daya, tidak hendak seribu dalih. Perumpamaan ini amat sesuai ditujukan kepada Asiah Yaacob, 41, yang mencari rezeki sebagai pemandu bas awam bagi menampung perbelanjaan keluarganya.

Walaupun kerjaya itu dilihat didominasi golongan lelaki, namun baginya itu tidak boleh dijadikan alasan untuk 'mematahkan' minatnya untuk berkecimpung dalam bidang tersebut.

Setelah empat bulan bergelar sebagai pemandu bas untuk RapidPenang Sdn. Bhd. (RapidPenang), dia kini kelihatan lebih ceria dan bersemangat tinggi kerana beliau merupakan pemandu wanita pertama bagi syarikat tersebut.

Menceritakan kembali pengalamannya, dia berkata, minatnya timbul kira-kira 13 tahun dahulu sewaktu menyertai rombongan ke Bangkok, Thailand menggunakan bas persiaran.

Semasa dalam perjalanan ketika itu katanya, dia kagum melihat pemandu bas tersebut merupakan seorang wanita lalu menyimpan hasrat untuk menjadi sepertinya.

"Saya betul-betul kagum tengok dia bawa bas dengan mudah dan tenang. Terus terdetik nak jadi macam dia.

"Selepas pulang bekerja semula di kilang, saya ada tanya pendapat rakan-rakan dan mereka memberikan sokongan yang sepenuhnya kepada saya untuk mencapai cita-cita itu," katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia di sini hari ini.

Seterusnya, Asiah berkata, dia pergi mengambil ujian untuk mendapatkan lesen bas dan akhirnya lulus.

Katanya, sebelum bergelar 'wanita pertama' RapidPenang, dia sebenarnya sudah bekerja sebagai pemandu untuk syarikat bas ekspres.

"Sebenarnya sebelum kerja dengan RapidPenang, saya dah bawa bas ekspres kira-kira tujuh tahun.

"Selalunya saya bawa bas dari Shah Alam ke Alor Star dan Pulau Pinang. Daripada situ, saya mula tambah pengalaman dan ilmu. Maklumlah, saya bukan sahaja kena bawa bas tetapi kena juga pandai 'belek-belek' bas," jelasnya yang mempunyai tiga orang anak itu.

Menurutnya, dia kini memandu bas RapidPenang bernombor 307 ulang- alik dari jeti Pengkalan Raja Tun Uda ke Batu Maung di sini.

Dalam pada itu, dia turut akui berasa janggal dan segan bekerja sebagai pemandu bas pada mulanya namun perasaan itu terhakis dengan sendirinya apabila sudah dapat menyesuaikan diri.

Ujarnya, sokongan suami, Shahidan Man, 51, serta rakan sekerja menjadikannya terus bersemangat dan memberikan perkhidmatan sebaiknya kepada syarikat dan penumpang-penumpang.

More buses for Rapid Penang soon
Updated: Sunday October 26, 2008 MYT 7:32:20 PM
By YENG AI CHUN

KEPALA BATAS: The Government will speed up the purchase of 200 buses for Rapid Penang, thus allowing it to add more routes to its service.

Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcob said the purchase of additional buses is in response to the demands of the rural population who have requested for better public transport.

“With the additional buses, we hope to create more new routes which would not only benefit urban dwellers but also those staying in rural areas.

“The demand for more bus routes proves that public transportation is widely accepted and used by all,” he said to newsmen Sunday after meeting with Tasek Gelugor Umno division leaders.

The additional buses are expected to cover 14 new routes in the state including Seberang Prai.

Nor Mohamed said the Government is also looking into increasing the frequency of the bus service thus shortening the waiting time for buses.

Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd currently services 33 routes in 106 housing areas. Its daily passenger volume reaches up to 46,000 passengers.

1.7m using RapidPenang
By : Audrey Dermawan



GEORGE TOWN: RapidPenang has proven to be a success story with some 1.7 million commuters using the bus service every month.

RapidPenang Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad said the figure represented a 23 per cent increase on a monthly average.

He said this was despite the fact that the company was operating only 33 routes using 150 buses.

Since the company began operations on Aug 1 last year, some 17 million commuters had used the RapidPenang bus service.

"We are confident that the figure will increase significantly by the end of next year when we take delivery of another 200 new buses," he said at the company's Hari Raya and Deepavali open house here on Saturday.

Present was Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop.

Azhar said with 350 buses next year, he expects the commuters to increase from 50,000 daily at present, to 120,000 daily.

There will be at least 14 new routes the new buses will ply.

"We will continue to take steps to improve our bus service."

Speaking to reporters before chairing the Tasek Gelugor Umno Youth and Puteri meeting in Kepala Batas on Sunday, Nor Mohamed said the Federal Government would look at ways to help the company to expedite the purchase of new buses.

"There has been huge demand for RapidPenang bus service, especially in the rural areas."

Tambahan 200 bas RapidPenang dipercepat

KEPALA BATAS 27 Okt. - Kerajaan akan mempercepatkan pembelian tambahan 200 buah bas RapidPenang bagi menambah laluan baru serta meluaskan perkhidmatan tersebut di negeri ini terutamanya di kawasan luar bandar.

Menteri Kewangan Kedua, Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop, melalui maklum balas yang diterima, banyak permintaan khususnya dari penduduk luar bandar yang mahu supaya perkhidmatan tersebut diperluaskan ke kawasan mereka.

''Dengan penambahan ini, kita harap lebih banyak laluan baru dapat diwujudkan dan memberi manfaat kepada bukan sahaja penduduk bandar tetapi juga di kampung-kampung.

''Ini membuktikan kemudahan pengangkutan awam semakin diterima oleh setiap lapisan masyarakat," katanya kepada pemberita selepas mengadakan perjumpaan dengan para pemimpin UMNO Bahagian Tasek Gelugor di sini semalam.

Turut hadir Ketua UMNO Bahagian Tasek Gelugor yang baru, Shahbudin Yahya yang juga Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) kawasan Permatang Berangan.

Syarikat RapidPenang Sdn. Bhd. mula menyediakan perkhidmatan bas di Pulau Pinang sejak 1 April lalu membabitkan 150 buah bas di 33 laluan dengan jumlah penumpang mencecah 46,000 orang sehari.

Dengan penambahan 200 bas itu, syarikat tersebut dijangka dapat menambah 14 laluan baru termasuk di kawasan Seberang Perai.

Nor Mohamed berkata, kerajaan juga mahu tempoh menunggu bagi mendapatkan perkhidmatan bas juga dipendekkan pada kadar paling minimum bagi memastikan ia memberi manfaat kepada penumpang.

''Dengan cara ini, kita bukan sahaja dapat meningkatkan mutu perkhidmatan tetapi dapat meningkatkan produktiviti pengguna khususnya dari aspek penjimatan masa dalam urusan seharian," tambahnya.

Sementara itu, beliau berharap semua ahli jawatankuasa UMNO Bahagian Tasek Gelugor yang baru selesai menjalani proses pemilihan supaya menumpukan usaha bagi memberi perkhidmatan kepada penduduk di kawasan masing-masing.

Katanya, antara yang perlu diberi tumpuan ialah menjayakan Pelan Tasek Gelugor Maju yang dilancarkan selepas Barisan Nasional (BN) memenangi pilihan raya umum di kawasan itu pada 8 Mac lalu.

''Kita sudah menyatakan janji kepada rakyat, jadi kita perlu sentiasa mendekati mereka dan bekerja kuat untuk mengotakan janji-janji itu," ujarnya.

Source : http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/11/3/nation/2441905&sec=nation


Plan for more Rapid Penang buses on mainland hits snag
By WINNIE YEOH

GEORGE TOWN: Rapid Penang’s plan for additional buses for its service in Seberang Perai early next year has hit a snag.

The Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board (CVLB) has rejected an application by the company to transfer 30 buses from RapidKL for use in the mainland.

CVLB chairman Datuk Markiman Kobiran said the board had to reject the application because Seberang Perai currently had adequate bus services provided by Rapid Penang and other bus companies.

“If Rapid Penang brings in more buses, it will jeopardise the original intention of improving public transport, and create unhealthy competition among these bus companies,” he said via a telephone interview from Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

He said Rapid Penang should focus on its services on the island before adding more buses on the mainland.

http://www.thestar.com.my/archives/2008/11/3/nation/n_14rapid.jpg
Bus city: The Rapid Penang bus depot at Sungai Nibong. The CVLB has rejected an application by the company to transfer 30 buses from RapidKL for use on the mainland.

A source from Rapid Penang said the transfer of the 30 buses from RapidKL was on a temporary basis until the arrival of the 200 European-made buses, of which 100 were scheduled to operate in Seberang Perai on 14 new routes.

“The new buses are scheduled to start operating in January. We wanted to bring in more buses and provide new routes because there was demand for them.

“We also have open permits to operate on the island as well as on the mainland,” the source said.

Datuk Markiman said the open permits were for certain routes only.

“For example, if one of the buses for Route One breaks down, they could transfer a bus from other routes to replace it,” he said.

The Rapid Penang source said the company would continue to appeal to the CVLB for it to reconsider.

Rapid Penang, a subsidiary of RapidKL, is 100% owned by the Ministry of Finance Inc. The company’s current fleet of 150 buses controls 60% of the bus services in Penang.



Bus from Europe? Interesting, as current Rapid Penang bus models i think, are from China...

RapidPenang masih mengharap

Oleh Rodelio Junjun Taucan

PULAU PINANG 2 Nov. - Rapid Penang Sdn. Bhd. (RapidPenang) kesal dengan keputusan Lembaga Pelesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan (LPKP) kerana tidak memberi permit kepada syarikat itu untuk menambah bas dan laluan baru bagi operasi di Seberang Prai.

Difahamkan, LPKP memberi alasan bahawa mereka mahukan satu persaingan sihat antara syarikat bas yang beroperasi di negeri ini dan meminta agar RapidPenang menumpukan operasi di bahagian pulau sahaja.

Sumber memberitahu Utusan Malaysia, bagaimanapun alasan LPKP itu tidak boleh diterima terutama sekali apabila lembaga tersebut bertindak memberi permit operasi kepada syarikat lain yang baru dua bulan beroperasi di Seberang Perai.

"Baru-baru ini LPKP adakan mesyuarat dan mereka membuat keputusan untuk tidak memberi permit kepada tambahan 100 buah bas yang dirancang oleh RapidPenang bagi beroperasi di Seberang Perai.

"Sebaliknya, LPKP memberi permit kepada satu syarikat bas yang baru beroperasi di Seberang Perai kira-kira dua bulan lalu dan keputusan LPKP itu menimbulkan beberapa persoalan," kata sumber tersebut ketika di hubungi Utusan Malaysia di sini hari ini.

Baru-baru ini, RapidPenang telah membuat keputusan untuk menambah kira-kira 200 buah bas bagi beroperasi di negeri ini pada tahun depan iaitu 100 daripadanya akan digunakan untuk 14 laluan baru yang dirancang di Seberang Perai.

Buat masa ini, terdapat 40 buah bas yang beroperasi di sembilan laluan di Seberang Perai manakala 110 buah bas untuk 23 laluan di bahagian pulau.

Sumber tersebut menambah, terdapat unsur politik yang mungkin mempengaruhi keputusan untuk tidak memberikan permit kepada RapidPenang itu namun beliau tidak mahu mengulas lebih lanjut mengenai perkara itu.

"Kami percaya unsur politik memainkan peranan dalam keputusan yang dibuat oleh LPKP ini kerana permit diberi kepada syarikat baru sedangkan RapidPenang telah berada di Seberang Perai sejak 31 Julai 2007," tegasnya.

Dalam pada itu, mengulas mengenai status operasi 40 buah bas di Seberang Perai sekarang, sumber tersebut berharap supaya perkara yang sama tidak akan berlaku.

"Kami cuma berharap agar LPKP akan meneliti semula keputusan mereka dan semoga operasi yang sedia ada ini tidak terganggu," ujarnya.

Asiah wanita pertama pandu bas RapidPenang

http://www.utusan.com.my/pix/2008/1022/Utusan_Malaysia/Utara/wu_03.1.jpg
Asiah Yaacob memberi tiket kepada salah seorang penumpang RapidPenang di Pulau Pinang, semalam.
.


aha dats kewl

Laluan baru: RapidPenang rayu LPKP

PULAU PINANG 3 Nov. - Rapid Penang Sdn. Bhd. (RapidPenang) akan membuat rayuan kepada Lembaga Perlesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan (LPKP) yang tidak meluluskan permit yang dipohon syarikat itu bagi menambah bas dan laluan baru bagi operasi di Seberang Perai.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya, Azhar Ahmad berkata, permit penambahan 30 buah bas RapidKL itu dibuat bagi memberi kemudahan kepada penduduk di kawasan berkenaan sebelum 200 buah bas yang dipohon RapidPenang sampai secara berperingkat mulai awal tahun depan.

Beliau yang kesal dengan tindakan LPKP berkata, pihaknya akan mengadakan pertemuan dengan Pengerusi LPKP, Datuk Markiman Kobiran selewat-lewatnya minggu depan bagi membincangkan perkara berkenaan dengan lebih lanjut serta menjelaskan secara terperinci hasrat mereka itu.

''Saya terkejut dengan keputusan LPKP itu. Bagaimanapun, saya akan berbincang dengan LPKP bagi mendapatkan penjelasan lanjut. Kami hanya mengetahui permohonan ini ditolak melalui media.

''Lagipun penambahan bas itu dibuat berdasarkan permintaan masyarakat di kawasan tersebut yang meminta bas RapidPenang masuk ke kawasan mereka. Permintaan ini dibuat melalui surat daripada ketua kampung, Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) kawasan dan juga surat persendirian yang dihantar kepada kami. Bukannya untuk mengejar keuntungan," katanya pada sidang akhbar di pejabatnya di Lorong Kulit di sini hari ini.

Akhbar hari ini melaporkan LPKP tidak meluluskan permohonan sebanyak 30 permit bas tambahan syarikat itu yang dikatakan akan beroperasi di Seberang Perai.

LPKP memberi alasan mahukan satu persaingan sihat antara syarikat bas yang beroperasi di negeri ini dan meminta supaya RapidPenang menumpukan operasi di bahagian pulau saja.

Azhar berkata, 30 bas RapidKL tambahan itu dijangka mula menjalankan operasinya di kawasan Seberang Perai, Januari tahun depan.

Katanya, dengan pertambahan 30 bas sementara itu, tempoh menunggu pengguna dapat dikurangkan selain menambah laluan baru yang mendapat memenuhi permintaan pengguna.

Beliau berkata, pada masa ini, pihaknya memberi jaminan operasi di pulau tidak terganggu, malah pertambahan bas itu dijangka dapat meningkatkan lagi mutu dan kualiti perkhidmatan bas di negeri ini.

RapidPenang yang mula beroperasi di negeri ini pada Ogos tahun lalu, mencatat penumpang bulanan 1.7 juta orang membabitkan 33 laluan menggunakan 150 buah bas.

Is it just me or does anyone here thinks LPKP is intentionally rejecting the application by RapidPenang?

The issuing of such license and routes should come under the purview of the state government. Who else but the state itself knows what's best? In my opinion, LPKP is just a nuisance.

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2008/11/7/north/2470845&sec=north

Coupled with the news above, I somehow came up with the conspiracy theory of UMNO assemblymen trying to be hero by initially asking LPKP to reject the application, and on his appeal, approve it.

Seems like Rapid Penang ticket looks better than Rapid KL systems :lol:
by nicholaschan
Depan

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3175/2848841498_d3483fcaf7_b.jpg

Belakang

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2134/2848010609_83bc82e7b9_b.jpg

More public bus trips needed in Nibong Tebal
By DERRICK VINESH


NIBONG Tebal residents have asked Rapid Penang to provide more trips to the district to cater to the increasing number of passengers.

Sungai Acheh assemblyman Datuk Mahmud Zakaria said Rapid Penang was the only bus company providing services in the area as three private bus companies, which used to operate buses within the township, had stopped operations following dwindling collections.

“But the people are now asking for an adequate public bus service here. They are highly impressed with Rapid Penang’s fleet of new, clean and efficient buses,” he said after presenting monthly federal government welfare aid to 46 persons at the south Seberang Prai district welfare office here on Wednesday.

On Monday, Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) chairman Datuk Markiman Kobiran said the board had rejected Rapid Penang’s application to transfer 30 buses from RapidKL for use on the mainland.


Chatting: Mahmud (right) talking to the recipients during the aid presentation at South Seberang Prai Welfare Department in Nibong Tebal.

Markiman said the decision was made because Seberang Prai had adequate bus services provided by Rapid Penang and other bus companies, noting that the additional 30 buses would create unhealthy competition and hamper efforts to improve the efficiency of public transportation.

Mahmud said presently, only Rapid Penang provided bus services between Butterworth and Nibong Tebal, adding that the other private bus companies stopped servicing the route when Rapid Penang began operations in the state last year.

“There are at least 1,200 residents in Sungai Chenaam, Sungai Udang and Sungai Acheh who are keen on taking public transport to get to destinations within the Nibong Tebal constituency,” he said.

Mahmud asked CVLB to reconsider its decision, noting that Rapid Penang should be given a chance to provide services to residents, even if the routes were less profitable.

He also called on the state government to expedite construction of a bus terminal in Nibong Tebal, noting that it was long overdue.

“Presently, the Rapid Penang buses are parked in front of Masjid Jamek Nibong Tebal to pick up passengers. But, this has caused traffic congestion in the area,” he said.

On the Seberang Prai Municipal Council’s decision to defer parking fee collection in Nibong Tebal to next year, Mahmud said it was a wise move.

“The people here are not so wealthy compared to those in other districts. It is not that we should not be charged for parking, but it could be done at a later time, especially when the economy is better,” he said.

Source : http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/11/3/nation/2441905&sec=nation



Bus from Europe? Interesting, as current Rapid Penang bus models i think, are from China...Most of the new buses are Scania buses, and iirc, similar to the fleet running in Singapore.

Cheers, m

Aku pernah naik bas ni tp awat tpt duduk belakang penumpangnya kena bersila ?? http://forum.cari.com.my/images/smilies/titter.gifhttp://forum.cari.com.my/images/smilies/titter.gif

^^yeke??
gaya kampung kot :nuts::nuts:

Just a phone call away
By LOOI SUE-CHERN


YOU are running late but the Rapid Penang bus has yet to turn up. Should you wait in case it is on its way or hop onto a taxi?

Many bus commuters in Penang are still unaware that they can now call up the bus company to find out how much longer they have to wait if the bus is delayed.

All 150 Rapid Penang on the island and mainland have been installed with global positioning system (GPS) gadgets to enable the company to keep track on its buses.

In Rapid Penang’s Intelligent Commuter Information System (ICIS) room at its Lorong Kulit headquarters in George Town, two operators monitor satellite images of Penang, which update automatically every 15 seconds, on two large screens.

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2008/11/13/north/Rapid.jpg
Rapid Penang ICIS-GPS control room operator Ahmad Ruzaidi Mohd Zainol monitoring the buses' movement via the GPS tracking system.

Through the surveillance system, they can tell exactly where the buses are, and whether they are lying idle, following their own routes or if the drivers are speeding.

In the event of irregularities, for example when a bus stays stationary for too long due to breakdowns, traffic jams or other reasons, the system will trigger an alarm to alert the operators in the control room.


Yap: The operator will check the buses' locations and know how long they would take to reach the communters.
Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd creative communication assistant manager Yap Lee Ying said with the up-to-date information on the buses on the road, they were able to inform commuters on the buses’ estimated arrival time at bus stops.

“It is simple. Commuters just have to phone our headquarters at 04-2381313 and ask the control room operators.

“Because bus stops in Penang are not numbered, commuters have to tell the operators where they are, give some landmarks and inform which bus they want to board.

“The operator will check the buses’ locations on the screen and work out how long they would take to reach the commuters,” she said, as she introduced the system in the control room to the press on Tuesday.

Unfortunately, many commuters were still unaware of the system and that they could just call Rapid Penang to track down their buses to plan their journey better, said Yap.

“Since the system began running in August, only about 40 commuters call in daily to find out the arrival time of our buses.

“The response from commuters is still slow and many still prefer to email us questions about bus numbers and schedules.

“But we hope it will pick up soon because the ICIS is now stable and operating fine,” she added.

Yap also revealed that Rapid Penang would take the system to the second stage in the first quarter of 2009, ‘upgrading’ the phone calls to short message system (SMS).

“It is still in planning stages and we are in negotiation with telecommunication companies.

“Meanwhile, we also have plans to set up a traffic jam monitoring system so we can study traffic problems and direct our bus captains to alternative routes if possible,” she said.

In the meantime, Rapid Penang, she added, would also like to find a Chinese-speaking control room operator to attend to Chinese commuters so the existing operators would not have to scramble to find a translator when they get calls in Chinese.

RapidPenang dahului pasang GPS pada bas

PULAU PINANG RapidPenang Sdn. Bhd. (RapidPenang) merupakan syarikat bas henti-henti yang pertama di negara ini memperlengkapkan 148 daripada 150 buah basnya dengan Sistem Kedudukan Global (GPS) bermula September lalu.

Penolong Pengurus Komunikasi Kreatif RapidPenang, Yap Lee Ying berkata, pemasangan tersebut memudahkan pihaknya memantau perjalanan bas dalam memastikan perkhidmatan lancar dan bersistematik.

''Selain itu, pengguna juga dapat mengetahui tempoh masa sesebuah bas tiba dan bertolak dari lokasi tertentu dengan pemasangan alat tersebut.

''Dengan penggunaan alat ini, kami dapat memastikan perkhidmatan bas mengikut jadual dan sampai di perhentian tepat pada masanya dalam melancarkan urusan perjalanan pengguna," katanya.

Beliau berkata sedemikian semasa mengadakan sesi taklimat kepada pemberita di bilik operasi GPS di Ibu Pejabat RapidPenang, di sini semalam.

Sementara itu, Lee Ying berkata, semenjak alat tersebut mula dipasang, semakin ramai pengguna menelefon mereka untuk mendapatkan maklumat terkini perjalanan bas.

''Selalunya, mereka akan menelefon bilik operasi kami di sini menanyakan kedudukan bas tersebut dan waktu akan tiba di perhentian," jelasnya.

Menurutnya, pengguna RapidPenang boleh menghubungi bilik operasi di talian 04-2381313 jika terdapat sebarang pertanyaan dan laporan mengenai perjalanan bas.

RapidPenang diminta pertingkat operasi
Oleh Tuty Haryanti Ahmad Rodzi
bhnews@bharian.com.my

GEORGETOWN: Lembaga Pelesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan (LPKP) meminta Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd (RapidPenang) menyediakan pelan penambahbaikan operasi syarikat di negeri ini sebelum bercadang menambah laluan di Seberang Prai.

Pengerusi LPKP, Datuk Markiman Kobiran, berkata syarikat itu perlu menunjukkan terlebih dulu pelan yang boleh menyelesaikan sepenuhnya masalah pengangkutan awam di negeri ini.

Katanya, LPKP menolak permohonan untuk menambah permit kerana tidak mahu syarikat itu memonopoli sistem pengangkutan awam di Seberang Prai.

Tegasnya, jika RapidPenang yang sudah mempunyai 150 bas, menambah laluan di Seberang Prai, bermakna syarikat pengangkutan awam lain seakan-akan tidak beroperasi.

"Bukan kami tidak mahu beri permit kepada RapidPenang, tetapi ada lagi syarikat pengangkutan awam lain yang masih perlu beroperasi. Jika kita terus bagi peluang kepada mereka mengambil alih operasi, pasti syarikat lain akan 'mati'.

"Jika RapidPenang terus menambah laluan di Seberang Prai takkan kita nak syarikat itu juga yang terus beroperasi di seluruh Malaysia. Ini semua perlu diambil kira," katanya ketika dihubungi di sini, semalam.

Beliau diminta mengulas hasil pertemuan Setiausaha LPKP, Datin Naimah Ramli dengan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif RapidPenang, Azhar Ahmad di Putrajaya, kelmarin.

Pertemuan itu diadakan berikutan keputusan LPKP menolak permohonan RapidPenang untuk menambah permit bas di Seberang Prai.

Baru-baru ini, RapidPenang bercadang untuk menambah sebanyak 200 bas di Pulau Pinang tahun depan, iaitu 100 daripadanya bakal digunakan di 14 laluan baru di Seberang Prai.

Buat masa ini, ada 110 bas beroperasi di 24 lalu pulau manakala 40 lagi di sembilan laluan di Seberang Prai.

Markiman berkata, jika operasi RapidPenang benar-benar kukuh, kenapa syarikat pengangkutan awam lain masih boleh terus beroperasi di Pulau Pinang.

"Ini membuktikan RapidPenang masih belum cekap lagi mengendalikan operasi mereka di seluruh Pulau Pinang.

"Seperti yang sedia maklum, kita masih menerima banyak aduan berkenaan operasi syarikat itu yang kurang memuaskan terutama di bahagian pulau," katanya.

Discover Penang & Win! & Student Pass Loyalty Campaign

1st LIVE DRAW!!
When: Sunday 16th November 2008 Where: New World Park (location map attached) What time: 5.30pm onwards

Bali? Krabi??? Bali?? Krabi??? Hmmmmmmmm………..

Want a free holiday???

Here’s your chance!! From now till 31st December, Rapid Penang wants you to DISCOVER PENANG & WIN!!

Simply answer 3 simple questions, attach your Rapid Penang bus ticket and you might just win a stay at Paradise Sandy Beach Resort or Go Holiday with AirAsia!


Just be at New World Park on the 16th of November, 5.30pm onwards to witness the FIRST LIVE DRAW!

Visit rapidpg.com.my for more information.

Cheers, m

CVLB has no objection to Rapid Penang proposal


THE Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) has no objection to the application by Rapid Penang to transfer 30 RapidKL buses for use in 14 new routes in Seberang Prai.

Rapid Penang chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad said board chairman Datuk Markiman Kobiran agreed to the proposal during a meeting on Monday.

Azhar said Markiman however told him they first had to conduct studies on the feasibility of the plan before coming to a final decision.

“We are grateful to both Markiman and CVLB director Datin Naimah Ramli for their consideration and cooperation.

“Rapid Penang will continue to upgrade services for the benefit of Penangites,” he said in a press statement.

He said the transfer was only a temporary measure while Rapid Penang takes delivery of new fleet of buses.

The Star had reported earlier that Markiman had rejected the application on grounds that Seberang Prai had adequate bus services provided by Rapid Penang and other bus companies.

He felt the additional 30 Rapid Penang buses would create unhealthy competition and hamper efforts to improve public transport efficiency.

On its plans for next year, Azhar said 200 European-made buses were scheduled to arrive in stages, of which 100 would operate on 14 new routes in Seberang Prai.

He said the decision to place the additional buses on the mainland was decided after bus companies stopped servicing the routes four years ago.

On the additional 100 buses to be placed on the island, Azhar said this would further reduce waiting time from 25 minutes to 10.

RapidPenang akan beroperasi di Seberang Jaya

PULAU PINANG 19 Nov. - Usaha Rapid Penang Sdn. Bhd. (RapidPenang) 'meminjam' 30 buah bas daripada RapidKL untuk beroperasi di Seberang Jaya sementara menunggu 100 buah bas tambahan beroperasi di situ akan terlaksana tidak lama lagi.

Dalam satu kenyataan di sini hari ini, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif RapidPenang, Azhar Ahmad berkata, pertemuan yang diadakan dengan Pengerusi Lembaga Perlesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan (LPKP), Datuk Markiman Kobiran baru-baru ini berjaya membawa kata sepakat yang positif.

"Dalam pertemuan tersebut Markiman tidak menyatakan sebarang halangan berhubung inisiatif untuk 'meminjam' 30 buah bas milik RapidKL sementara menunggu penghantaran bas-bas baru pada tahun depan.

"Persetujuan tersebut adalah hasil keyakinan beliau terhadap komitmen RapidPenang dalam menyuntik nafas baru kepada sistem pengangkutan awam secara menyeluruh," kata Azhar.

Katanya, RapidPenang turut membentangkan pelan perancangan 200 buah bas yang bakal dihantar secara berperingkat menjelang 2009.

"Markiman turut menyatakan persetujuan mengenai perancangan RapidPenang, oleh itu 100 buah bas akan ditempatkan di 14 buah laluan baru di Seberang Jaya.

"Walaupun tahap pemprosesan permit bas-bas tersebut menghadapi sedikit kesulitan, Insya-Allah hasil perbincangan dengan LPKP ia akan dapat dijayakan," jelasnya.

Jelasnya, pihak LPKP akan membuat pemantauan susulan selepas ini untuk memastikan RapidPenang dapat beroperasi dengan baik di laluan baru itu.

Baru-baru ini, akhbar banyak melaporkan bahawa LPKP menolak permohonan permit daripada RapidPenang untuk beroperasi di Seberang Jaya kerana mahu satu persaingan sihat antara syarikat-syarikat bas.

Azhar menambah, tambahan 100 buah bas di bahagian pulau juga akan dilaksanakan membolehkan masa menunggu dikurangkan daripada 25 minit kepada 10 minit.

Baru-baru ini, RapidPenang telah membuat keputusan untuk menambah kira-kira 200 buah bas bagi beroperasi di negeri ini pada tahun depan iaitu 100 daripadanya akan digunakan untuk 14 laluan baru yang dirancang di Seberang Perai.

Buat masa ini, terdapat 40 buah bas yang beroperasi di sembilan laluan di Seberang Perai manakala 110 buah bas untuk 23 laluan di bahagian pulau.

RapidPenang perkenal laluan ikut kod warna

PULAU PINANG 17 Dis. - Rapid Penang Sdn. Bhd. (RapidPenang) akan memperkenalkan koridor operasi laluan menggunakan tujuh kod warna dalam usaha menambah baik tahap perkhidmatan pengangkutan awam sedia ada supaya lebih sistematik dan efisien.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya, Azhar Ahmad berkata, konsep baru ini akan dilaksanakan secara berperingkat terhadap kesemua bas milik RapidPenang dan dijangka lengkap sepenuhnya, Januari depan.

Menurut Azhar, melalui kaedah ini, para pengguna perkhidmatan RapidPenang terutamanya para pelancong serta pengguna tempatan dapat mengenalpasti laluan-laluan dengan lebih mudah dan jelas.

''Setiap koridor laluan operasi melibat warna yang berbeza yang akan dicetak dan diletakkan pada nombor bas di atas cermin hadapan.

''Warna-warna ini akan memudahkan pengguna mengingati bas mana yang patut mereka naiki untuk pergi ke seluruh negeri ini. Ini kerana pada masa ini pengguna agak keliru kerana semua bas kita menggunakan warna yang sama iaitu putih bagi setiap nombor," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian pada sidang akhbar selepas menyampaikan sijil tamat kursus kepada 29 kadet Akademi RapidPenang di Lorong Kulit di sini hari ini.

Turut hadir Pengerusi RapidPenang, Tan Si Izzuddin Dali dan Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kerajaan Tempatan, Pengurusan Lalu Lintas dan Alam Sekitar negeri, Chow Kon Yeow.

Sementara itu, menurut Azhar, pihaknya telah menubuhkan Akademi RapidPenang pada April lalu sebagai usaha meningkatkan lagi mutu perkhidmatannya melalui pemupukan aspek latihan dan kemahiran kepada pemandu bas.

''Kami telah menaja semua perbelanjaan kadet yang sebelum ini hanya memiliki lesen memandu E dan D sehingga mereka layak memperoleh lesen memandu kenderaan awam (PSV) dan seterusnya bergelar Bas Kapten.

''Sehingga kini, akademi ini telah mempunyai 54 kadet termasuk 25 orang yang telah mendaftar bagi sesi kemasukan kedua yang mula menjalani latihan sejak Isnin lalu," katanya.

Tambah Azhar, pihaknya menyasarkan jumlah keseluruhan pengambilan kadet akan terus meningkat sehingga 400 orang tahun depan berdasarkan sambutan amat menggalakkan daripada orang ramai.

Dalam pada itu, Azhar berkata, Lembaga Perlesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan (LPKP) meluluskan permit yang dipohon syarikat itu bagi menambah bas dan laluan baru bagi operasi di Seberang Perai.

Azhar berkata, 30 bas RapidKL tambahan itu dijangka mula menjalankan operasinya di kawasan Seberang Perai, Januari tahun depan.

Katanya, dengan pertambahan 30 bas sementara itu, tempoh menunggu pengguna dapat dikurangkan selain menambah laluan baru yang mendapat memenuhi permintaan pengguna.

RapidPenang latih 400 pemandu


GEORGETOWN: RapidPenang Sdn Bhd (RapidPenang) akan melatih 400 pelatih kadet pemandu bas pada 2009 bagi melahirkan lebih ramai pemandu berkualiti melalui Akademi RapidPenang.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya, Azhar Ahmad, berkata ia juga sebagai persiapan sebelum Rapid Penang menerima tambahan 200 bas baru pada tahun berkenaan.

Beliau yakin kewujudan pemandu bas berkualiti dapat menyelesaikan banyak isu berkaitan pengangkutan awam yang kerap mendapat perhatian ramai kebelakangan ini.



"Kita mahu melahirkan pemandu bas yang rekodnya perkhidmatannya bersih termasuk dari segi saman trafik," katanya pada sidang media selepas Majlis Sijil Tamat Kursus Akademi RapidPenang di sini, semalam.

Akademi itu ditubuhkan April lalu dan seramai 29 pemandu sudah menjalani latihan untuk sesi kemasukan pertama dan seramai 25 pelatih baru memulakan latihan sesi kemasukan kedua Isnin lalu.

Hadir sama Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kerajaan Tempatan, Pengurusan Lalu Lintas dan Alam Sekitar negeri, Chow Kon Yeow dan Pengarah Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan (JPJ) Pulau Pinang, Hassan Yaccop.

Azhar berkata, RapidPenang juga memperkenalkan koridor kod warna laluan operasi bagi memudahkan pengguna pengangkutan awam mengecam laluan bas di Pulau Pinang.

Beliau berkata, koridor itu terdiri daripada lapan warna iaitu biru, merah, oren, hijau, hitam, jingga dan kuning mengikut laluan operasi bas yang sudah ditetapkan.

"Ini dapat meningkatkan kualiti perkhidmatan kami. Malah, sambutan pengguna juga baik. Mulanya sekitar 1.3 juta, kini dianggar 1.6 juta penumpang," katanya.

Mengenai permohonan RapidPenang supaya tiga bas shuttle yang beroperasi dalam lingkungan 14 kilometer persegi di sini, Azhar berkata ia masih dalam perbincangan tapi dijangka beroperasi pertengahan Januari tahun depan.

RapidPenang lanjut khidmat sambut 2009


GEORGETOWN: Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd (RapidPenang) akan melanjutkan perkhidmatan bas awam di 16 laluan sehingga jam 2 pagi sempena sambutan Malam Tahun Baru 2009, Rabu ini.

Penolong Pengurus Komunikasi Kreatif, Yap Lee Ying, berkata lanjutan perkhidmatan bertujuan memberi kemudahan kepada penduduk pulang selepas menyambut tahun baru.

Laluan yang terbabit ialah Laluan 101 (Teluk Bahang- Weld Quay); 210 (Paya Terubong - Weld Quay); 202 (Paya Terubong - Weld Quay melalui Farlim, Air Itam) dan 203 (Air Itam- Weld Quay).



Laluan 204 (Bukit Bendera - Weld Quay); 301 (Relau-Weld Quay); 302 (Batu Maung - Weld Quay); 303 (Bukit Gedung - Weld Quay); 304 (Bukit Gedung - Plaza Gurney) dan 307 (Batu Maung - Weld Quay melalui Lebuhraya Jelutong).

Laluan 401 dari Balik Pulau - Weld Quay dan 401E (Balik Pulau melalui Lebuhraya Jelutong) dan 601 (Kepala Batas - Penang Sentral).

"Laluan 701 (Bukit Mertajam - Penang Sentral), 702 (Bukit Mertajam - Penang Sentral melalui Permatang Pauh) dan 703 (Penang Sentral - Seberang Jaya)," katanya dalam satu kenyataan, semalam.

Yap berkata, sebagai syarikat pengangkutan awam pilihan utama, RapidPenang lazimnya mengambil pendekatan memberi kemudahan rakyat.

"Dengan kemudahan ini, orang ramai bukan hanya dapat mengelak daripada terkandas dalam kesesakan lalu lintas, malah dapat menjimatkan petrol," katanya.

RapidPenang latih 400 pemandu


GEORGETOWN: RapidPenang Sdn Bhd (RapidPenang) akan melatih 400 pelatih kadet pemandu bas pada 2009 bagi melahirkan lebih ramai pemandu berkualiti melalui Akademi RapidPenang.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya, Azhar Ahmad, berkata ia juga sebagai persiapan sebelum Rapid Penang menerima tambahan 200 bas baru pada tahun berkenaan.

Beliau yakin kewujudan pemandu bas berkualiti dapat menyelesaikan banyak isu berkaitan pengangkutan awam yang kerap mendapat perhatian ramai kebelakangan ini.



"Kita mahu melahirkan pemandu bas yang rekodnya perkhidmatannya bersih termasuk dari segi saman trafik," katanya pada sidang media selepas Majlis Sijil Tamat Kursus Akademi RapidPenang di sini, semalam.

Akademi itu ditubuhkan April lalu dan seramai 29 pemandu sudah menjalani latihan untuk sesi kemasukan pertama dan seramai 25 pelatih baru memulakan latihan sesi kemasukan kedua Isnin lalu.

Hadir sama Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kerajaan Tempatan, Pengurusan Lalu Lintas dan Alam Sekitar negeri, Chow Kon Yeow dan Pengarah Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan (JPJ) Pulau Pinang, Hassan Yaccop.

Azhar berkata, RapidPenang juga memperkenalkan koridor kod warna laluan operasi bagi memudahkan pengguna pengangkutan awam mengecam laluan bas di Pulau Pinang.

Beliau berkata, koridor itu terdiri daripada lapan warna iaitu biru, merah, oren, hijau, hitam, jingga dan kuning mengikut laluan operasi bas yang sudah ditetapkan.

"Ini dapat meningkatkan kualiti perkhidmatan kami. Malah, sambutan pengguna juga baik. Mulanya sekitar 1.3 juta, kini dianggar 1.6 juta penumpang," katanya.

Mengenai permohonan RapidPenang supaya tiga bas shuttle yang beroperasi dalam lingkungan 14 kilometer persegi di sini, Azhar berkata ia masih dalam perbincangan tapi dijangka beroperasi pertengahan Januari tahun depan.

Get rich with RapidPenang


GEORGE TOWN: For the Chinese New Year festive season, RapidPenang will launch two contests with cash prizes for its commuters and students from tomorrow.

Chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad said the contest to win RM888 would be open to all RapidPenang commuters.

For schoolchildren, college and university students, RM388 is up for grabs with the purchase of a student monthly travel voucher.

"The Fatt Chai with RapidPenang campaign will run from Jan 1 to 21. It's so easy, all the commuters need to do is to take a ride with RapidPenang, get a ticket and then answer one question.

"They must attach the original ticket with the entry form and send their full details."

Forms can be obtained from its information counter at Lorong Kulit, Weld Quay and Penang Sentral in Butterworth.

Students who purchase a three-month travel voucher or those who introduce three friends for the monthly unlimited travel voucher will also be entitled to a month's free unlimited rides.

Azhar said the contests were to promote public transport.

Rapid Penang tawar hadiah istimewa

BUTTERWORTH 2 Jan. - Para pengguna bas Rapid Penang Sdn. Bhd. berpeluang memenangi hadiah istimewa apabila syarikat pengangkutan awam itu menganjurkan cabutan bertuah sempena sambutan Tahun Baru 2009 dan perayaan Tahun Baru Cina.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Rapid Penang, Azhar Ahmad berkata, pertandingan itu bertujuan menggalakkan orang ramai menggunakan perkhidmatan bas atau pengangkutan awam dalam urusan seharian mereka.

"Ia juga merupakan langkah kita mempromosikan penggunaan pengangkutan awam di kalangan rakyat negeri ini kerana dalam menghadapi kegawatan ekonomi, penggunaan pengangkutan awam dapat menjimatkan belanja," katanya dalam kenyataan akhbar di sini hari ini.

Menurutnya, kempen itu selaras dengan usaha mengurangkan jumlah kenderaan di jalan raya dan pencemaran udara.

Beliau berkata, kempen itu menawarkan hadiah bernilai RM888 kepada pemenang yang bertuah dan ia telah bermula sejak semalam dan akan berakhir pada 21 Januari ini.

"Sepanjang kempen ini, semua pelajar termasuk penuntut Institusi Pengajian Tinggi (IPT) yang membeli pas perjalanan tiga bulan atau memperkenalkan tiga rakan baru untuk menggunakan perkhidmatan Rapid Penang berhak memenangi satu baucar perjalanan tanpa had secara percuma," jelasnya.

Beliau berkata, sempena menyambut perayaan Tahun Baru Cina menjelang akhir bulan ini, Rapid Penang turut mengadakan satu lagi peraduan yang dijangka dapat menarik perhatian orang ramai.

''Untuk melayakkan peserta menyertai pertandingan 'Fat Chai Bersama Rapid Penang' yang diadakan sempena sambutan perayaan Tahun Baru Cina, borang yang dihantar perlu disertakan dengan tiket bas yang asal dan jawab satu soalan dengan betul,'' katanya.

Semua penyertaan perlu dihantar ke Rapid Penang sebelum pukul 12 tengah malam 21 Januari dan cabutan bertuah untuk menentukan pemenang pertandingan akan diadakan pada 23 Januari di Paradise Sandy Beach Resort, Batu Feringghi.

Borang penyertaan juga boleh diambil secara percuma di Ibu Pejabat Rapid Penang, Lorong Kulit, di kaunter informasi Weld Quay, Penang Sentral, Terminal Bas Balik Pulau atau layari laman web www.rapidpg.com.my.

Contest for bus commuters


RAPID Penang is organising a Fat Chai with Rapid Penang contest. Commuters stand a chance to win RM888.

The contest which runs until Jan 21 requires commuters to answer one question correctly and attach an original Rapid Penang bus ticket to the contest entry form. Entries must reach Rapid Penang before midnight on Jan 21.

For students, there is a cash prize of RM388 up for grabs with the purchase of student monthly travel vouchers.

Entry forms can be collected from Rapid Penang headquarters at Lorong Kulit, Weld Quay information counter, Penang Sentral in Butterworth, Balik Pulau terminal or downloaded from www.rapidpg.com.my.

The completed entry forms must be sent to Rapid Penang offices in Lorong Kulit, Weld Quay, Penang Sentral or posted to: Fat Chai with Rapid Penang Contest, Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd, Lorong Kulit, 10460 Penang.

The prize presentation will be held on Jan 23 at Paradise Sandy Beach Resort.

Rapid Penang also said students were entitled to one month of free unlimited rides with the purchase of three-month student travel vouchers or if they introduce three friends to the student monthly voucher benefits.

Beliau berkata, koridor itu terdiri daripada lapan warna iaitu biru, merah, oren, hijau, hitam, jingga dan kuning mengikut laluan operasi bas yang sudah ditetapkan.


oren n jingga are the same!:nuts:

RapidPenang sedia bas percuma keliling tapak warisan dunia
PULAU PINANG 20 Jan. - Rapid Penang Sdn. Bhd. (RapidPenang) akan memperkenalkan perkhidmatan bas percuma di sekitar kawasan Tapak Warisan Dunia Georgetown mulai Jumaat ini.

Ketua Menteri, Lim Guan Eng berkata, perkhidmatan bas yang dikenali dengan nama Central Area Transit (CAT) itu dijangka mampu menarik lebih ramai pelancong asing dan tempatan ke Pulau Pinang.

''Kerajaan negeri menyambut baik perkhidmatan itu yang akan membawa penumpang mengelilingi kawasan tapak warisan bersejarah, pusat membeli belah, lokasi tarikan pelancong dan Terminal Feri Pengkalan Raja Tun Uda itu.

''Kami jangka perkhidmatan itu mampu menarik lebih ramai pelancong ke Pulau Pinang kerana ia pasti akan memudahkan pergerakan pelancong di sekitar pusat bandar Georgetown,'' katanya pada satu persidangan akhbar selepas menerima kunjungan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif RapidPenang, Azhar Ahmad di pejabatnya di sini hari ini.

Lim berkata, 19 buah stesen perhentian bas disediakan sepanjang laluan bas CAT dan bas akan berlepas setiap 15 minit dari stesen pertama.

''Maklumat lanjut hasil kerjasama antara kerajaan negeri dan RapidPenang ini akan diumumkan pada hari pelancarannya Jumaat ini,'' katanya.

Sementara itu, Azhar berkata, 15 laluan baru iaitu 14 laluan di bahagian tanah besar akan mula diperkenalkan awal bulan depan bagi memenuhi permintaan pengguna.

''Satu laluan baru di bahagian pulau ialah laluan terus dari pusat bandar ke Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Bayan Lepas (LTABL). Kami membuat laluan-laluan baru ini ekoran permintaan tinggi daripada masyarakat umum dalam dan luar negara yang memerlukan perkhidmatan bas untuk memudahkan pergerakan mereka,'' katanya.

Beliau berkata, RapidPenang juga akan menambah bilangan bas sedia ada iaitu daripada 150 buah kepada 350 buah dalam tempoh sepanjang tahun ini bagi menampung jumlah penumpang yang semakin meningkat.

Sementara itu, Lim berkata, kerajaan negeri menyambut baik pelancaran laluan penerbangan antarabangsa Pulau Pinang ke Macau oleh syarikat penerbangan AirAsia kerana ia dijangka menarik lebih ramai pelancong asing ke Pulau Pinang.

Katanya, penerbangan AirAsia itu adalah satu permulaan yang baik bagi Pulau Pinang kerana secara tidak langsung ia mampu mempromosikan negeri. - Bernama

RapidPenang catat kerugian RM3j sejak operasi


GEORGETOWN: RapidPenang Sdn Bhd (RapidPenang) mencatat kerugian RM2 hingga RM3 juta sejak memulakan operasi di negeri ini kira-kira 18 bulan lalu, kata Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya, Azhar Ahmad.

Bagaimanapun, Azhar yakin syarikat itu mampu mencatat keuntungan dalam tempoh dua atau tiga tahun lagi apabila bilangan bas ditambah secara berperingkat daripada 150 sekarang kepada 350 bas menjelang akhir tahun ini.

Katanya, sudah menjadi kelaziman sesebuah syarikat pengangkutan awam memerlukan lebih masa dan beroperasi dalam keadaan rugi sebelum mampu mencatat keuntungan.



"Apabila 200 bas ditambah akhir tahun ini, kami yakin syarikat akan menerima pulangan yang baik," katanya pada sidang media selepas mengadakan pertemuan dengan Ketua Menteri, Lim Guan Eng di sini, kelmarin.

Pertemuan itu bagi membincangkan pelancaran tiga bas Central Area Transit (CAT) yang dijadualkan memulakan operasinya, esok.

Perkhidmatan itu disediakan untuk laluan di sekitar Tapak Warisan Dunia bagi memudahkan pelancong mengunjungi destinasi menarik, sekali gus meningkatkan industri pelancongan negeri.

RapidPenang yang mula beroperasi di negeri ini pada Ogos 2007, adalah antara inisiatif Kerajaan Pusat untuk memperbaiki sistem dan mutu pengangkutan awam di Pulau Pinang.

Azhar berkata, trend penggunaan bas sebagai pengangkutan awam juga kian popular dengan 1.6 juta penumpang dicatat setiap bulan, berbanding 1.2 juta ketika RapidPenang mula beroperasi.

Katanya, peningkatan bilangan penumpang sebulan berbanding sasaran seramai 1.3 juta orang sebulan disebabkan beberapa faktor termasuk kecekapan dan kebersihan.

Hop On Free Central Area Transit
Friday, 23 January, 2009 By Timothy Tye
MPPP Rapid Penang CAT is a free shuttle bus service that ply the streets of George Town. It was launched on Friday, 23 January, 2009. CAT, which stands for Central Area Transit, is an initiative of the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) and Rapid Penang. It covers a route from Weld Quay to Penang Road and back. Along the way, it makes 19 stops at strategic points of interest. The service runs from 6:00 am in the morning until 12:00 am midnight. Apart from the route around Komtar, the shuttle service ply roads within the core and buffer zones of the George Town Unesco World Heritage Site.

Rapid Penang has prepared three air-conditioned buses which were specially painted with the CAT livery for easy recognition. In front of the bus as a "Hop On Free" sign. On the sides are the words "City Hop On" and "Central Area Transit". The 19 bus stops along the route have also been properly signaged. The bus stops are numbered to help visitors identify their location vis-a-vis the tourist attractions of the vicinity. Penang Travel Tips lauds the introduction of this free shuttle service and gladly provide our resources to help make it successful. Through the Rapid Penang CAT Free Shuttle Bus services, visitors to George Town will be able to explore the sights in comfort without even paying a sen to move around.

The Route

The Central Area Transit Shuttle Bus starts at the bus stop No.1 at Weld Quay. From there, it goes along Weld Quay, making one stop at the Ferry Bus Terminal. Then it continues and turns right at Chulia Street Ghaut. At the next junction, it turns right into Victoria Street. At the end of Victoria Street, it turns left into China Street Ghaut. At the next junction, it turns right into Beach Street (Lebuh Pantai). There are two bus stops at Beach Street, in front of OCBC and in front of Standard Chartered. From Beach Street, the Central Area Transit Shuttle Bus continues into Light Street, turning left at the roundabout. From Light Street, it turns left into Pitt Street (Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling), then right into Farquhar Street, at the Penang Supreme Court. Bus stop No. 6 is in front of the Penang Museum. From Farquhar Street, it continues into Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah (Northam Road) and then turns left into Penang Road. It goes along Penang Road until the junction with Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong (Prangin Road), where it turns left. Next, it makes a right turn at Jalan Ria to enter Komtar. It stops at the Komtar Bus Terminal, and then exits Komtar, turning right at Magazine Road.

From Magazine Road, the Central Area Transit Shuttle Bus turns right into Penang Road again, where there's a stop in front of Ong Kongsi. From there, it continues along Penang Road and turn turns left into Burmah Road, and then right again at Transfer Road. At the next traffic lights, the bus turns right into Hutton Lane. At the end of Hutton Lane, it turns right into Penang Road once more time, continues along Penang Road and then turns left into Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong again.

Next, the bus turns left and enters Carnarvon Street. It goes along Carnarvon Street until the junction with Kampung Kaka, where it turns right. It goes along Kampung Kaka, and into Kampung Kolam, where it makes a stop. From Kampung Kolam, it enters Pitt Street. At St George's Church, it turns left into Farquhar Street again, and then makes a right turn into Light Street. It goes along Light Street until the roundabout, and then turns into Beach Street. Following that, it turns left at the next junction into Downing Street. The bus makes a final stop at Downing Street before reentering Weld Quay to restart the journey.

Bus Stops and Sights

The following are the numbered bus stops and the sights to see along the way. It will be impossible to visit all the sights listed. My suggestion is you do a bit of homework. Read about each of the sights to select those you wish to visit (click the links for details with maps). Then take the bus to each stop. Visit some sights, walk along the way, and then catch the next bus at a subsequent bus stop.

1 - Weld Quay
# Port Swettenham
# Chulia Street Pier
2 - Ferry Bus Terminal
# Pengkalan Tun Raja Uda
# Wisma Yeap Chor Ee
# Wisma Kastam
3 - OCBC
# Pinang Peranakan Mansion
# Chung Keng Kwee Ancestral Temple
# Penang Heritage Trust
# San Wooi Wooi Koon
# Old OCBC Building
# 1886 Building
# Kongsoon House
# Ghee Hiang
4 - Standard Chartered
# Standard Chartered Building
# HSBC Building
# Royal Bank of Scotland (formerly ABN Amro Bank)
# Logan's Building
# Whiteways Building
5 - Light Street
# Town Hall
# City Hall
# Fort Cornwallis (inc. Francis Light Statue and Lighthouse)
# Cenotaph
# Dewan Sri Pinang
6 - Penang Museum
# Penang Museum
# St George's Anglican Church (inc. Francis Light's Memorial)
# Church of the Assumption
# Supreme Court
# Logan Memorial
# Convent Light Street
# St Xavier's Institution
7 - St Francis Xavier Church
# St Francis Xavier Church
# Francis Light's Tomb
# Segara Ninda
# Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion
8 - Kampung Malabar
# Benggali Mosque
# Chowrasta Market
# Penang Bazaar
9 - Komtar
# Komtar
# Prangin Mall
# Pacific Komtar
10 - Ong Kongsi
# Ong Kongsi
# Komtar
# Masjid Jamek Simpang Enam
# Gama
# Church of Our Lady of Sorrows
11 - Transfer Road
# Masjid Titi Papan
# Dato Koyah Shrine
# Saw Khaw Lean Heah Kongsi
12 - Chowrasta Market
# Chowrasta Market
# Penang Bazaar
# Penang Road Cendol
13 - Prangin Road
# Prangin Mall
# Masjid Pintal Tali
# Ghee Hin Hall of Heroes
# Prangin Canal
# Sia Boey
14 - Carnarvon Street
# Li Teik Seah Building
# Penang Tourism Information Centre
# Penang Islamic Museum
# Sun Yat Sen Penang Base
# Campbell Street Market
15 - Kampung Kolam
# Kapitan Keling Mosque
# Noordin Family Tomb
# Khoo Kongsi
# Cheah Kongsi
# Lim Kongsi
# Yap Kongsi
# Choo Chay Keong Temple
# Hock Teik Cheng Sin Temple
# Acheen Street Mosque
# Gudang Acheh
16 - St George's Church
# St George's Church
# Kuan Yin Teng
# Sri Mahamariamman Temple
# Supreme Court
# Chinese Chamber of Commerce
# Bank Negara Malaysia
17 - Dewan Sri Pinang
# Dewan Sri Pinang
# Town Hall
# City Hall
# Supreme Court
# Logan Memorial
# Cenotaph
18 - Padang Kota Lama
# State Assembly Building
# House of Yeap Chor Ee
# Foo Tye Sin Mansion
# Fort Cornwallis (inc. Francis Light Statue and Lighthouse)
19 - Downing Street
# General Post Office
# Islamic Council Building
# HSBC Building
# Standard Chartered Building

Penang Hop On Free Central Area Transit (CAT)
Friday, 23 January 2009 08:07


http://www.visitpenang.gov.my/portal/images/stories/11.jpg

Visitors to Penang can now enjoy a bus ride within George Town, the UNESCO World Heritage City, for FREE.

The Hop On Free Central Area Transit (CAT) ply the route between Weld Quay Jetty and Komtar on 15-minute intervals from 6am-12midnight.

Exploring the grounds of the UNESCO World Heritage City has never been this convenient now with 19 CAT stops in between all the famous heritage landmarks of Penang!


Climb onboard the CAT bus today and explore all the wonderful heritage sites of Penang. Take a tour to the Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower, Fort Cornwallis, Penang War Memorial, City Hall, Penang Supreme Court Building, Cathedral of the Assumption, Penang State Museum, Goddess of Mercy Temple, The Pinang Peranakan Mansion, Church Street Pier, Mahamariamman Temple, Khoo Kongsi, Cheong Fatt Sze Mansion, Francis Light's grave and many more heritage sites!

Download the George Town Penang Heritage brochure for more information. Download CAT bus route map here.

This project is initiated and fully funded by the Penang State Government for the convenience of Penangites and foreign tourists.

The CAT bus is managed by the Municipal Council of Penang Island (MPPP) and operated by Rapid Penang.

Khidmat bas khas Thaipusam


GEORGETOWN: RapidPenang Sdn Bhd (RapidPenang) akan menyediakan perkhidmatan bas khas untuk kemudahan penumpang menyambut Thaipusam selama tiga hari, bermula esok.

Pengurus Komunikasi Kreatif RapidPenang, Yap Lee Ying, berkata sebanyak 10 bas tambahan akan beroperasi dari Weld Quay ke Pulau Tikus (berhadapan Pusat Perubatan Tanjong) dan sebaliknya.

Bas akan beroperasi dari jam 3 petang hingga 12 tengah malam esok (Sabtu), jam 6.30 pagi hingga 12 tengah malam pada Ahad dan Isnin, dengan kekerapan 10 minit.

"Tambang yang akan dikenakan bagi penumpang dewasa ialah RM1.50 manakala kanak-kanak bawah 12 tahun sebanyak 80 sen," katanya dalam satu kenyataan di sini, semalam.

RapidPenang juga akan menempatkan beberapa petugas di Pulau Tikus, Terminal Bas Komtar dan Weld Quay bagi memastikan kelancaran perkhidmatan bas berkenaan.

RapidPenang orders Scania buses
By Kamarul YunusPublished: 2009/02/16




SCANIA, one of the world's leading manufacturers of trucks and buses, has received an order for 152 low-entry city buses from RapidPenang Sdn Bhd to serve the island city.

According to a statement Scania posted on its website, this marks the biggest single order for Scania to date, and is one of the largest single city bus deals in Malaysia.

"These buses are ordered by RapidPenang. If you put 152 in relation to Scania's annual sales of more than 7,000 buses, one might think that this deal is of minor impact on the company's bottom line.

"Nevertheless, the delivery would strengthen Scania's position as supplier of public transport equipment not only in Malaysia but also in the region," Scania's press manager for corporate relations Hans-Ake Danielsson told Business Times.

He declined to reveal the value of the deal, saying that the total order value will not provide a right picture of what it gets into Scania's bottom line, since the body work of the buses is made by external partners.

In the statament, Scania said the operator of these buses cited best quoted fuel consumption, high levels of reliability and availability as well as a comprehensive service support as the key points for Scania's success in the tender.

Scania said all the 152 units will be from the Scania K-series, equipped with a 9-litre engine and six-speed automatic gearbox, disc brakes, retarder and full wheelchair access.

Thirty buses will be built with a 12m body and the remaining 122 units will be in the shorter "midi" length of 10.6m, which is necessary to ply Penang Island's inner city routes, famous for their narrow British colonial-era city streets.

The buses feature full aluminium bodywork that saves weight and holds up well against the harsh heat and tropical island-climate humidity.

Apart from the buses, Scania also received orders for 109 units of Scania chasis for fire trucks from the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department or locally known as "Bomba".

The units, all 9-litre P-series truck with the Scania CrewCab, are scheduled to be delivered to Bomba in the first quarter of 2009.

Bomba's confidence in Scania can be traced back to the 1990s. With this latest order, a total of 214 Scanias will be in service in the Bomba fleet by the end of the year.

Free WiFi on Rapid buses
By Adie Suri Zulkefli news@nst.com.my






BUTTERWORTH: Bus commuters will get another value-added service in June when RapidPenang introduces a free WiFi wireless Internet connection come June.

The possibility of Internet connection while commuting is expected to encourage more people to opt for public transport.

RapidPenang, which began its operations here in 2007, will be the first stage bus company to offer such a service.

Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop said the WiFi service would be available in all RapidPenang buses by the second quarter of this year.

Nor Mohamed said among other value-added services soon to be introduced by the company were the identification of RapidPenang buses location via SMS and an electronic ticketing payment system.

"With these value added services, RapidPenang has confirmed its status as an efficient public transport operator in the state," he said after launching the RapidPenang Pekan Darat-Penang Central route here yesterday.

Present was RapidPenang chairman Tan Sri Izuddin Dali and its chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad.

The Route 605 travels from Pekan Darat to the temporary Penang Sentral in Butterworth with a maximum fare of RM1.50 for a single trip.

RapidPenang commuters can now get an update on the location of the buses, which are fitted with Global Positioning System (GPS) by calling its intelligent commuter information system.

Nor Mohamed said RapidPenang would be plying 14 new routes by the year-end with the arrival of 200 new buses.

The company is servicing 35 routes in both mainland Seberang Prai and the island with a fleet of 180 buses.

With the additional fleet, the company is projecting its number of commuters to increase to 40,000 daily from 12,000.

Being a non-profit driven stage bus operator, Nor Mohamed said the company would continue to invest in upgrading its core service and value-added services for commuters.

"The company is expected to break even within three years, but its immediate concern now is to encourage more commuters to use the public transport system," he added.

Free WiFi on Rapid buses


BUTTERWORTH: Bus commuters will get another value-added service in June when RapidPenang introduces a free WiFi wireless Internet connection come June.

The possibility of Internet connection while commuting is expected to encourage more people to opt for public transport.



ini satu kerja bodoh dan membazirkan wang. did they do any survey on the demand on WiFi among bus commuters? how many of them using laptop or WiFi enabled cell phone on bus? or do they just make it to make people think that rapidpenang coaches as 'high-tech'?

CAT bus a hit with public
By ANN TAN


THE free ‘hop on’ city shuttle bus service is proving to be very popular with more than 2,000 locals and tourists using the service on weekdays since its launch on Jan 23.

When contacted, Rapid Penang creative corporate communications manager Yap Lee Ying said most of the passengers who used the service were those working in the inner city.

“On weekends, the number drops by about 20%. A bus leaves the Weld Quay terminal at 15-minute intervals and travels through Little India, Muntri Street, Campbell Street, Downing Street, Light Street, Penang Road, Kedah Road and Carnarvon Street.

“The bus service, which is also known as the Central Area Transit (CAT), operates from 6am to midnight daily. We are also working closely with the tour agencies, Association of Tourist Attractions Penang and a few non-governmental organisations to promote our service to the tou-rists,” she said.

Sarawakians Michelle Wee, 29, and Noelle Ng, 30, when met at the Tanjung City Marina in Weld Quay, said the CAT service saved them time and was very convenient for those travelling on a tight budget.

For university students A. Lilamalar and A. Annette Anabel, both 23, the CAT bus service was definitely an effective way to economise in these trying times.

“We are now able to save RM1 a day on bus fares.

“This might not seem a lot but it adds up monthly. The money we saved can definitely be put to better use,” said Annette Anabel.

Canadian tourist Erik O Takanen described the free ride as enjoyable and environmentally-friendly as fewer vehicles would now be on the road because people preferred the CAT service.

“This is like a package for tou-rists to go on a free ride around George Town before deciding on a particular place to go,” said the 63-year-old.

The CAT bus service, available in and around the inner city of George Town, covers places of interest such as the banking district, heritage sites and tourist attractions.

The service uses three Rapid Penang buses to ply the route from the Raja Tun Uda Ferry Terminal in Weld Quay to Komtar with a total of 19 stops on the 8km-long round trip.

ini satu kerja bodoh dan membazirkan wang. did they do any survey on the demand on WiFi among bus commuters? how many of them using laptop or WiFi enabled cell phone on bus? or do they just make it to make people think that rapidpenang coaches as 'high-tech'?It's all marketing and psychology

People prefer not to use a "bus" because it is "cheap" to their minds...

So you dont call it a "bus" you call it a "Rapid Transit Vehicle" (RTV is better because it will inspire more curiousity) or the "un-bus" if you want to appear "cool" and "anti-"

Then you dress it up with a streamlined design, wifi technology, bill payment kiosks, touch n go cards, power points, tables, tinted windows, LCD tvs, etc., etc.

The bus stops are also given a new treatment - with dazzling designs and ticket vending machines and countdown timers....and they can be made bigger and more impressive.

You can even give the line a name or a colour like "Orange Line" or "Line 1" to make it seem more like a rail line...

add that all together and you get "Bus Rapid Transit" and "Quality Bus" service and you get a few more passengers.

It works so well.....

my only question is this: Why is RapidPenang doing all of this while RapidKL does almost nothing?????

Cheers, m

RapidPenang anjur peraduan Golden Dreams


GEORGETOWN: Naiki bas RapidPenang di sini dan anda berpeluang memenangi satu set aksesori emas bernilai RM3,000 menerusi peraduan 'Golden Dreams' yang bermula semalam.

Menerusi kempen yang berakhir pada 30 April ini, pelajar menggunakan pas bulanan juga layak menyertai peraduan itu tetapi hadiahnya adalah dua unit telefon bimbit jenama Nokia.

Pengurus Komunikasi Kreatif RapidPenang, Yap Lee Ying, berkata setiap penyertaan mesti disertakan bersama satu tiket dan borang yang boleh diperoleh di Kaunter Informasi Weld Quay.



Borang juga boleh didapati di Ibu Pejabat Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd di Lorong Kulit di sini, Depoh Rapid Penang Butterworth atau dimuat turun daripada laman web www.rapidpg.com.my.

Pelajar yang menggunakan pas bulanan pula perlu mengepilkan bersama salinan resit pembelian baucar pas bulanan pelajar dan maklumat diri seperti nama, alamat, nama sekolah serta nombor telefon.

Bagaimanapun, pelajar dikecualikan daripada menghantar borang penyertaan dan setiap resit pembelian hanya sah untuk satu penyertaan saja.

“Peserta (kecuali pelajar) perlu menjawab satu soalan mudah berkaitan RapidPenang dan pihak penganjur bersama. Peserta boleh menghantar seberapa banyak penyertaan," katanya dalam satu kenyataan di sini, semalam.

Semua borang penyertaan perlu dimasukkan ke dalam kotak khas yang disediakan di tempat pengedaran borang atau mengepos ke alamat Peraduan 'Goden Dreams', Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd, Lorong Kulit, 10460, Pulau Pinang.

Borang penyertaan mesti diterima sebelum jam 12 tengah malam 30 April ini.

RapidPenang mendapat kerjasama Kedai Emas Haji S Abdul Wahab dan Paradise Sandy Beach Resort bagi menjayakan peraduan itu.

Yap berkata, penganjuran peraduan itu sebagai tanda terima kasih syarikat terhadap orang ramai yang memberi sokongan kepada RapidPenang, selain menggalakkan penduduk menggunakan pengangkutan awam.

"Sebagai tanda penghargaan, kami ingin menyumbang kembali dengan memberi penghargaan kepada masyarakat umum melalui peraduan yang menawarkan hadiah menarik," katanya.

RapidPenang: No depot site, no 200 extra buses
By : Melissa Darlyne Chow


GEORGE TOWN: RapidPenang is pushing the state government to provide a suitable site for a depot to accommodate some 200 additional buses the company will get by the year-end.

Its chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad said the present five depots, including one on the mainland, could not accommodate the additional buses which would be arriving in stages, beginning May.

The five depots RapidPenang are at Lorong Kulit, Tanjung Bungah, Sungai Nibong and Balik Pulau on the island and one in Butterworth.

Azhar said RapidPenang needed the state government's assistance as it had to pay rent of RM150,000 a month for all the depots, except for the one in Butterworth.

"The state government has to provide a site to place the 200 buses as they were acquired to overcome the traffic woes in the state.

"If they fail to give us the depot, we may have no choice but to hand the buses over to RapidKL," he said at a press conference here yesterday.

The additional 200 buses are equipped with disabled-friendly facilities.

Azhar said he had sent several letters to the state government on the matter but had yet to receive a reply.

"The buses can reduce the traffic jams here. It is now up to the state government to decide."

On the state government's request for additional Central Area Transit (CAT) free shuttle buses for tourists visiting the heritage areas, Azhar said the matter had yet to be decided.

Azhar said he preferred to settle the depot issue first before making a decision on the additional CAT free shuttle buses.

At present, three buses are provided to ply the route from the Raja Tun Uda ferry terminal to Komtar, involving 19 stops on an eight-kilometre journey, from 6am to midnight.

Rapid Penang’s dilemma
Saturday March 7, 2009

RAPID Penang is facing a tricky problem. It does not know where to place its 200 new buses which are scheduled to arrive in Penang in batches in May until the end of the year.

Its chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad said they have identified five locations to be turned into depots for these buses.

However, they have yet to receive any favourable reply from the state authorities.

“I have written seven letters to the state government.

“The first one was written in July to inform the state of our intention to secure five more sites to be turned into depots for these new buses.

“Unfortunately, we have yet to hear from the Government.

“Worse come to worse, if we cannot get the sites to house our buses bought by the Ministry of Finance Inc, the buses will then be given to RapidKL instead,” he said during a press conference at Rapid Penang’s headquarters in Lorong Kulit yesterday.

He said the locations identified are in Weld Quay, Teluk Bahang and Bayan Lepas on the island and Nibong Tebal and Kepala Batas on the mainland.

Judging from the big increase in passenger load, Azhar said Rapid Penang needs the additional 200 buses to provide better services to the public.

He said the number of passengers rose to 1.7mil in January compared with an average monthly figure of 1.4mil recorded last year.

The company has 150 buses currently plying routes in the state, with 110 on the island and 40 on the mainland.

The existing depots are located in Sungai Nibong, Balik Pulau, Tanjung Bungah and Butterworth.

On another matter, Azhar urged the relevant authorities to grant the company a long-term lease so that it can improve the infrastructure at the existing four depots, bus interchange at Weld Quay and headquarters in Lorong Kulit.

He said the company is currently paying an average of RM30,000 in monthly lease for the interchange and headquarters as well as each depot.

Azhar also urged the local authorities to beef up enforcement and take action against errant motorists.

“Many motorists park their vehicles haphazardly by the roadside, causing traffic congestion.

“Many a time, our drivers face difficulties driving on such roads.

“The authorities should also get rid of the many roadside hawkers and operators.

“Some of them are even conducting their business near bus stops,” he said.

State Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow could not be reached for comments despite several attempts to contact him.

Decision on disabled-friendly bus stops next month


THE Penang Government will decide in a month’s time whether to give the green light to Rapid Penang for the construction of disabled-friendly bus stops once the company submits its proposal.

Penang Local Government, Traffic Management and Environment Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the bus stops needed to have proper facilities to complement the new 200 disabled- friendly buses which would arrive in bat-ches from May until the end of the year.

On Rapid Penang’s predicament over the uncertainty of whether the state authorities would approve the use of five new depots to place its new fleet of buses, he said the matter was negotiable and that he would follow up on the matter.

Rapid Penang chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad had said that the company had not received a reply from the autho-rities.

Chow told newsmen yesterday that Rapid Penang was currently using the Sungai Nibong bus terminal and three other areas belonging to the Penang Municipal Council located in Lorong Kulit, Balik Pulau and Tanjung Bungah as its depots.

“All the 200 buses are not going to arrive in May and therefore I feel the existing sites can still accommodate the buses.

“If I’m not mistaken, the company is in the final stage of looking at a piece of land belonging to the Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd,” he said.

He said Rapid Penang had asked the state government to lease these areas for a long period (30 years) before it builds a proper depot.

“The company is also asking for a nominal fee to be charged and we understand that in order to subsidise public transportation, costs need to be cut,” he said, ad-ding that Rapid Penang had not paid rental for its existing depots since July 2007.

Chow said the state had put on hold the idea to set up its own bus company.

“Now, only 8% of the people use buses. It is not advisable to compete with another company until the percentage rises to 35%,” he said.

5 Rapid Penang depots more than sufficient, says exco man

http://www.nst.com.my/Tuesday/National/2500549/insidepix1
Exco member for transport Chow Kon Yeow says a nominal rent proposal is being discussed


GEORGE TOWN: The state government is not giving a commitment to provide RapidPenang with a suitable site for a depot for some 200 buses the company will get by the year's end.

State Local Government and Transport Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the company should use its five existing depots for the purpose.

Four of its depots are on the island, in Sungai Nibong, Lorong Kulit, Tanjung Bunga and Balik Pulau while the one on the mainland is in Butterworth.

"The five depots are more than sufficient for RapidPenang to accommodate its additional buses. After all, the new buses will come in batches.

"At the same time, we will see how best we can help the company," he told a press conference at his service centre here yesterday.

He was asked about RapidPenang chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad's request for the state government to provide a site for the extra buses as the existing ones could not accommodate the new buses, which would be arriving in stages from May.

Azhar had said if the state government failed to give the company the depot, then it may have no choice but to hand the buses to RapidKL.

He said RapidPenang needed the state government's assistance as it had to pay rent of RM150,000 a month for all the depots, except the one in Butterworth.

Chow said the state government was made to understand that RapidPenang, on its part, was also looking for a piece of land for the depot.

He also said they were discussing with RapidPenang its request to pay a nominal fee of either RM1 or RM10 a month in rent for the depots.

The company will also be submitting a proposal to the state government for the construction of bus stops.

Earlier, Chow announced that the state executive council had agreed in principle to the setting up of the Penang Transport Council to address the state's numerous transport woes.

There will be a 15-member panel, comprising state government officials, non-governmental organisation representatives and engineers, which will present its findings and recommendations to the state government.

Kementerian serah nota isu RapidPenang


BUTTERWORTH: Kementerian Kewangan akan menyerahkan nota kepada kerajaan Pulau Pinang bagi mendapatkan kerjasama untuk membantu meningkatkan perkhidmatan Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd (RapidPenang) di negeri ini.

Nota berkenaan dijangka diserahkan Menteri Kewangan Kedua, Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop kepada Ketua Menteri, Lim Guan Eng, minggu ini.

Nor Mohamed berkata, beliau akan mengadakan perbincangan lanjut apabila berjumpa dan menyerahkan nota itu kepada Guan Eng apabila berjumpa ketika menghadiri persidangan Dewan Rakyat.



Katanya, soal berkaitan perkhidmatan RapidPenang akan menguji sejauh mana kesanggupan kerajaan negeri untuk bekerjasama dengan Kerajaan Pusat, terutama apabila ia membabitkan kepentingan rakyat Pulau Pinang.

"Saya akan berbincang dengan Ketua Menteri sebab perkara ini untuk Pulau Pinang. Apa yang baik untuk Pulau Pinang, kerajaan negeri dan Kerajaan Pusat patut bekerjasama.

"Isu ini menjadi satu bukti yang kukuh mengenai kerjasama kerajaan negeri. Kita tengok sama ada kerajaan negeri mahu bekerjasama atau tidak. Kalau beliau terima dan setuju, ini terbukti kita ada kerjasama," katanya.

Nor Mohamed yang juga Ahli Parlimen Tasek Gelugor bercakap kepada pemberita selepas merasmikan mesyuarat agung Persatuan Penjaja dan Peniaga Kecil Pulau Pinang di Pantai Bersih, Bagan Ajam di sini, semalam.

Beliau diminta mengulas permintaan Pengerusi Gerakan Negeri, Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan, yang mahu Kementerian Kewangan campur tangan berhubung RapidPenang yang tiada tapak untuk membina depoh bagi menempatkan 200 bas baru yang akan tiba secara berperingkat mulai Mei depan.

Teng membuat kenyataan itu selepas Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kerajaan Tempatan dan Pengurusan Lalu Lintas negeri, Chow Kon Yoew, meminta RapidPenang menggunakan depoh sedia ada untuk menempatkan bas baru.

Sebelum itu, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif RapidPenang, Azhar Ahmad, merayu kepada kerajaan negeri supaya menyediakan tapak baru bagi depoh atau pihaknya terpaksa memulangkan semula 200 bas tambahan kepada RapidKL menjelang akhir tahun ini.

Ketika ini, RapidPenang menggunakan lima depoh untuk menempatkan 150 bas dengan bayaran sewa sebanyak RM150,000 sebulan.

Mengenai projek terminal pengangkutan bersepadu, Penang Sentral di sini, yang mempunyai nilai pembangunan kasar RM2 bilion, Nor Mohamed berkata, projek itu akan dimulakan selepas kerja memindahkan penjaja selesai.

"Tiada isu besar dalam projek itu dan soal penjaja akan diselesaikan tidak lama lagi," katanya.

Guan Eng: RapidPenang should have approached us
Written by Regina William
Monday, 16 March 2009 15:15

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang state government is appalled with the accusations levelled against it by RapidPenang of not being helpful in allocating three sites to house another 200 buses which will arrive beginning May.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who welcomed Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamad Yaacop's statement on Sunday that he would discuss the matter with the Penang state government following RapidPenang's outburst, lambasted RapidPenang for going to the media before discussing the issue with the state government and exco members concerned first.

RapidPenang CEO Azhar Ahmad was reported saying recently that if the state government failed to provide a site for the extra buses, the buses would be handed to RapidKL instead.

"The state government has been very supportive of RapidPenang all this time even though they have yet to pay the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) any rental for the five sites which are currently being used as depots and terminals.

"The rental amounting to RM85,900 per month, and not RM150,000 as alleged by some BN leaders, has not been paid since Aug 1 2007.

"RapidPenang should have approached us instead of going to the media and this is not the right approach that should have been taken.

"We are willing to go the extra mile to facilitate RapidPenang including acquiring land if there is a need for the additional depots and we have not even demanded payment of rental, so it is unfair and unjust for them to make such statements against the state government.

"The amount for the rent was not even decided by this present state government, it was decided by the previous state government," Lim added.

Four of its depots are on the island, in Sungai Nibong, Lorong Kulit, Tanjung Bunga and Balik Pulau while the one on the mainland is in Butterworth.

Meanwhile, local government committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow who was present at the press conference said RapidPenang sent the first letter requesting for a site in Tasek Gelugor and Nibong Tebal on Jan 20 while another letter was sent on Feb 19 requesting for a site in Weld Quay.

"We even had a joint inspection of the site in Weld Quay and without giving us time to act on the requisition, RapidPenang preempted us by going to the media with their threat on March 7.

"It is not fair to do that, as in principle, MPPP has already said that it had no objections if RapidPenang used the Weld Quay site but only requested that RapidPenang submit its conceptual plans.

"They have yet to submit the plans and are now resorting to threatening the state government by pulling out the 200 buses. This is not the proper way to conduct your business," Chow said.

He urged RapidPenang to elect a representative from the present state government onto its board, just as it had been practiced by the previous state government, to facilitate communication between RapidPenang and the state government.

He also added the state government was in the midst of deliberating a fee of RM10 as rental for the five sites which currently are being used by RapidPenang.

"This is still being deliberated and RapidPenang has pre-empted the sincerity of the state government to work with them towards this. A draft has also been been prepared to this effect by the state economic planning committeee for further action," he added.

Ugutan RapidPenang batal 200 bas tak adil: Guan Eng
Oleh Tuty Haryanti Ahmad Rodzi
bhnews@bharian.com.my


GEORGETOWN: Kerajaan negeri menegur Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd (RapidPenang), Azhar Ahmad, kerana mengugut untuk membatalkan kemasukan 200 bas tambahan jika gagal mendapat depot baru.

Ketua Menteri, Lim Guan Eng, berkata ugutan itu bukannya pendekatan yang patut diamalkan untuk menyelesaikan sebarang masalah yang timbul, tambahan lagi kerajaan negeri sentiasa bekerjasama dengan syarikat itu.

Beliau menjelaskan kerajaan negeri tidak pernah mengenakan tekanan ke atas syarikat itu yang tidak menjelaskan sewa tapak bagi empat depot yang berjumlah RM85,900 sejak Ogos 2007.

"Walaupun tidak bayar sewa, RapidPenang masih dibenarkan beroperasi. Ini (ugutan) adalah sesuatu yang tidak adil kerana kerajaan negeri dan Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang (MPPP) sentiasa memberi kerjasama," katanya pada sidang media di pejabatnya di sini, semalam.

Baru-baru ini, Azhar dilaporkan berkata, pihaknya akan memulangkan 200 bas tambahan yang akan diterima mulai Mei depan jika kerajaan negeri gagal menyediakan tapak untuk dijadikan depot.

Ini kerana, lima depot sedia ada tidak mampu menampung bilangan bas syarikat itu. Ketika ini, anak syarikat Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd (RapidKL) itu mempunyai 200 bas.

Berikutan itu, Pengerusi Gerakan negeri, Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan, meminta Kementerian Kewangan campur tangan kerana jika tambahan 200 bas dipulangkan semula kepada RapidKL, ia sesuatu yang malang bagi rakyat negeri ini.

Kelmarin, Menteri Kewangan Kedua, Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop, berkata beliau akan menyediakan satu nota untuk berbincang dengan Guan Eng mengenai isu berkenaan.

Mengenai kesediaan Nor Mohamed berjumpanya, Guan Eng berkata, beliau berharap perbincangan yang bakal diadakan pada Khamis ini, akan menyelesaikan masalah yang timbul.

"Saya alu-alukan kesediaan Nor Mohamed untuk berbincang mengenai isu ini kerana selama ini kerajaan negeri sememangnya memberi kerjasama penuh kepada RapidPenang," katanya.

Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kerajaan Tempatan dan Pengurusan Lalu Lintas negeri, Chow Kon Yeow, yang turut hadir pada sidang media itu, berkata RapidPenang sepatutnya bertimbang rasa dalam perkara itu.

Ini kerana, katanya, syarikat itu baru mengemukakan permohonan untuk mendapatkan tapak bagi dijadikan depot pada 20 Januari lalu iaitu di Tasek Gelugor dan Nibong Tebal.

RapidPenang juga memohon kawasan tambahan di Weld Quay di sini untuk dijadikan depot pada 19 Febuari lalu.

"Pada 7 Mac lalu, Azhar membuat ugutan untuk memulangkan semula 200 bas jika gagal mendapat tapak untuk dijadikan depot. Adakah adil untuk membuat ugutan selepas tiga minggu membuat permohonan.

"Kita boleh berbincang tetapi jangan membuat ugutan," katanya yang kecewa kerana RapidPenang menggunakan media untuk menyatakan ugutan itu.

Chow berkata, ketika ini kerajaan negeri juga tidak mempunyai wakil dalam syarikat itu bagi memberi pandangan berhubung sesuatu perkara.

"Kami berharap RapidPenang boleh mengkaji untuk melantik seorang wakil kerajaan negeri sebagai ahli lembaga pengarah dalam syarikat itu," katanya.

Penang Ready To Lease Land To RapidPenang
March 23, 2009 21:35 PM

PENANG, March 23 (Bernama) -- The Penang state government is willing to lease land to Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad to put up infrastructure for bus services in the state, said Local Government, Traffic Management and Environment Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow.

In a statement today, he said the leasing of the land was subject to conditions to be set by the state government and the matter had been raised by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng with Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop when they met in Parliament last Wednesday.

Chow said Lim intended to improve the bus services and all state conditions had been told to the minister.

"In the state executive council meeting last Friday, the Chief Minister said Nor Mohamed would consider the conditions on length of lease, lease payments, membership on the RapidPenang Sdn Bhd board of directors and improving the shuttle bus services," he said.

On the new sites, Chow called on RapidPenang to forward a detailed proposal so that the state government could act fast.

Recently, Nor Mohamed was reported to have said he would discuss with Lim regarding the RapidPenang depot sites for the company to station 200 new buses that would be received soon.

-- BERNAMA

Penang Ready To Lease Land To RapidPenang
March 23, 2009 21:35 PM

PENANG, March 23 (Bernama) -- The Penang state government is willing to lease land to Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad to put up infrastructure for bus services in the state, said Local Government, Traffic Management and Environment Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow.

In a statement today, he said the leasing of the land was subject to conditions to be set by the state government and the matter had been raised by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng with Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop when they met in Parliament last Wednesday.

Chow said Lim intended to improve the bus services and all state conditions had been told to the minister.

"In the state executive council meeting last Friday, the Chief Minister said Nor Mohamed would consider the conditions on length of lease, lease payments, membership on the RapidPenang Sdn Bhd board of directors and improving the shuttle bus services," he said.

On the new sites, Chow called on RapidPenang to forward a detailed proposal so that the state government could act fast.

Recently, Nor Mohamed was reported to have said he would discuss with Lim regarding the RapidPenang depot sites for the company to station 200 new buses that would be received soon.

-- BERNAMAawwww...they made nice...how good for them...renews some of my confidence after the nonsense of the past 3 weeks.:banana::cheers:

Now, what can Selangor do to resolve the Klang Sentral issue?

Cheers, m

Rapid Penang buses to promote buying of local products


Some 180 Rapid Penang buses will act as mobile advertisers for a Buy Malaysian Product Campaign and will ply their routes with stickers to promote the campaign from today.

Rapid Penang’s chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad said the buses will ply 35 different routes with the stickers which read:

“Beli Barangan Malaysia —Pilihan Bijak (Buy Malaysian Product — A Smart Choice).”

He said the initiative was carried out in conjunction with the national-level launching of the Buy Malaysian Product Campaign in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

He added that the company’s participation would be effective in helping to create greater awareness on local products.

It would be able to disseminate the message advocated in the campaign as it has a ridership of 60,000 commuters daily.

“Based on our commuter capacity, the campaign’s message carried by Rapid Penang will reach out to the public more effectively,” he said.

Bas percuma tarik pelancong

Oleh NURUL HUDA HASSAN
huda.hassan@utusan.com.my


http://www.utusan.com.my/pix/2009/0506/Utusan_Malaysia/Utara/wu_01.1.jpg
PERKHIDMATAN CAT memudahkan para pelancong melawat tempat-tempat menarik di sekitar Georgetown. - utusan / zhafaran nasib

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



PULAU PINANG 5 Mei - Pulau Pinang merupakan antara sebuah negeri yang sering menjadi tumpuan pelancong dari dalam dan luar negara.

Negeri yang dikenali sebagai Pulau Mutiara ini mempunyai pelbagai pakej percutian menarik yang ditawarkan sekali gus mampu menjadi tumpuan pelancong dari serata dunia.

Antara daya tarikan yang sentiasa menjadi pilihan pengunjung untuk bercuti ke negeri ini tentu sekali keindahan pantai di Batu Feringghi dan pelbagai jenis makanan enak yang dijual dengan harga murah.

Selain itu, negeri ini kaya dengan pelbagai warisan sejarah terutama keunikan ciri-ciri yang ada pada bangunan bersejarah di sekitar bandar ini yang terserlah dan tersergam indah.

Di atas sebab nilai bangunan bersejarah itu, Georgetown secara rasmi diiktiraf sebagai tapak warisan dunia oleh Pertubuhan Pendidikan, Saintifik dan kebudayaan Pertubuhan Bangsa-bangsa Bersatu (UNESCO) pada 7 Julai tahun lalu.

Ekoran pengiktirafan tersebut, satu perkhidmatan bas percuma bagi laluan sekitar Georgetown termasuk sekitar kawasan tapak warisan dunia telah diperkenalkan oleh Rapid Penang Sdn. Bhd. (RapidPenang) pada 23 Januari lalu.

Perkhidmatan bas yang dikenali sebagai Central Area Transit (CAT) itu dijangka mampu menarik lebih ramai pelancong asing dan tempatan ke Pulau Pinang dan pada masa sama memudahkan mereka bergerak ke sekitar lokasi yang menjadi tumpuan.

CAT berhenti di hampir semua lokasi pelancongan menarik di negeri ini antaranya Pelabuhan Weld, Kota Cornwallis, Lebuh Light, Muzium dan Galeri Seni, Jalan Penang, Chowrasta, Padang Kota, Little India dan banyak lagi.

Perkhidmatan CAT dijalankan hasil kerjasama antara RapidPenang dan kerajaan negeri dan nama bas percuma itu telah pun digunakan bas-bas percuma yang beroperasi dalam bandar di Australia.

Pengurus Komunikasi Kreatif RapidPenang, Yap Lee Ying berkata, selain kawasan tapak warisan, laluan bas CAT turut merangkumi pusat perbankan, Komtar, lokasi tarikan pelancong dan juga Terminal Pengkalan Raja Tun Uda.

''Bagi melancarkan lagi operasi bas CAT ini, pihak syarikat telah menyediakan sebanyak tiga buah bas berhawa dingin dengan perjalanan ulang alik dari Pelabuhan Weld atau terminal feri ke Komtar.

''Perkhidmatan bas percuma ini melibatkan 19 buah stesen perhentian bas disediakan sepanjang laluan CAT dengan kekerapan 15 minit dari stesen pertama bergantung kepada keadaan lalu lintas," katanya ketika ditemui Utusan Malaysia di sini baru-baru ini.

Tambahnya, bas CAT ini beroperasi setiap hari bermula pada pukul 6 pagi hingga 12 malam selain diperkukuhkan lagi dengan aplikasi Sistem Pengesanan Global (GPS) bagi memudahkan penumpang mengetahui kedudukan bas menerusi panggilan telefon.

Mengulas lanjut, beliau memberitahu, RapidPenang yang mementingkan kualiti sentiasa mencari ruang untuk memperbaiki serta menambah mutu perkhidmatan syarikat sejajar usaha menggalakkan orang ramai menggunakan bas awam.

Sehubungan itu, katanya, selain pelbagai jenis kemudahan, program serta aplikasi yang diguna pakai bas RapidPenang sekarang, bas syarikat juga bakal dilengkapi dengan perkhidmatan Wi-Fi dan sistem e-tiket untuk perkhidmatan antara bandar.

''Perkhidmatan baru yang ditawarkan ini bukan hanya akan dilengkapkan pada bas CAT tetapi juga bas henti-henti RapidPenang.

''Perkara tersebut sedang dalam proses perbincangan dan ia dijangka dilaksanakan pada bulan Mei ini, malah bukan itu sahaja kerana syarikat akan sentiasa cuba mempertingkatkan kualiti perkhidmatan kami,'' katanya.

Selain bas percuma, CAT digunakan untuk memberi kemudahan kepada pelancong tempatan dan asing mengenali Georgetown dengan lebih dekat. Menurut Lee Ying, perkhidmatan itu turut diperkenalkan kepada pelancongan berskala besar atau berkumpulan.

Tambahnya, program tersebut diperkenalkan menerusi satu pakej lengkap di mana selain membawa penumpang ke lokasi pelancongan, ia juga akan memudahkan akses pelancong ke hotel-hotel dan restoran.

''Dengan pakej berharga RM20 ditawarkan untuk digunakan dalam tempoh seminggu, pelancong juga boleh menggunakannya bagi mendapatkan diskaun ke beberapa lokasi lawatan, hotel dan restoran.

''Kos perbelanjaan sebanyak RM50,000 sebulan atau RM600,000 setahun untuk tiga bas yang dibiayai oleh kerajaan negeri, ia dilihat satu pelaburan jangka panjang yang baik untuk kedua-dua pihak,'' katanya.

Lee Ying berkata, antara laluan baru yang bakal diperkenalkan ialah Komtar, Kampung Kolam, Dewan Seri Pinang, Kota Cornwalis Little India, Muzium, Lebuh Mentri, Jalan Penang, dan Lebuh Downing.

by NZJY
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nzjy/3517667609/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3391/3517667609_d0248af161_b.jpg

Bas RapidPenang sedia kemudahan WiFi percuma
Oleh Fazli Abdullah
fazliabdullah@bharian.com.my

Penumpang boleh melayari internet guna komputer riba

GEORGETOWN: Mulai hari ini, penumpang bas RapidPenang yang memiliki komputer riba berpeluang melayari internet secara percuma berikutan penyediaan kemudahan WiFi dalam kenderaan itu.

Difahamkan, Rapid Penang Sendirian Berhad (RapidPenang) menjadi syarikat bas pertama di negara ini menyediakan kemudahan itu.



Sebagai permulaan, dua bas, masing-masing bagi laluan Pangkalan Weld-Teluk Bahang dan Pangkalan Weld-Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Bayan Lepas (LTABL) akan disediakan kemudahan itu.

Penyediaan kemudahan WiFi bagi laluan itu, antara lain bagi menawarkan perkhidmatan internet percuma untuk keperluan penumpang termasuk pelancong asing.

Perkhidmatan bas bagi laluan berkenaan terutama Pangkalan Weld-Teluk Bahang kerap digunakan oleh pelancong asing yang berkunjung ke pusat peranginan terkenal, Batu Feringgi.

Butiran lanjut mengenai kemudahan WiFi itu dijangka dimaklumkan oleh Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif RapidPenang, Azhar Ahmad, apabila memperkenalkannya kepada media, pagi ini.

RapidPenang, perkhidmatan bas awam yang memulakan operasi pada 31 Julai 2007, antara lain bertujuan meningkatkan mutu dan imej pengangkutan awam di negeri ini.

Setakat ini, syarikat itu mempunyai 150 bas yang beroperasi di seluruh negeri termasuk di Seberang Prai. Sebanyak 200 bas lagi akan ditambah secara berperingkat hingga akhir tahun ini.

Syarikat itu sudah memperkenalkan pelbagai pembaharuan perkhidmatan dan kemudahan di atas bas untuk keselesaan penumpang termasuk mesra Orang Kurang Upaya (OKU).

Antara pembaharuan yang diperkenalkan ialah melaksanakan Sistem Rapid ICIS (Intelligent Commuter Information System) - membolehkan penumpang menjadualkan perjalanan kerana boleh mengetahui lokasi bas.

Hi Everyone

I read an article in the Star Metro May 9 (Saturday) edition that included information about the new accessible buses for Rapid Penang - as well as photos of the test buses which are supposed to be on Penang streets already.

However, I could not find the article when I did an online search.

If anyone has a soft copy of the article please post it here or pm to me.

Cheers, m

Free WiFi on RapidPenang buses
Published: 2009/05/13




RAPIDPENANG Sdn Bhd (RapidPenang) is the first bus company in Malaysia to have WiFi facility in its buses in a move to get more people to use public transportation.

Its chief executive officer, Azhar Ahmad, said for a start, the company was installing the facility in two of its buses, one plies between Balik Pulau and the Bayan Lepas International Airport and the other plies the Teluk Bahang-Batu Feringgi-Weld Key route.

He said the use of the WiFi facility would be free and that the buses would have special stickers for easy identification by passengers.

"After three months, if response from passengers is good, we'll have the WiFi facility installed in stages in all of our 180 buses, and also the additional 200 buses which will be delivered to us in stages by the end of the year," he told a press conference in Penang today.





Azhar said the facility was provided to enable passengers to surf the internet in the bus before arriving at their destinations.

Installation of the facility is another initiative by the company to serve the passengers better by improving the quality of our service, he added. -- Bernama

Hi Everyone

I read an article in the Star Metro May 9 (Saturday) edition that included information about the new accessible buses for Rapid Penang - as well as photos of the test buses which are supposed to be on Penang streets already.

However, I could not find the article when I did an online search.

If anyone has a soft copy of the article please post it here or pm to me.

Cheers, mI found the articleWednesday May 6, 2009
Ring the bell (http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/5/6/north/3824364&sec=North)
By CHRISTINA CHIN, Photos by WAN MOHIZAN WAN HUSSEIN

PENANG can soon boast having a disabled-friendly bus system as Rapid Penang’s new fleet of 200 buses will be just that – disabled-friendly!

There are currently two prototypes plying the streets for the past month, and more are arriving in stages from Sweden.

“So far, the response we’ve received for the two that are currently running has been positive. We will continue to work closely with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the state to cater to the disabled community’s needs,” said Rapid Penang chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad.

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2009/5/6/north/rapid3.jpg

Purpose-built: The bus' hydraulic system will lower the bus before the ramp is extended out for wheelchair users to board the bus and (bottom pic) Azhar showing off the special seat belts for the disabled.

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2009/5/6/north/rapid4.jpg

The prototypes are equipped with seat belts, special bells, ramps and a hydraulic system that can lower the bus by 50mm for the wheelchair-bound.

“Our bus captains were all trained by University Sains Malaysia on how to assist these special passengers. There is a special button outside the bus for the wheelchair-bound to press when they want to get on,” he told StarMetro in an interview.

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2009/5/6/north/rapid2.jpg

Fleet to boast of: The bell located outside the bus is specially for wheelchair users. At the sound of the special chime, the bus captain will come down and assist the disabled passenger up the bus.

“We will launch a campaign to create awareness among the disabled community on the availability of these buses next month.

He said the new aluminium-structure buses were much lighter and hence, saved up to 20% in fuel usage, compared to the company’s existing buses which were made in China.

The Swedish made buses, however, were twice the price of the buses from China, Azhar.

“In Kuala Lumpur, there are only 30 disabled-friendly RapidKL buses,” Azhar said.

The company currently has 150 buses plying routes in Penang with 110 on the island and 40 on the mainland, and the new buses will be a full complement.

Azhar also said the company wanted to adopt all the 303 bus stops in Penang to make them “more comfortable and disabled-friendly” but would have to wait until the state’s advertising contracts with other companies expired.

“About 80% of the bus shelters have been taken up by advertisers so we have to wait for a few years but we are willing and committed,” he added.

On the free shuttle bus service within George Town’s inner city, Azhar said a recent survey revealed that it was well received by students, office workers and tourists who want to get to the Komtar bus interchange.

The cost of running the service which operates from 6am to midnight daily, is paid for by the Penang Municipal Council.

“Some 1,500 passengers take the free shuttle daily. About 80% to 90% of them are happy but have requested for more frequent trips,” he said, adding that the company was in talks to provide bus shuttle services in the Bayan Lepas free industrial zones.

He also said Rapid Penang was awaiting the state’s decision on its RM20mil depot proposals for Sungai Nibong and Weld Quay.

“We spoke to State Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow Chow last week and he was keen on our proposal for Sungai Nibong.

“Hopefully, we’ll receive a favourable reply for the Sungai Nibong depot by mid-May.

“The Sungai Nibong depot will have a four-storey administration building, 145 bus parking bays, workshop and hostel.

“The Weld Quay proposal may take longer to work out because several tenants as well as Penang Port are involved,” Azhar said, adding that the company had requested a 30-year lease at nominal fee as it would be used for “public service”.

As part of the company’s service enhancement and expansion plans, he said sub-depots would be built in Balik Pulau, Nibong Tebal, Kepala Batas, Teluk Bahang and Bayan Baru.

Azhar urged the state government and relevant authorities to develop a public transportation master plan that includes a traffic, landscaping as well as housing and commercial development studies.

“With a master plan in place, strict enforcement on illegal hawkers and double-parked vehicles along the road, and an efficient public transportation system, we can reduce traffic jams in the state by at least 40%,” he said.Check out the info & comments on the TRANSIT website at this link (http://transitmy.org/2009/05/13/article-2-prototype-accessible-buses-arrive-in-penang/).

Cheers, m

Now surf and ride with Rapid Penang
By ANDREA FILMER


GEORGE TOWN: Rapid Penang is believed to be the first bus company in the country to roll out a high-speed WiFi service which will be useful to passengers, especially during a traffic congestion.

Its chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad launched the free service in two buses here yesterday for a trial period of three months to gauge the public’s response.

“The service is not password protected. Now, our passengers can surf the Net, check e-mail, Facebook or watch videos on YouTube with their laptops or handphones while on board.

“A lot of people think that public transport is only for the lower income group, but we’re offering services that private car owners don’t have – hands-free and Internet access at 3.5G speeds to entertain you in traffic jams,” he said while taking press members on a bus ride around town to try out the new service.

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2009/5/14/nation/n_17rapidbus.jpg
On the go: Rapid Penang staff members surfing the Net at the launch of WiFi services onboard a bus during a trial run for the media.

He said the WiFi service would be extended to all 180 buses in the state if it becomes a hit among passengers.

“The 200 new buses that are set to arrive in stages until the end of the year will also be equipped with the service,” Azhar said.

The WiFi service is currently available on two routes – 101 (Batu Ferringhi-Weld Quay route via Burma Road) and 401A (Balik Pulau-Airport-Weld Quay).

“We chose a long-distance route and the airport route for the trial so tourists will also get the chance to surf.

“Large stickers have been put on the buses with WiFi service so commuters will know the service is available,” Azhar said.

Good job Penang!

I found the article

Check out the info & comments on the TRANSIT website at this link (http://transitmy.org/2009/05/13/article-2-prototype-accessible-buses-arrive-in-penang/).

Cheers, mI got an invite to the Scania factory this afternoon to see the prototype K-Series bus! Just me...how cool is that? :banana:

Interior is quite different from what you see in Singapore - but the chassis and some of the technology is still the same.

Some details

*Ramp is to the back door
*only 1 wheelchair docking station
*2 special bells for wheelchair users - one at the docking station and one outside
*Bus actually does raise/lower by 50 cm - bus goes up ... bus goes down ... m laughs
*Buses were not technically JPJ com because they have no driver's door but JPJ has granted temporary permission for 30 buses to operate.
*A further order of 50 buses has been placed with Scania so the total number of buses is now 250 not 200 as mentioned before. Or the total is still 200 and all of them are from Scania - still checking on this.

Pictures and posting on TRANSIT coming soon.

Cheers, m

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

'City Hop-On' dapat sambutan
Oleh Syed Ismail Syed Abu Bakar
bhnews@bharian.com.my

GEORGETOWN: Sejak diperkenal pada 23 Januari lalu, perkhidmatan bas percuma 'City Hop-On' , syarikat pengangkutan bas awam, Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd (RapidPenang) mendapat sambutan hangat.

Sambutan bukan saja daripada masyarakat tetapi juga pelancong asing seakan-akan merestui langkah syarikat berkenaan untuk membantu masalah kesesakan trafik negeri ini.

Dengan keadaan bas yang terjamin dari aspek keselesaan dan kemudahan lain, ia memberi keyakinan kepada orang ramai untuk beralih daripada penggunaan kenderaan persendirian kepada pengangkutan awam.

Selain mempopular dan mempromosi destinasi pelancongan di negeri ini, khususnya sekitar bandar raya ini, perkhidmatan itu turut membantu orang ramai menjalankan pelbagai urusan harian.

Pada masa ini, purata orang ramai yang menggunakan perkhidmatan itu setiap hari mencecah antara 1,300 hingga 1,400 penumpang dan dijangka meningkat dari masa ke semasa.

RapidPenang menyediakan tiga bas percuma bagi perkhidmatan `City Hop-On' yang melalui 19 perhentian termasuk pusat pelancongan popular sekitar pusat bandar raya.

Antara laluan yang terletak dalam zon Tapak Warisan Dunia itu ialah dari jeti melalui Lebuh Chulia, Jalan Penang, Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak (Komtar), Jalan Transfer sebelum kembali semula ke jeti.

Perkhidmatan bermula dari jam 6 pagi hingga 12 tengah malam setiap hari itu juga membuktikan komitmen RapidPenang terhadap tanggungjawab sosial terhadap masyarakat setempat.

Penolong Pengurus Komunikasi Kreatif Rapid Penang, Yap Lee Ying, berkata sambutan baik masyarakat terhadap perkhidmatan itu sekali gus menyuntik semangat kepada kakitangannya untuk memberi perkhidmatan cemerlang.

"Perkhidmatan ini adalah sebahagian daripada 180 bas RapidPenang yang menggunakan 34 laluan sejak beroperasi pada Ogos 2007," katanya.

Pada masa ini, RapidPenang mencatat penumpang bulanan 1.7 juta orang sejak mula beroperasi pada Ogos tahun lalu dengan jumlah keseluruhan adalah 17 juta sehingga Oktober lalu.

Jumlah penumpang dijangka meningkatkan pada kadar kira-kira 23 peratus setiap bulan dan pertambahan 200 lagi bas dijangka mampu melonjakkan lagi bilangan penumpang.

Sementara itu, Tinjauan mendapati kebanyakan penumpang yang ditemui menyambut baik perkhidmatan City Hop-On yang banyak memberi faedah kepada masyarakat.

Nur Dayana Ideris, 22, berkata kemudahan bas percuma itu memudahkan pergerakan orang ramai untuk membeli-belah atau melakukan urusan sambil menjimatkan wang.

"Sebelum ini, saya perlu memperuntukkan tambang bas untuk melawat ke sekitar pusat bandar, tetapi kini ia jauh lebih mudah. Saya berharap perkhidmatan ini akan diteruskan," katanya.

Beliau berkata, langkah positif ini membuktikan komitmen RapidPenang untuk mengembangkan perkhidmatan tanpa mengetepikan golongan berpendapatan rendah dan pelajar.

Milah Ahmad, 36, pula berharap kekerapan perkhidmatan bas di satu-satu hentian dapat dipercepat bagi mengurangkan tempoh menunggu yang ada masa terjejas berikutan faktor kesesakan lalu lintas.

"Apapun, pengenalan sistem secara percuma ini adalah satu perubahan besar untuk memberikan perkhidmatan lebih selesa, cekap dan berkesan kepada orang ramai," katanya.

by Naifla Iniaz

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3335/3613017070_5be7efc304_b.jpg

30 new buses in service







GEORGE TOWN: About 30 new RapidPenang buses will be put into service in the state by the end of this month.

The WiFi-enabled buses are expected to be deployed on RapidPenang's main routes on the island and the mainland.

RapidPenang chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad said the buses were originally supposed to be handed over to the company in May.

However, "unforeseen circumstances" related to the road authority caused the delivery to be postponed, he said.

He said 20 of the new buses would be sent to the mainland while the remaining 10 would serve the island.

The WiFi-enabled buses would ply routes with high daily ridership.

Commuters will be able to surf the Internet, access social networking sites, check and send emails for free at speeds of up to 3.5 gigabytes per second while travelling in the bus.

Azhar said RapidPenang was the first to introduce such a service on stage buses in the country.

30 new buses in service


GEORGE TOWN: About 30 new RapidPenang buses will be put into service in the state by the end of this month.

The WiFi-enabled buses are expected to be deployed on RapidPenang's main routes on the island and the mainland.

RapidPenang chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad said the buses were originally supposed to be handed over to the company in May.

However, "unforeseen circumstances" related to the road authority caused the delivery to be postponed, he said.

He said 20 of the new buses would be sent to the mainland while the remaining 10 would serve the island.

The WiFi-enabled buses would ply routes with high daily ridership.

Commuters will be able to surf the Internet, access social networking sites, check and send emails for free at speeds of up to 3.5 gigabytes per second while travelling in the bus.

Azhar said RapidPenang was the first to introduce such a service on stage buses in the country.First, Im surprised that the article didnt mention that these 30 buses are wheelchair accessible and the first such buses for Penang.

Second, those "unforseen circumstances related to the road authority" ... in case anyone is wondering, JPJ rejected the buses because they do not have a separate driver's door. However, JPJ has agreed to allow the buses on the road with temporary permits.

Cheers, m

Resolve RapidPenang before thinking of ferry services, Guan Eng told
NST Online » NewsBreak
2009/06/15 By : Lee Keng Fatt

GEORGE TOWN, Mon:

The Penang Government should resolve the RapidPenang depot issue before harping on plans to take over the ferry services, Penang Port Commission chairman Tan Cheng Liang said today.

He slammed the state government of dragging its feet in resolving the parking of RapidPenang buses at the terminal.

“It has been almost two years and they have not even managed to solve the parking problem faced by RapidPenang buses at the terminal here,” she said.

Tan said almost half the terminal was now being used by RapidPenang buses.

She questioned how the state government hoped to run the ferry services effectively if it could not even resolve the parking problem.

“They keep talking about their plans to take over the ferry services but until today there has been no actual proposal from them. I feel they are merely seeking political mileage,” said Tan.

She said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had been making confusing statements recently by calling on the Penang Island Municipal Council president, the state Works Committee chairman and now the former PPC chairman to discuss the taking over of the ferry services.

“The main crux of the matter is that they should come out with a concrete proposal. However, they have not being able to do until now... so what is the point of talking about it?” she asked.

Tan also lamented that the state government had yet to pay a single sen for the RapidPenang depot’s usage to the PPC.

“We do not know when they will pay us,” she said.

Solve bus problem first, Tan tells Penang govt






GEORGE TOWN: Don't bite off more than you can chew. This is the advice of the Penang Port Commission to the state government.

PPC chairman Tan Cheng Liang said the state should resolve the RapidPenang depot issue before harping on plans to take over the ferry services.

Tan slammed the state government with dragging its feet in resolving the parking of RapidPenang buses at the terminal.

"It has been almost two years and they have not even managed to solve the parking problem faced by RapidPenang buses at the terminal here," she said.

Tan said almost half the terminal was now being used by RapidPenang buses.

She questioned how the state government hoped to run the ferry services effectively if it could not even resolve the parking problem.

"They keep talking about their plans to take over the ferry service but until today there has been no actual proposal from them."

"I feel they are merely seeking political mileage," said Tan.

She said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had been making confusing statements recently by calling on the Penang Island Municipal Council president, the state Works Committee chairman and now the former PPC chairman to discuss the taking over of the ferry services.

"The main crux of the matter is that they should come out with a concrete proposal.

"However, they have not being able to do so until now... so what is the point of talking about it?" she asked.

Tan also lamented that the state government had yet to pay a single sen for the RapidPenang depot's usage to the PPC.

"We do not know when they will pay us," she said.

Solve bus problem first, Tan tells Penang govt

GEORGE TOWN: Don't bite off more than you can chew. This is the advice of the Penang Port Commission to the state government.

PPC chairman Tan Cheng Liang said the state should resolve the RapidPenang depot issue before harping on plans to take over the ferry services.

Tan slammed the state government with dragging its feet in resolving the parking of RapidPenang buses at the terminal.

"It has been almost two years and they have not even managed to solve the parking problem faced by RapidPenang buses at the terminal here," she said.

Tan said almost half the terminal was now being used by RapidPenang buses.

She questioned how the state government hoped to run the ferry services effectively if it could not even resolve the parking problem.

"They keep talking about their plans to take over the ferry service but until today there has been no actual proposal from them."

"I feel they are merely seeking political mileage," said Tan.

She said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had been making confusing statements recently by calling on the Penang Island Municipal Council president, the state Works Committee chairman and now the former PPC chairman to discuss the taking over of the ferry services.

"The main crux of the matter is that they should come out with a concrete proposal.

"However, they have not being able to do so until now... so what is the point of talking about it?" she asked.

Tan also lamented that the state government had yet to pay a single sen for the RapidPenang depot's usage to the PPC.

"We do not know when they will pay us," she said.what nonsense...Penang Government is working to take over the ferry service from a private corporation that has let the service run down. The Penang government wants to bring up and modernize the service.

And the head of the PPC is just making big comments in the media, also for political mileage, also hopefully to negotiate for more ... a higher takeover price.

Should RapidPenang be paying the PPC? Sure, but RapidPenang is run by the Federal Government not the state government - so what is the point of her commentary.

Cheers, m

RapidPenang tambah bas baru untuk OKU

http://www.utusan.com.my/pix/2009/0630/Utusan_Malaysia/Utara/wu_01.1.jpg
Nor Mohamed Yakcop (kanan) membantu orang kurang upaya turun dari bas sambil diperhatikan Azhar Ahmad (kiri) selepas Majlis pelancaran bas baru dan laman web rapidPenang di Depoh RapidPenang, kelmarin.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



PULAU PINANG 29 Jun - Ke arah mempertingkatkan kualiti perkhidmatan pengangkutan awam di negeri ini, Rapid Penang Sdn. Bhd. (RapidPenang) mengambil inisiatif dengan menambah bas baru lengkap dengan kemudahan untuk golongan orang kurang upaya (OKU).

Menurut Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop, penambahan peringkat pertama melibatkan 12 bas baru dan akan ditambah kepada 150 buah menjelang akhir tahun.

"Jumlah tersebut akan meningkat pada tahun hadapan dengan menjadikannya sebanyak 200 buah bas.

"Bas-bas ini sememangnya selesa, mudah dan mesra pengguna terutama untuk golongan OKU sekali gus meliputi lebih banyak kawasan di seluruh negeri ini," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian pada majlis Perasmian Bas Baru RapidPenang serta merasmikan laman web baru syarikat itu, www. rapidpg.com.my di Lorong Kulit di sini semalam.

Bas baru RapidPenang berjenama Scania itu didatangkan dari Sweden dan diperbuat daripada aluminium untuk perjalanan yang ringan.

Ia juga telah diubah suai bagi memudahkan kerusi roda OKU dibawa ke atas bas dan ditempatkan di ruang khas yang mempunyai tali keledar.

Pada masa sama, beliau memaklumkan, masalah tapak terminal bas bakal selesai apabila kerajaan negeri meluluskan pemberian tanah seluas tujuh hektar secara pajakan selama 10 tahun di Sungai Nibong di sini.

Dalam pada itu, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif RapidPenang, Azhar Ahmad berkata, kesemua bas baru itu akan memulakan operasi pada Julai ini selepas menjalani beberapa kerja-kerja pengubahsuaian.

^^
just checked rapidpenang new website. Seems like it is much better than the rapidkl one. I really like the journey planner function, but this function is missing from the rapidKL site. Now one can know where to change busses, the price and which bus to take. This is really a milestone for public transportation information system in malaysia! I hope one day I can type an address of my destination and the site will suggest the nearest halt to it, the real time schedule and how minutes of delay if the bus was stuck in jam, just like deutsche bahn's website. :) tahniah rapidpenang!

Rapid development
Thursday July 2, 2009
By K. KASTURI DEWI

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2009/7/2/north/rapid.jpg

Room for 20 buses: An artist's impression
of the proposed sub-depot for Rapid Penang.

A PROPOSAL submitted by Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd (SPNB) and Rapid Pe-nang to the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) to build a bus sub-depot next to the KGN flats in Weld Quay is expected to be approved within a month, state Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said.

He said the sub-depot on the 0.7ha plot owned by SPNB would be able to accommodate about 20 buses.

“The sub-depot will be convenient for buses leaving on early despatch from Weld Quay. It will take two months to be completed,” he told reporters during a visit to the site yesterday.

Rapid Penang’s other sub- depots are located in Tanjung Bungah, Balik Pulau and Batu Ferringhi while a similar depot is planned in Kepala Batas.

Chow said Rapid Penang was also expanding its main depot in Sungai Nibong by 0.6ha to accommodate 90 more buses from the current 160 buses on its present 1.8ha site.

He said the expansion was ex-pected to be completed by the end of this month.

Other plans include converting the parking area next to the ferry terminal in Weld Quay into a temporary bus terminal and to have a bus interchange in Sungai Nibong in front of the express bus terminal.

“The other new interchanges will be at Farlim, Batu Ferringhi and Bukit Jambul,” Chow said.

He also said the MPPP would complete upgrading works at the Komtar bus interchange in three months.

Chow said the projects came under the second stimulus package.

“Since there is a time frame for these projects to be implemented, I have directed MPPP to speed up processing the necessary approvals,” he said.

Rapid Penang chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad, who was present during the visit, said the sub-depot in Weld Quay would be planted with a lot of trees.

He said Rapid Penang nee- ded the new facilities in view of the arrival of the 200 new buses.

“The first batch of 12 new buses arrived in June and we will take delivery of 12 new buses every two weeks,” he said.

Azhar said of the 30 buses that were leased from RapidKL, 10 would be returned this month and the rest later.

by cheefai7
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cheefai7/3625819048/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3316/3625819048_42583e4e10_o.jpg

Buses for the disabled


RAPID Penang began deploying disabled-friendly buses with six put on the streets yesterday.

The buses operate on the 101 Batu Feringghi – Weld Quay – Batu Ferringhi route with the first bus leaving the Batu Ferringhi terminal behind Holiday Inn Hotel at 7am.

The buses stop at Jalan Tanjung Bungah, Jalan Tanjung Tokong, Jalan Bagan Jermal, Jalan Burma, Jalan Pangkor, Jalan Perak, Jalan Macalister, Jalan Penang, Jalan Transfer, Jalan Sri Bahari, Jalan Penang, Lebuh Chulia, Gat Lebuh Chulia, Pengkalan Weld and Persiaran King Edwards on their way to Weld Quay.

On the return journey, they stop at Lebuh Chulia, Gat Lebuh Chulia, Jalan Penang, Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong, Jalan Ria, Komtar bus terminal, Jalan Magazine, Jalan Burma, Jalan Pangkor, Jalan Perak, Jalan Burma, Jalan Bagan Jermal, Jalan Tanjung Tokong and Jalan Tanjung Bungah.

Rapid Penang creative and communica- tions manager Yap Lee Ying said the last bus would leave the Batu Ferringhi terminal at 7.05pm and the Weld Quay bus terminal at 8.20pm.

“The fares range from RM1 to RM3 depending on the distance.

“The buses frequent bus stops along the route every 10 minutes compared to 20 minutes before this,” she said yesterday.

Yap said half of the remaining 194 disabled-friendly buses would soon be added to the current routes on the island while the other half would ply existing routes and 13 new routes on the mainland.

For details, call the creative and communications department at 04-2381313 ext 223, 216 and 203.

I thought the changes to the rapidkl website were impressive. :banana:

But the folks at rapid penang have raised the bar again.

Check out their new site, www.rapidpg.com.my. :banana::cheers::nuts:

Cheers, m

cool website....

SPNB To Take Over Rapid Penang Soon, Ferry Service May Follow
July 17, 2009 16:36 PM

PENANG, July 17 (Bernama) -- Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad (SPNB) will take over Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd (RapidKL), soon under a restructuring exercise, and the ferry service may follow suit.

Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah, who said this, however, did not give the timeframe when the restructuring.

The government believed that Rapid Penang would be more effective and efficient if it was directly under SPNB, he told reporters after the launch of Rapid Penang new buses and the handing over of MS ISO 9001-2008 certification to Rapid Penang here Friday.

"The current corporate structure is not good where we have RapidKL under SPNB and Rapid Penang under RapidKL," he said.

Rapid Penang is currently servicing 36 routes (26 on the island and 10 on the mainland) with 150 buses on the road. Set up as a subsidiary of RapidKL, it began running bus services in Penang on July 31, 2007.

On the Penang ferry service, Ahmad Husni said SPNB was likely to take over the service from Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) as PPSB had admittedly been unable to shoulder the mounting losses over the last 10 years.

He said the government had given the mandate to SPNB to carry out a study on the ferry service and the findings would be presented to the National Economic Council on July 27.

"We have to look at the overall financial position...it is not taking over the ferry service alone. We have to look at new ferries because some are very old. We also have to maintain the fare.

"The ferry service is purely for the sake of fulfilling the socio-economic needs of the people. The fare is very low," he said, adding that the government had to look at the economic implications before a decision could be made.

Meanwhile, when asked to comment on a newspaper report today quoting Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER) executive director Prof Datuk Mohamed Ariff Abdul Kareem as saying that Malaysia may need an extra RM8 billion stimulus to boost the economy, he said that at the moment the government was not looking at a third stimulus package.

"Currently, the first and second stimulus packagese are sufficient to support our economy," he said.

-- BERNAMA

Rapid bus operators to become Syarikat Prasarana subsidiaries
By Marina Emmanuel
Published: 2009/07/18

Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd (SPNB) will make both Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd (RapidKL) and Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd its subsidiaries to strengthen the two loss-making entities.

Rapid Penang is currently a subsidiary of RapidKL.

Confirming an earlier Business Times report, Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah said the move was likely to be completed soon.

Under the current structure, RapidKL and Prasarana operate as separate companies even though both are wholly-owned government companies under the Minister of Finance Inc.

Prasarana is the asset owner of the two light rail transit (LRT) systems and bus services in the Klang Valley, while RapidKL operates them.

"We hope to bring better efficiency to the bus services with this restructuring exercise, especially to areas not covered by bus companies," Ahmad Husni told reporters after taking delivery of the first batch of 200 new Scania buses for Rapid Penang in Penang yesterday.

Also present were Prasarana group managing director Datuk Idrose Mohamad, Rapid Penang chairman Tan Sri Izzuddin Dali, RapidKL chief executive officer (CEO) Suffian Baharuddin and Rapid Penang CEO Azhar Ahmad.

Ahmad Husni did not say if the restructuring will involve a redeployment or redesignation of senior executives in both companies although it is learnt that the matter will be determined by Prasarana.

Business Times had reported, quoting sources, that Idrose would continue to helm the company under the new organisational structure, while Suffian was expected to assume the role of executive director.

The restructuring may also see an internal merger of some divisions, including asset management and development, and strategic planning and communications.

"Once the restructuring exercise is completed, both RapidKL and Rapid Penang will continue to offer discounts to senior citizens and the disabled along with concession cards for students," Ahmad Husni said.

Rapid Penang started operations in 2007. It services 36 routes in the state.

Izzuddin said that Rapid Penang would service 13 more routes with the delivery of the new buses, estimated to cost RM100 million.

It is upgrading its depots in Sungai Nibong and Lorong Kulit on the island and Butterworth on the mainland to accommodate the new buses and enhance its services, he added.

Rapid Penang is also in the midst of upgrading its bus terminal in Weld Quay on the island, while hubs are being built in Batu Ferringghi, Bukit Jambul, Farlim and Batu Maung.

i think rapid penang is much more better than rapid kl

Rapid Penang perkenal tambang baru mulai 1 Ogos
21/07/2009 5:42pm

PULAU PINANG 21 Julai — Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd akan memperkenalkan struktur tambang bas baru mulai 1 Ogos ini selaras dengan pengumuman kerajaan dalam memantapkan prestasi jaringan sistem pengangkutan awam.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya Azhar Ahmad berkata struktur tambang baru Rapid Penang (untuk bas henti-henti berhawa dingin) adalah RM0.94 untuk dua kilometer (km) pertama dan RM0.094/km berikutnya berbanding struktur bayaran tambang kini iaitu RM0.72/2 km pertama dan RM0.072/km berikutnya.

“Ini bermakna, bagi perjalanan 7km pertama, tambang yang dikenakan adalah RM1.40 (tambang minimum) berbanding RM1 kini. Perjalanan 7.01km - 14.00km, RM2 (RM1.50); 14.01km - 21.00km, RM2.70 (RM2); 21.01km - 28.00km, RM3.40 (RM2.50); 28.01km dan ke atas, RM4 (RM3),” katanya dalam satu kenyataan hari ini.

Azhar berkata Rapid Penang akan meneruskan perkhidmatan dengan penuh efisien bagi memenuhi keperluan masyarakat umum dalam menikmati tahap perkhidmatan pengangkutan awam yang berkualiti.

Beliau berkata dengan tambahan 200 buah bas baru mesra golongan orang kurang upaya (OKU) menjelang akhir tahun ini, Rapid Penang bukan hanya komited untuk mengurangkan jarak masa menunggu keseluruhan operasi.

“Pada masa sama, Rapid Penang juga berusaha keras untuk memenuhi misi penubuhan untuk muncul sebagai syarikat pengangkutan awam pilihan berorientasikan pelanggan dalam tempoh terdekat,” katanya.

Orang ramai yang ingin mendapatkan maklumat lanjut, boleh menghubungi Bahagian Komunikasi Kreatif Rapid Penang pada talian 04-2381313 sambungan 223, 216 dan 203.

— BERNAMA

RM1.40 minimum bus fare beginning Aug 1
2009/07/22


GEORGE TOWN: Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd will introduce a new fare structure from Aug 1, in line with the government's announcement to improve the delivery system of public transportation services.

Its chief executive officer, Azhar Ahmad, said the company would also be adding 200 disabled-friendly buses to its fleet by year-end to further strengthen its operations, especially in terms of bus frequency.

In a statement yesterday, he said the new fare structure for air-conditioned stage buses would be 94 sen for the first 2km and 9.4 sen for each subsequent km (the current rates are 72 sen/ for the first two km and 7.2 sen for each subsequent km.

This means for the first 7km, the fare will be RM1.40 (minimum fare) compared with RM1 now.

Above 7km, the fare structure will be as follows (present fares in brackets): 7.01km - 14km, RM2 (RM1.50); 14.01km - 21km, RM2.70 (RM2); 21.01km - 28km, RM3.40 (RM2.50); 28.01km and above, RM4 (RM3).



For more information, call Rapid Penang's communication division at 04-2381313 ext 223, 216 and 203. -- Bernama

RM1.40 minimum bus fare beginning Aug 1
2009/07/22


GEORGE TOWN: Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd will introduce a new fare structure from Aug 1, in line with the government's announcement to improve the delivery system of public transportation services.

Its chief executive officer, Azhar Ahmad, said the company would also be adding 200 disabled-friendly buses to its fleet by year-end to further strengthen its operations, especially in terms of bus frequency.

In a statement yesterday, he said the new fare structure for air-conditioned stage buses would be 94 sen for the first 2km and 9.4 sen for each subsequent km (the current rates are 72 sen/ for the first two km and 7.2 sen for each subsequent km.

This means for the first 7km, the fare will be RM1.40 (minimum fare) compared with RM1 now.

Above 7km, the fare structure will be as follows (present fares in brackets): 7.01km - 14km, RM2 (RM1.50); 14.01km - 21km, RM2.70 (RM2); 21.01km - 28km, RM3.40 (RM2.50); 28.01km and above, RM4 (RM3).



For more information, call Rapid Penang's communication division at 04-2381313 ext 223, 216 and 203. -- BernamaComments have been posted on TRANSIT's website: http://transitmy.org/2009/07/22/rapidpenang-to-increase-fares-august-1/

Cheers, m

Alternative Rapid Penang Routes For Georgetown Celebrations
July 23, 2009 18:51 PM

PENANG, July 23 (Bernama) -- In conjunction with the first anniversary celebration of Georgetown as Unesco World Heritage Site this Saturday, 14 Rapid Penang routes will be affected due to several road closures.

Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd creative communication assistant manager Yap Lee Ying said the bus company would use alternative routes on that day.

"Due to the road closures from 5pm to midnight on Saturday, Rapid Penang will be using several alternative routes," he said in a statement here Thursday.

For Corridor 1 and 2, the affected routes are 101 (Weld Quay-Teluk Bahang), 104 (Weld Quay-Tanjung Bungah through Jalan Burma-Jalan Gajah) and 201 (Weld Quay-Air Itam town through Tingkat Paya Terubong).

Other affected routes are 202 (Weld Quay-Paya Terubong through Farlim), 203 (Weld Quay-Air Itam through Farlim), 206 (Weld Quay-Air Itam town passing Tesco) and route 11 (Weld Quay-Jalan Tan Sri Teh Ewe Lim through Jalan Perak).

These routes starting from the Komtar Bus Terminal will be detoured to Jalan Burma-Jalan Transfer-Jalan Sri Bahari-Lebuh Chulia-Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling-Lebuh Farquhar-Lebuh Light-Jalan Pengkalan Weld-Weld Quay.

For Corridor 3 dan 4, the routes affected are 301 (Weld Quay-Relau through Jalan Sungai Dua-Bayan Baru), 302 (Weld Quay-Batu Maung through Jalan Bukit Gambir-Jalan Dato' Ismail Hashim-Permatang Damar Laut) and 303 (Weld Quay-Bayan Baru (Bukit Gedung) through Jalan C.Y. Choy-Taman Melati).

The road closures will also affect route 401 (Weld Quay-Balik Pulau through Bayan Baru), 401A (Weld Quay-Bayan Lepas International Airport) and 401E (Weld Quay-Balik Pulau through Queensbay).

From the Komtar Bus Terminal (Lebuh Lintang), these routes will be detoured to Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong-Lebuh Carnovan-Jalan Kampung Kolam-Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling-Lebuh Farquhar-Lebuh Light-Jalan Pengkalan Weld-Weld Quay.

Route 307 (Weld Quay-Batu Maung through Bayan Baru) from the Komtar Bus Terminal (Lebuh Lintang), will be detoured to Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong straight to Jalan Pengkalan Weld-Pesara King Edward-Weld Quay.

However, route 204 (Weld Quay-Air Itam town through Jalan Padang Tembak -Jalan Stesen Bukit), 103 (Weld Quay-Tanjung Bungah through Jalan Kelawei) will be not affected.

Yap said all routes would resume normal operations the following day.

For more information, the public can call the Intelligent Commuter Information System (ICIS) control centre at 04-2381313, from 5.30am to 12.30am daily.

by jackiepoh
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jackiepoh/3742914210/in/set-72157621633616697/

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2476/3742914210_c2fb263304_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2618/3742942676_14d6ac53d3_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2424/3742150887_aae3cc3eab_b.jpg

Bus firm holds anniversary bash
Tuesday July 28, 2009

RAPID Penang is celebrating its second anniversary with various activities at Gurney Plaza on Aug 1.

Its creative and communications manager Yap Lee Ying said activities included treasure hunt, talent quest, colouring contest, a children’s fancy dress competition, a puppet show, cheer leading performances and face and nail painting.

She said the first, second and third prize winners of the treasure hunt will receive RM5,000, RM2,000 and RM1,000 respectively while for the talent quest, the prizes are RM1,000, RM500 and RM300 respectively.

Yap said the children’s fancy dress competition was open to all children aged four to 10 while there would be two age categories for the colouring contest — for children aged between seven and nine and between 10 and 12 years old.

For details, contact Yap at 012-9229236.

Service ‘not up to mark’
By CHRISTINA CHIN


RAPID Penang is the only public bus company in the state practising the non-lease system but its standard is now no different from ones who lease the heavy vehicles.

Penang DAP Socialist Youth (Dapsy) secretary Ng Wei Aik has hit out at Rapid Penang for insisting on a price hike when the service provided was not up to mark.

“We conducted a survey revealing that 53.9% out of 76 passengers polled rated the service as ‘average’ while 10.5% were unhappy and a total of 60.5% said the buses would sometimes arrive late.

“Instead of taking this feedback to improve their service, Rapid Penang did not give serious attention to the matter and choose to instead to blame the lack of enforcement at the Komtar main bus interchange terminal,” he said, adding that the company was more interested in making a profit than offering a proper service.

“Instead of improving the service, Rapid Penang is still insisting on increasing their fares despite unsatisfactory service that is no better than the pajak (lease) buses,” he said.

Ng, who is also Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s political secretary and Komtar assemblyman, added that enforcement at the Komtar interchange was under the purview of the Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board (CVLB).

“It is the CVLB that is responsible for addressing the problem of other private bus operators encroaching into Rapid Penang lanes. Blaming the encroachment for interrupting the time schedules of Rapid Penang’s other routes is baseless because many of those who participated in the survey were waiting for the bus at the Komtar interchange – not at other bus stops,” he said.

Ng however added that the state would do its part in improving the interchange facility soon.

“The plot of land where the interchange is belongs to the Penang Municipal Council but the council has to apply for a court order to gazette the area for public use before it can manage the place.

“The council also needs to pay off the balance of money owed to the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) for building the infrastructure before we can improve the facility,” he said, adding that this was another problem “inherited” from the previous administration.

On Saturday, Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad ticked off Dapsy for “barking up the wrong tree’’ and instead channel its efforts on tightening enforcement at the Komtar bus interchange to ensure the smooth running of buses there.

The company earlier said the new fares — between 40 sen and RM1, were in line with the Federal Government’s decision to raise bus fares.

Service ‘not up to mark’
By CHRISTINA CHIN


RAPID Penang is the only public bus company in the state practising the non-lease system but its standard is now no different from ones who lease the heavy vehicles.

Penang DAP Socialist Youth (Dapsy) secretary Ng Wei Aik has hit out at Rapid Penang for insisting on a price hike when the service provided was not up to mark.

“We conducted a survey revealing that 53.9% out of 76 passengers polled rated the service as ‘average’ while 10.5% were unhappy and a total of 60.5% said the buses would sometimes arrive late.

“Instead of taking this feedback to improve their service, Rapid Penang did not give serious attention to the matter and choose to instead to blame the lack of enforcement at the Komtar main bus interchange terminal,” he said, adding that the company was more interested in making a profit than offering a proper service.

“Instead of improving the service, Rapid Penang is still insisting on increasing their fares despite unsatisfactory service that is no better than the pajak (lease) buses,” he said.

Ng, who is also Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s political secretary and Komtar assemblyman, added that enforcement at the Komtar interchange was under the purview of the Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board (CVLB).

“It is the CVLB that is responsible for addressing the problem of other private bus operators encroaching into Rapid Penang lanes. Blaming the encroachment for interrupting the time schedules of Rapid Penang’s other routes is baseless because many of those who participated in the survey were waiting for the bus at the Komtar interchange – not at other bus stops,” he said.

Ng however added that the state would do its part in improving the interchange facility soon.

“The plot of land where the interchange is belongs to the Penang Municipal Council but the council has to apply for a court order to gazette the area for public use before it can manage the place.

“The council also needs to pay off the balance of money owed to the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) for building the infrastructure before we can improve the facility,” he said, adding that this was another problem “inherited” from the previous administration.

On Saturday, Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad ticked off Dapsy for “barking up the wrong tree’’ and instead channel its efforts on tightening enforcement at the Komtar bus interchange to ensure the smooth running of buses there.

The company earlier said the new fares — between 40 sen and RM1, were in line with the Federal Government’s decision to raise bus fares.
link please.

Cheers, m

There you go allurban:
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/8/4/north/4445617&sec=North

There you go allurban:
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/8/4/north/4445617&sec=NorthTQ kindly

Ive put comments (http://transitmy.org/2009/08/05/use-public-transport-council-to-improve-service-in-penang/) on the TRANSIT website.

Basically, we ask why this issue is being hashed out in the media when Penang has a Public Transport Council?

This is exactly the kind of thing that the PTC should be handling.

Cheers, m

Penang HAS a Public Transport Council? Who are the members?

RapidPenang kecewa tuduhan tak berasas


GEORGETOWN: Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd (RapidPenang) kecewa dan kesal dengan sikap pihak tertentu hanya menuding jari dengan menuduh perkhidmatan syarikat bas awam itu pada tahap sederhana tetapi tidak membandingkannya dengan perkhidmatan operator syarikat bas lain.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif RapidPenang, Azhar Ahmad, berkata perbandingan perlu dibuat dengan operator bas lain yang menggunakan sistem `pajak' yang masih gagal memberikan perkhidmatan memuaskan, malah ada yang menyalahi undang-undang.

"Kenaikan tambang bukan ditetapkan RapidPenang, sebaliknya arahan dikeluarkan Lembaga Pelesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan (LPKP)," katanya ketika ditemui pemberita selepas merasmikan Fiesta RapidPenang di Plaza Gurney, Persiaran Gurney di sini, kelmarin.

Hadir sama, Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pembangunan Pelancongan, Kesenian dan Warisan, Law Heng Kiang; Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kerajaan Tempatan dan Pengurusan Lalulintas negeri, Chow Kon Yeow; Pengarah Unit Perancang Ekonomi Negeri (Upen), Zaini Husin dan Ahli Lembaga Pengarah RapidPenang, Ong Thean Lye.

Azhar berkata demikian ketika mengulas kenyataan Setiausaha Pemuda Sosialis DAP, Ng Wei Aik yang meminta RapidPenang menangguhkan kenaikan tambang sebelum meningkatkan prestasi perkhidmatan bas awam itu.

Ng dipetik sebagai berkata, hasil kajian rambang dilakukan daripada pengguna mendapati perkhidmatan bas RapidPenang berada pada paras sederhana.

Azhar berkata, Ng seharusnya memfokuskan untuk meningkatkan penguatkuasaan di terminal bas Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak (Komtar) menyebabkan jadual bas RapidPenang terganggu.

"Perkara ini menjadi masalah kepada RapidPenang ketika memulakan operasi dua tahun lalu apabila pemandu kita menerima ugutan syarikat bas `pajak' dan mengambil keputusan tidak mahu memanjangkan isu berkenaan," katanya.

Beliau turut mempersoalkan mengapa Ng hanya memfokuskan prestasi RapidPenang sedangkan operator syarikat bas lain tidak dilakukan.

Katanya, peningkatan jumlah penumpang RapidPenang daripada 48,000 sehari, tahun lalu kepada 55,000 sehari pada suku pertama tahun ini menunjukkan syarikat itu berjaya melakukan transformasi pengangkutan awam di negeri ini.

"Kita akan menerima tambahan 200 bas secara berperingkat dan jumlah penumpang dijangka terus meningkat kepada 120,000 tahun depan," katanya.

Terdahulu, Azhar melancarkan kad RapidPenang `Tourist Passport' yang menawarkan perjalanan tanpa had selama seminggu hanya dengan bayaran RM20 berikutan permintaan menggalakkan daripada orang ramai termasuk pelancong bermula 1 September ini.

http://www.bharian.com.my/Current_News/BH/Thursday/Wilayah/20090806093308/Article/index_html

http://www.rapidpg.com.my/tourist-passport/

Penang HAS a Public Transport Council? Who are the members?This is the article from the Star (http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/3/9/nation/20090309142840&sec=nation)

GEORGE TOWN: A Penang Transport Council has been established to tackle the long standing transportation woes in the state.

In announcing this, Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the council would be formalised in two weeks time, would look into the short, mid and long term action plans on how to improve transport problems and issues in the state.

He added that it was agreed in principle to set up the council during the state executive council meeting on Friday.

Chow said the council was an extended version of a working group on transport, established in May last year, that had presented their major findings and recommendations to him.

He said that among the issues that would be looked into were traffic congestion and poor traffic management, car parking problems, uncoordinated land use development and transport system and mega projects for infrastructure without a overall master plan.

“Since 92% of the population uses their own mode of transport, and only about 8% take public transport, we need to find ways to solve the problems of traffic congestion.

“There are various studies that had been conducted in the past, but there were no implementations, and therefore the council will look into how the research can help now.

“There will be 15 members in the council comprising of representatives from the state authorities, experts in transport planning and management from professional organisations, institutions of higher learning and research organisations, resident associations and civil society groups.

“Besides the 15 representatives in the council, six task force groups will also be set up where more non-governmental organisations and public can participate,’’ he told a press conference at his service centre in Kedah Road near here on Sunday.

The six task force groups are divided into traffic management and improvement, public transport, transport infrastructure, mega projects, transport masterplan and finance and public education.

He said under the short-term plan (within six months), the council hoped, among others, to improve the one-way systems in order to remove bottlenecks, to revitalise bicycle as a form of transport, start building bicycle lanes and to improve ferry services.

As for the mid-term plan (six months to two years) the council would follow up on activities to improve bus services such as introducing measures to discourage use of private cars, using economic instruments such as high parking charges, penalties for single driver vehicle and to introduce feeder systems to main arteries.

Chow said the suggestions in the long-term plan (two to five years) would be the implementation of the transportation masterplan, integration of different modes of transport such as monorail, LRT, ferries and buses, and to set up ‘park and ride’ points.

“The council shall receive funding from the state and other bodies so that it is possible to establish a secretariat, a website and to implement various studies and projects determined by the council,’’ he added.

On the masterplan, he said the council would, among others, review all previous traffic and transport studies, review the relevance of the Penang Outer Ring Road, look at how to maximize the second bridge including suggestion to add a rail line on it.

From the Sun (http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=35637)
Among those in the council are State Executive Council members Chow Kon Yeow and Lim Hock Seng, Bukit Bendera MP Liew Chin Tong (http://en.liewchintong.com/?p=276), Pantai Jerejak assemblyman Sim Tze Tzin, Citizens for Public Transport (Cepat) co-ordinator Dr Choong Sim Poey, NGO activist Ahmad Chik, Socio-Economic & Environmental Research Institute (SERI) CEO Dr Leong Yueh Kwong, USM lecturer Dr Leong Lee Vien, engineers Low Swee Heong and Lim Thean Heng.

At a press conference, Chow, who is also the council chairman, said the 20 members have a two-year term.

Asked when the master plan would be ready, Chow did not give a time-frame, but said the working group is looking into previous studies done on Penang’s traffic situation, and after thoroughly studying them and identifying the gaps, a proposal will be produced and forwarded to the state government.

Cheers, m

TQ kindly

Ive put comments (http://transitmy.org/2009/08/05/use-public-transport-council-to-improve-service-in-penang/) on the TRANSIT website.

Basically, we ask why this issue is being hashed out in the media when Penang has a Public Transport Council?

This is exactly the kind of thing that the PTC should be handling.

Cheers, m

grandstanding? mileage?

politicians are the same i'm afraid, whether coming from BN or PR...

grandstanding? mileage?

politicians are the same i'm afraid, whether coming from BN or PR...hahahah yeah...all lizards, as Douglas Adams wrote.

Ng got pwn'ed in the NST today - http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/24kh/Article/index_html

Cheers, m

He was pwned much earlier in the Chinese daily, by RapidPenang themselves no less.

I wondered why he used his polls to support his argument - a poll of 76 person, on a website of DAP Penang, is not entirely statistically accurate or significant. A lot of the problems of faced by RapidPenang is a problem of the state itself - the bad infrastructure for public transport, the general lack of enforcement, and drivers' mentality. Instead of focusing on how to cooperate, they chose to resort to using the media to bash each other.

I don't agree to the fare increase as well - in fact I think it's already too expensive as it is. I guess RapidPenang has to survive though.

Get onboard for Medan and Langkawi holidays


RAPID Penang commuters stand a chance to win air tickets to Medan and Langkawi in the bus company’s Hari Raya-Deepavali Celebration Draw.

Rapid Penang creative and communications manager Yap Lee Ying said commuters who use the bus service between today and Sept 30 were entitled to the lucky draw.

She said all they had to do was to keep their bus tickets and submit them together with the completed entry form, which re-quired them to answer a question correctly, to Rapid Penang before midnight on Sept 30.

The prizes are two air tickets to Medan, two air tickets to Langkawi, and one-night stay at Paradise Sandy Beach Resort.

Contestants can send in as many entries as they wish but will be eligible to win only one prize.

“The contest is to promote the use of public transport,” Yap said.

Entry forms can be downloaded from www.rapidpg.com.my.


They are also available at the Rapid Penang headquarters in Lorong Kulit, Butterworth depot and Balik Pulau bus terminal.

Photocopies of the entry forms will be accepted.

He was pwned much earlier in the Chinese daily, by RapidPenang themselves no less.

I wondered why he used his polls to support his argument - a poll of 76 person, on a website of DAP Penang, is not entirely statistically accurate or significant. A lot of the problems of faced by RapidPenang is a problem of the state itself - the bad infrastructure for public transport, the general lack of enforcement, and drivers' mentality. Instead of focusing on how to cooperate, they chose to resort to using the media to bash each other.

I don't agree to the fare increase as well - in fact I think it's already too expensive as it is. I guess RapidPenang has to survive though.Exactly what the Public Transport Council was supposed to address.

Cheers, m

More women driven to success as bus drivers
2009/08/13


GEORGE TOWN: More women are now joining Rapid Penang to become bus drivers.

The company had four female drivers joining it this year, compared with just one last year.

They have chosen their careers in the male-dominated field and are proving to be as good as, if not better than, their male counterparts by virtue of their attentive service to commuters.

Cadet drivers Syuhana Mustafa, 29, and V. Puspa, 32, even received praises from commuters for various reasons.


Syuhana, from Baling, is committed in her job as she works hard to complete her three-month training course.

"I treat all the commuters as friends and this has enabled me to forge close ties with them.

"I love to take up the challenge and prove to people that women stage bus drivers are equally capable, if not better than men," Syuhana said.

Puspa's effort in serving commuters has also been lauded by the company and she has been chosen as the best cadet driver this month for her outstanding driving skills.

On her experience so far, Puspa said she had faced some rowdy people on board her bus on a few occasions.

Rapid Penang creative and communications manager Yap Lee Ying said one regular commuter sent a postcard complimenting Syuhana for her outstanding performance.

Yap said the postcard described Syuhana as a better bus driver than her male colleagues.

Yap also said Rapid Penang entered the Malaysia Book of Records this year by becoming the first stage bus company in the country to have wi-fi connectivity on board its fleet of buses.

Rapid Penang must explain fare increase


LATE last month, public transport operator Rapid Penang announced an increase in fares in line with the increase to the ceiling prices set by the Government.

The increases were as much as 40% for the basic fare and somewhat lower for longer distances.

While most passengers are automatically against fare increases, it is good to know the factors behind these fare increases – so that we can determine whether they are fair or not.

We need more information about the reasons behind the fare increase – and currently Rapid Penang is not sharing information with the public on why they need to do so.

In this environment, it is no surprise that people get frustrated – and sometimes people who get frustrated speak out of turn.

According to Chow Kon Yeow, Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman, the Penang Transport Council was set up last month to solve the problem of traffic congestion and function as a one-stop agency to plan, act and advise the state government on issues related to transport and traffic flow.

The council members comprise government officers, experts in public transport and traffic management, university officials and research organisations, he said.

But where are the operators? It would be good if bus operators were included as Penang Transport Council members.

The Association for the Improvement of Mass Transit (Transit) believes that the Penang Transport Council needs to be more active and visible for the improvement of public transport in the state.

The council should be the top authority for public transport in the state, and should give feedback and approval on things like routes, infrastructure planning, finances and fare collection.

And most importantly, the Transport Council must bring together all four stakeholders – the government, the local authority, the public and NGOs and the operators.

It is only when all stakeholders are working together for the improvement of public transport will we be able to extract ourselves from this horrible jam.

MOAZ YUSUF AHMAD,
Subang Jaya.

Here is a comment from the CEO of RapidPenang. Not exactly a detailed explanation but it is a start.

Cheers, m

PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Penang bus service has no competition to speak of
2009/08/19 (http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/18rapy/Article/index_html)

AZHAR AHMAD, Chief executive officer, Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd

WE are grateful for the constructive input on public transport in Penang from Moaz Yusuf Ahmad of the Association for the Improvement of Mass Transit ("Get operators involved, too" -- NST, Aug 14).

Buses were introduced as public transport in Penang in 1925.

Since then, bus public transport has seen many changes in operators. but few of them had much success primarily because the fares were too regulated and there was little room for improvement.

After so many roadblocks to success, Rapid Penang was established on July 31, 2007. Since inception, we have faced many challenges but we persevered and continue to grow from strength to strength.


We are aware that anything to do with pricing, or in our case bus fare, is a sensitive issue.

However, we must accept that any improvement in the standard of living affects the cost of living. Quality comes at a price.

At Rapid Penang, we take quality seriously. Having become an ISO-certified company in June, we have embarked on an ambitious programme to continually improve our services and be the preferred public transportation service in Penang.

The cost of quality can be related to the following realities:

- Overhead expenditure, including support, enforcement and system resources (accounting for 40 per cent of total operating cost);

- Fuel costs (45 per cent); and,

- Preventive maintenance costs (15 per cent).

These three factors already add up to 100 per cent and we have yet to consider amortisation of the capital outlay, depreciation and contingencies.

Over and above providing basic bus services, Rapid Penang has gone the extra mile by adopting the following measures:

- GPS tracking device on every bus to monitor strict scheduling.

- ICIS control room, which operates from 5.30am to 12.30am to inform the public on bus arrival times at any bus stop in Penang, in addition to responding to incidents of breakdowns and dispatching rescue buses.

- Strictly observing all rules and regulations governing bus operations, including serving all routes, even low-ridership ones.

- Provide concession cards -- OKU & Warga Emas -- which offer discounts up to 50 per cent off the published fare and student vouchers that entitle the holder to unlimited use of Rapid Penang buses for RM30 per month. There's also the Tourist Passport that gives seven days unlimited rides on Rapid Penang buses with other "value-added-ons" for RM20. This portfolio represents about 20 per cent of our ridership and is a loss leader. Soon to join this stable will be the Monthly Season Pass.

- WiFi buses along designated routes that offer free Internet connectivity for commuters.

- Maintaining an interactive careline (careline@rapidpg.com.my) and website (www.rapidpg.com.my) to stay in touch with members of the public.

It would not be fair to compare us with other operators as we are on a different dimension altogether.

Rapid Penang wears many hats as an employer, a good corporate citizen and a professional organisation. We mean business.

There is no point harping on our "competitors" because in reality, Rapid Penang has no real competitors. We certainly do not see one if it operates under the disconcerting Pajak System, which is a development liability and a catastrophe.

Our recent fare hike, effective Aug 1, was merely to support a sustainable bus public transport service.

Rapid Penang is ever committed to continually improving bus public transport service with a fair compensation package and reciprocal support from members of the public.

The last thing we want is to add to the financial burden of our commuters, but we just could not afford to operate to our full potential at the old fare rate structure.

We cannot agree more on the suggestion joining the Public Transport Council to exchange ideas and improve the overall public transportation system. Let us look at the bigger picture on continual improvement and endure a little pain now for a comfortable tomorrow.Technically, RapidPenang should not have to pay for amortization of capital outlay & depreciation since Prasarana is the owner of the capital, the buses.

As for contingencies, it would be better if the government or the Finance ministry set up a public transport contingency fund (similar to an insurance fund) which the asset owners or operators could pay into.

In fact, this would probably be cheaper than having on-the-road insurance and eventually, negate the need for paper tickets (which are used as receipts for ticket purchase and insurance).

Cheers, m

First off, kudos for having a CEO reply to an article in the newspaper.

Secondly, I agree with you, allurban, that they should not have to pay for the amortisation of capital outlay and depreciation.

However, I am not sure how their "extra mile" is all that efficient or useful. I personally do not think having WIFI on board buses will significantly increase public transport usage. Their GPS tracking is great, but is it that useful when we know for a fact that the lack of express bus lane and constant traffic congestions are the main cause of delays. I am not even sure how many people actually contacted ICIS to ask for bus arrival time.

It would be great if RapidPenang would publish this kind of data - how has their ridership increased since the introduction of WIFI and the payment system on board, how many people uses it, how often do they actually keep to schedule, and how many people call to ask about bus arrivals.

The SmartBus system in Melbourne employ GPS and cellular technology to obtain real-time tracking of their buses, and can automatically notify the traffic lights system to give priorities to buses if they are running late. Shouldn't that be the kind of investment we should be looking into?

First off, kudos for having a CEO reply to an article in the newspaper.

Secondly, I agree with you, allurban, that they should not have to pay for the amortisation of capital outlay and depreciation.

However, I am not sure how their "extra mile" is all that efficient or useful. I personally do not think having WIFI on board buses will significantly increase public transport usage. Their GPS tracking is great, but is it that useful when we know for a fact that the lack of express bus lane and constant traffic congestions are the main cause of delays. I am not even sure how many people actually contacted ICIS to ask for bus arrival time.

It would be great if RapidPenang would publish this kind of data - how has their ridership increased since the introduction of WIFI and the payment system on board, how many people uses it, how often do they actually keep to schedule, and how many people call to ask about bus arrivals.

The SmartBus system in Melbourne employ GPS and cellular technology to obtain real-time tracking of their buses, and can automatically notify the traffic lights system to give priorities to buses if they are running late. Shouldn't that be the kind of investment we should be looking into?Thanks for the feedback. You have made some excellent points. Mind posting them to http://transitmy.org/2009/08/19/ceo-rapidpenang-comments/?

The fact that RapidPg is sort of working for themselves as a sdn. bhd. without active membership in the public transport council, not to mention thinking that they have no competitors ... really isnt as good as they think.

The whole point of having a public transport council is to have dialogue about these ideas so money can be invested in the areas that have the greatest response. Bus lanes and bus hubs and bus stops are a good example.

I know the dialogue is happening but it ought to be more formal and open and public as well.

I will certainly ask RapidPenang to put forward more documents and papers supporting their decision making. Also, it would be nice to get their own perspective instead of just what is filtered through the media.

For example, the wifi service is only on a few buses ... and it may not be very helpful...but mobile phone users may benefit more than computer users in that case.

Anyways...without that dialogue, the operator will just produce what they think is necessary - perhaps without considering the needs of all the stakeholders.

That is why a council is needed.

Cheers, m

(ps. on a similar note, Ive been told RapidKL and maxis are working on an iPhone app for journey planner and info)

You can copy my comments there, or do you want me to do it?

By the way, the Nokia S60 Symbian OS has more users in Malaysia than the Apple iPhone. If they want maximum penetration, they should develop applications for that platform, or for Java (J2ME, which is included in every modern phone except the iPhone) platform instead. Sometimes I don't really understand why everyone wants to jump on the iPhone AppStore bandwagon.

:lol:You can copy my comments there, or do you want me to do it?

By the way, the Nokia S60 Symbian OS has more users in Malaysia than the Apple iPhone. If they want maximum penetration, they should develop applications for that platform, or for Java (J2ME, which is included in every modern phone except the iPhone) platform instead. Sometimes I don't really understand why everyone wants to jump on the iPhone AppStore bandwagon.Please go ahead and send your comments yourself, the link is http://transitmy.org/2009/08/19/ceo-rapidpenang-comments/

You are quite right about the iPhone & AppStore bandwagon...but it looks so good :lol::lol::nuts:

Id like to get some access protocols loaded into the "Easy Access" section of your SIM card - the one that lets you book movie tickets, find info about stocks etc...why not a train or bus schedule?

Cheers, m

RapidPenang tawar potongan tambang

PULAU PINANG 21 Ogos – Sempena sambutan Hari kemerdekaan ke-52, Rapid Penang Sdn. Bhd. (RapidPenang) menawarkan potongan tambang istimewa sehingga 50 peratus kepada pelanggannya selama sebulan bermula 1 September ini melalui pengunaan kad prabayar bulanan.

Penolong Pengurus Bahagian Komunikasi Kreatifnya, Melissa Sandhu berkata, kad prabayar itu diberikan sebagai tanda terima kasih dan penghargaan kepada pelanggan yang terus menyokong perkhidmatan RapidPenang sejak dulu.

Beliau berkata, setiap pelanggan yang memiliki kad berkenaan yang dijual dengan harga RM70 boleh menggunakan perkhidmatan RapidPenang tanpa had ke mana sahaja selama sebulan.

‘‘Dengan adanya kad prabayar ini, secara purata setiap pelanggan boleh berjimat sehingga RM2.20 sehari kerana mereka hanya perlu membayar RM2.30 sahaja iaitu separuh daripada kadar biasa yang dikenakan iaitu RM4.50,” katanya pada sidang akhbar di Lorong Kulit di sini hari ini.

Setiap pelanggan yang berminat perlu mendaftar sama ada melalui laman web rasmi RapidPenang di http://www.facebook.com/l/;www.rapidpg.com.my atau datang sendiri ke Ibu Pejabat Rapid di Lorong Kulit untuk tempahan.

Sebarang pertanyaan boleh menghubungi talian 04-2381313 sambungan 203, 216 dan 223 untuk maklumat lanjut.

A Comprehensive Transport System Will Help Raise Productivity - Nor Mohamed
September 12, 2009 22:14 PM

BUTTERWORTH, Sept 12 (Bernama) -- A comprehensive transport system can help raise productivity in line with efforts to make Malaysia an advanced nation, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop.

He said traffic congestion in urban areas was becoming increasingly serious and causing people to lose valuable time on the roads.

"Each time someone gets stuck in traffic jams, the country loses productivity," he told reporters after launching RapidPenang's new bus routes here Saturday.

He said this could be overcome if a comprehensive transport was in place and that the government was working on it towards raising public transport use to reach 25 per cent by 2012.

-- BERNAMA

Rapid Penang extends bus service route


RAPID Penang has extended its Route 101 bus service from the Weld Quay bus terminal to Teluk Bahang effective Tuesday. The route previously ended at Jalan Sungai Satu in Batu Ferringhi, Penang.

With the extension of the route, the Route 105 service which took commuters from Batu Ferringhi to Teluk Bahang has been cancelled. Rapid Penang said in a statement that the 22 wheelchair-friendly buses ply Route 101 with an average frequency range of 10 minutes and bus fares of RM1.40 to RM4 depending on the distance travelled.

It also said the company’s new Teluk Bahang hub on Jalan Teluk Bahang next to the Caltex station would be built at the end of this month and be operational by November.

Khidmat RapidPenang diperluas
Oleh Zulfa Mohamad
bhnews@bharian.com.my
Laluan baru ke Taman Desa Murni, Sungai Dua dilancar

BUTTERWORTH: Selepas dua tahun beroperasi, Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd (RapidPenang) meluaskan jaringan perkhidmatan bas ke Taman Desa Murni, Sungai Dua, iaitu laluan sosial terbaru di Seberang Prai.

Laluan 604 itu yang beroperasi sejak 12 September lalu, bermula di Penang Sentral ke Taman Desa Murni membabitkan perjalanan pergi balik sepanjang 31 kilometer dengan 20 perhentian.

Perkhidmatan bermula jam 6 pagi dari Taman Desa Murni dan bas terakhir bertolak dari Penang Sentral jam 10 malam. Sebanyak empat bas disediakan dengan kekerapan 30 minit.

Perjalanan melalui Jalan Bagan Luar - Jalan Heng Choon Thian - Jalam Siram - Jalan Raja Uda - Jalan Ong Yi How - Jalan Bagan Lalang - Jalan Sungai Puyu - Jalan Sungai Dua dan Taman Desa Murni.

Dengan pelancaran laluan baru itu, RapidPenang adalah satu-satunya syarikat pengangkutan awam yang beroperasi melalui Jalan Raja Uda.

Sebelum ini, syarikat bas awam beroperasi melalui Taman Desa Murni tidak melalui Jalan Raja Uda, malah perkhidmatannya sudah ditamatkan kerana sambutan tidak menggalakkan.

Majlis pelancaran laluan baru itu disempurnakan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop, yang juga Ahli Parlimen Tasek Gelugor di Taman Desa Murni.

Turut hadir, Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri Sungai Dua, Datuk Jasmin Mohamed; Pengerusi Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad, Tan Sri Izzuddin Dali; Pengerusi RapidPenang, Datuk Idrose Mohamed dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif RapidPenang, Azhar Ahmad.

Sempena majlis pelancaran laluan baru itu, RapidPenang bekerjasama dengan Persatuan Penduduk Taman Desa Murni bergotong royong memasak bubur lambuk untuk diedarkan kepada orang ramai dan majlis berbuka puasa dengan penduduk tempatan.

Untuk memeriahkan majlis, seramai 60 kanak-kanak istimewa dan orang kurang upaya dijemput berbuka puasa serta diberikan duit raya.

Sementara itu, penduduk Taman Desa Murni menyambut baik perkhidmatan bas berkenaan yang sememangnya ditunggu-tunggu bagi perjalanan memudahkan orang ramai.

Seorang penduduk, Saad Pie, 50-an, berkata selain pelajar sekolah, warga emas sepertinya juga memerlukan perkhidmatan bas awam kerana tidak mempunyai kenderaan sendiri.

"Kini setiap hari saya ke Butterworth menaiki bas Rapidpenang sebelum menaiki feri ke tempat kerja. Oleh kerana tidak mempunyai kenderaan sendiri, perkhidmatan bas Rapidpenang jadi pilihan saya," katanya.

Saad berharap RapidPenang melanjutkan perjalanan dari Taman Desa Murni ke Permatang Pasir dan seterusnya Permatang Pauh bagi memudahkan penduduk ke pekan berkenaan untuk membeli keperluan.

Mohd Sayuti Abu Bakar, 34, berkata perkhidmatan bas Rapidpenang tepat pada masanya kerana penduduk di kawasan sekitar sememangnya mengharapkan perkhidmatan yang boleh dipercayai.

"Walaupun ramai yang mempunyai kenderaan sendiri, namun perkhidmatan bas awam masih diperlukan terutama warga emas dan pelajar sekolah," katanya.

Zairul Nizam Ahmad, 34, pula berkata, sebelum ini penduduk Taman Desa Murni yang tidak mempunyai kenderaan sendiri sukar ke pusat bandar berikutan ketiadaan perkhidmatan bas awam.

Katanya, dengan adanya perkhidmatan bas secara tetap memudahkan penduduk ke bandar sama ada pada hari biasa atau hujung minggu.

"Selain penduduk tempatan, pekerja industri warga asing turut menggunakan perkhidmatan bas Rapidpenang untuk ke bandar pada hujung minggu," katanya.

Rapid Penang to service rural areas
2009/11/23


BUTTERWORTH: Good news for those living in rural areas in the state: Rapid Penang will soon be able to extend its service to such areas in the mainland.

This is because the company will receive 350 new buses by next month.

"The company will be allowed to identify the new routes and obtain licensing from the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board.

"The public transport system in Penang is expected to improve tremendously after the first quarter of next year," said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop.

He was speaking after attending a mass circumcision ceremony for 86 boys, aged between 7 and 11, at the Permatang Buluh mosque, near Tasek Gelugor, here yesterday.

Nor Mohamed said about 70 per cent of the people in developed countries used the public transport system as opposed to only 16 per cent Malaysia's population.


"We are constantly improving our public transport system. We aim to increase the usage to 25 per cent and subsequently raise it to about 60 per cent."

He said it was ridiculous for people in rural areas to wait for three hours to catch a bus to their destinations.

He said Rapid Penang had brought about a difference in the state's public transportation scene since its introduction in July 2007.

Rapid Penang urged to promote routes via bridge
Tuesday November 24, 2009
By DERRICK VINESH

RAPID Penang should actively promote its buses that ply between the mainland and George Town via the Penang Bridge to help reduce the use of private vehicles, Minister in the Prime Ministers Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop said.

He said traffic jams could be hea-vily reduced, especially on the island, if less motorists use private vehicles to travel between Seberang Prai and George Town daily.

“Our usage of public transportation in Malaysia has sadly dropped from 34% some years back to merely 16% now compared to 60% or 70% in many developed nations.

“We must increase our percentage to 25% and gradually hit 50% to ease traffic flow on our roads,” he said after a mass circumcision ceremony at Masjid Simpang Empat in Perma-tang Buloh, Tasek Gelugor on Nov 16.

Nor Mohamed said since the completion of the third lane on the Penang Bridge in July, traffic flow on the bridge had been quite smooth.

He said Rapid Penang should create a system that provided comfort to its customers, noting that its Seberang Prai-George Town route was important to facilitate smoother travelling between the two destinations.

Presently, Rapid Penang has bu-ses that travel on hourly intervals on two routes between Bukit Mertajam and George Town and Butterworth-George Town via the Penang Bridge.

Bus No. 704 travels between Komtar-Sungai Pinang-Gelugor-Penang Bridge-Megamal Pinang Prai-Bandar Perda and BM Plaza (The Summit).

Bus No. 705 travels between Bukit Gedung-Sunshine Square Bayan Baru-Penang International Sports Arena-Kompleks Bukit Jambul-Queensbay Mall-Sungai Nibong-Tesco Sungai Dua-Universiti Sains Malaysia-Penang Bridge and Megamal Pinang Prai.

Nor Mohamed said he would also ask Rapid Penang to extend its ser-vices to more rural areas, especially in Seberang Prai, when it obtained more buses next year.

Among the routes he suggested was from the Penang Sentral bus terminal in Butterworth to Kepala Batas town via Jalan Permatang Sungai Dua (near the Sungai Dua police station) where some 18 villages were located.

He said Rapid Penang, which pre-sently had 238 buses, was expected to have a total of 350 buses by the end of next month.

Earlier, he praised the Sungai Dua Community Sports Club under the leadership of Sungai Dua assem- blyman Datuk Jasmin Mohamed for winning the most excellent club award for 2008/2009 at both the state and national levels.

Rapid Penang urged to promote routes via bridge
Tuesday November 24, 2009
By DERRICK VINESH

RAPID Penang should actively promote its buses that ply between the mainland and George Town via the Penang Bridge to help reduce the use of private vehicles, Minister in the Prime Ministers Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop said.

He said traffic jams could be hea-vily reduced, especially on the island, if less motorists use private vehicles to travel between Seberang Prai and George Town daily.

“Our usage of public transportation in Malaysia has sadly dropped from 34% some years back to merely 16% now compared to 60% or 70% in many developed nations.

“We must increase our percentage to 25% and gradually hit 50% to ease traffic flow on our roads,” he said after a mass circumcision ceremony at Masjid Simpang Empat in Perma-tang Buloh, Tasek Gelugor on Nov 16.

Nor Mohamed said since the completion of the third lane on the Penang Bridge in July, traffic flow on the bridge had been quite smooth.

He said Rapid Penang should create a system that provided comfort to its customers, noting that its Seberang Prai-George Town route was important to facilitate smoother travelling between the two destinations.

Presently, Rapid Penang has bu-ses that travel on hourly intervals on two routes between Bukit Mertajam and George Town and Butterworth-George Town via the Penang Bridge.

Bus No. 704 travels between Komtar-Sungai Pinang-Gelugor-Penang Bridge-Megamal Pinang Prai-Bandar Perda and BM Plaza (The Summit).

Bus No. 705 travels between Bukit Gedung-Sunshine Square Bayan Baru-Penang International Sports Arena-Kompleks Bukit Jambul-Queensbay Mall-Sungai Nibong-Tesco Sungai Dua-Universiti Sains Malaysia-Penang Bridge and Megamal Pinang Prai.

Nor Mohamed said he would also ask Rapid Penang to extend its ser-vices to more rural areas, especially in Seberang Prai, when it obtained more buses next year.

Among the routes he suggested was from the Penang Sentral bus terminal in Butterworth to Kepala Batas town via Jalan Permatang Sungai Dua (near the Sungai Dua police station) where some 18 villages were located.

He said Rapid Penang, which pre-sently had 238 buses, was expected to have a total of 350 buses by the end of next month.

Earlier, he praised the Sungai Dua Community Sports Club under the leadership of Sungai Dua assem- blyman Datuk Jasmin Mohamed for winning the most excellent club award for 2008/2009 at both the state and national levels.Easy solution...give the buses their own lane during peak hours and run a shuttle bus back & forth...as well as the regular cross-bridge services.

Cheers, m

Easy solution...give the buses their own lane during peak hours and run a shuttle bus back & forth...as well as the regular cross-bridge services.

Cheers, m

Why not giving the buses their own lane throughout the island. That would immediately resolve all the traffic problem. Wonder if any of the decision makers have the gut to do so.

Why not giving the buses their own lane throughout the island. That would immediately resolve all the traffic problem. Wonder if any of the decision makers have the gut to do so.

most of the road in penang is very narrow and small,
so i think that is very difficult to have a bus lane througout the island

most of the road in penang is very narrow and small,
so i think that is very difficult to have a bus lane througout the island

at least during peak hours. why not, isnt it?:)

Why not giving the buses their own lane throughout the island. That would immediately resolve all the traffic problem. Wonder if any of the decision makers have the gut to do so.well, that would be the next step.

They could do that on some roads...Jelutong highway to the airport, for example...

Cheers, m

Jelutong = possible.

George Town itself = hard because of very narrow roads.

Jelutong = possible.

George Town itself = hard because of very narrow roads.

in some towns likes oxford, England, they provide bus-only/pedestrian lanes in city center.

w/ grid like structure in georgetown, i'm sure 1-2 roads can be sacrificed to be into bus-only roads...

Jelutong = possible.

George Town itself = hard because of very narrow roads.quite true. One solution may be that they convert roads to 1 way to allow for a transit lane.

Another option is to close some roads to traffic except for public transport and have a frequent shuttle bus service (or shuttle tram service if they rebuild the tram)

And of course there is congestion charging...to reduce the number of cars entering the older areas of Georgetown

Cheers, m

That's workable, but what of the current parking spaces beside the streets. Parking spaces are already severely lacking in the streets of Georgetown. Taking into account the fond attachment of Penangites to their car, and the less-than-ideal fares of RapidPenang, I don't really know how well it'd work.

However, those major trunk roads like Jelutong Expressway and Bayan Lepas Expressway should already have bus lanes - it really just depends on planning and political guts.

By the way, there was a recent news saying the Penang Transport Masterplan will be out by the end of January 2010. Let's hope for some good news.

By the way, there was a recent news saying the Penang Transport Masterplan will be out by the end of January 2010. Let's hope for some good news.Im certainly looking forward to seeing it. I was supposed to meet the chair of the Penang Transport Council but got too busy. Hopefully I can meet the council members (and find out more about the council & members) early next year.

Cheers, m

5minutes?? yeah rite hehe

Five-minute target for Rapid Penang, says Ong
By MANJIT KAUR


GEORGE TOWN: Rapid Penang hopes to shorten the waiting time for commuters to five minutes by having 350 buses within the first quarter of the year, said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat.

He said the management of the company has to work hard to achieve and sustain the five-minute target.

Ong said since Rapid Penang started operations in July 2007, the daily ridership for 33 routes was only at 38,000, with the modal share of public transport at 8%.

“But throughout the years, the modal share of public transport showed a drastic increase of 15%, with daily commuters reaching 65,000 for 38 routes.

“I am happy to note that Rapid Penang hopes to reach its target of 25% for the modal share of public transport by the end of next year,” he told a press conference after witnessing the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Rapid Penang and Puspakom Sdn Bhd at Rapid Penang‘s headquarters in Lorong Kulit here yesterday.

The MoU was signed by Rapid Penang chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad and Puspakom director Datuk Khalid Abdol Rahman.

The MoU will have Rapid Penang providing floor space to Puspakom for its fleet inspection at the headquarters.

Ong later took a bus from Datuk Keramat Road to the Weld Quay station to get public feedback.

He said this was the first time there was such a collaboration between Puspakom and one of its customers, and hoped it would be a model for other fleet owners to follow.

On the improvement of the bus services, Ong said travel time must first be shortened, especially in the downtown and congested areas.

The level of comfort – something that cannot be changed immediately – must also be improved, and basic amenities such as bus stops was an area that must be looked into.

“Another aspect is inter-modal connectivity, which might not be applicable to Penang yet because there is no LRT or monorail here.

“Nevertheless, we are on threshold of having more integrated terminals, with the first in progress in Kuala Lumpur. Other cities will follow suit,” he added.

When asked if Penang’s iconic ferry operations would be taken over by Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd, Ong said the matter was still being studied.

Sabtu, 16 Januari 2010 |
TIMBALAN Menteri Kewangan, Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin (dua dari kiri) melihat pemandu bas Rapid Penang V Puspa, 33, membantu orang kurang upaya menuruni bas selepas Majlis Pelancaran Akademi Rapid Penang dan Depoh Nibong Tebal, hari ini. - Foto Rosli Ahmad

http://www.bharian.com.my/Current_News/BH/mutakhirPix/OKUrapid.jpg

Surprise on bus ride
By MANJIT KAUR Monday January 18, 2010

TRANSPORT minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat surprised Rapid Penang commuters when he took a 30-minute bus ride from Datuk Keramat to Weld Quay during his visit to George Town.

He chatted with passengers during the ride on Thursday and handed out free monthly passes on behalf of Rapid Penang to some 40 commuters.

Also onboard the bus were Rapid Pe- nang chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad, Puspakom director Datuk Khalid Abdol Rahman, DRB-Hicom Group operations director Datuk Seri Mohd Khamil Jamil and state Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow.

Ong had wanted to get a feel of the bus service and told reporters earlier that he had been conducting random checks on the ground.

More > http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2010/1/18/north/5489690&sec=North

Rapid Penang Bus Commuters To Hit 100,000 Daily By Year-end
February 01, 2010 13:55 PM

BUTTERWORTH, Feb 1 (Bernama) -- The number of daily users of the Rapid Penang bus service in the state is projected to rise from the current 65,000 to 100,000 by the end of this year.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop said Monday the service had only drawn 38,000 daily users for its 33 routes when it was launched in 2007.

The growth of the service was in accordance with the government's desire to improve public transportation from 13 per cent to 25 per cent in 2012, he told reporters after the launch of route improvement in Seberang Perai Utara, here.

He said Rapid Penang would have 350 buses in the first quarter of this year in its effort to meet the transportation needs of the people in Seberang Perai and on the island.

Meanwhile, Rapid Penang chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad said seven more routes would be added in stages this year to the 16 now served by Rapid Penang in Seberang Perai.

"With the additional routes, Rapid Penang will serve 49 routes in all, 26 on the island and 23 in Seberang Perai," he said.

-- BERNAMA

^^
RapidPenang already successfull in Penang. The demand will be increase and bus system surely can't cope this. So, the need for mass rail transit is vital..

Then, lets start RapidIpoh or RapidPerak...!!

I like the shining tyre rim of the rapid penang buses :).
see,they purchased European buses and seem to surpass rapidkl in terms of bus quality.

Rapid Penang to hit the roads in all NCER states
By Marina Emmanuel Published: 2010/03/16

http://www.btimes.com.my/articles/RAPID88/pix_bottom

RAPID Penang Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd, will expand its bus service beyond Penang to other parts of the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) next year.

It plans to offer inter-city bus services in Kedah, Perlis and Perak.

Rapid Penang chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad said the transport service provider will be talking to the federal government and related agencies on its proposed expansion, which it hopes will take off by the middle of 2011.

"We have been approached by the various state governments within the economic corridor to offer our services and we think this move will spur further development within the NCER," he told Business Times after launching the company's latest 102th bus route from the Penang International Airport to the Hard Rock Hotel in Batu Ferringi on the island yesterday.

Azhar said Penang will continue to serve as Rapid Penang's hub, and the company is likely to expand its current fleet of buses to serve the new routes in the northern states.

Rapid Penang currently operates 280 buses on Penang island and Seberang Prai and is set to expand its fleet to 350 by June.

"If we expand into the NCER, we are likely to add a further 250 new buses to our fleet," Azhar said.

The NCER was launched in 2007 with the intention to pump prime the economies of Kedah, Penang, Perak and Perlis.

The masterplan of the economic corridor focuses on the long-term enhancement of the agriculture, manufacturing and services/tourism industries, as well as infrastructure, transport and logistics, in supporting the four states.

Azhar said in further boosting the transport and logistics component of the NCER, Rapid Penang is keen to supplement its activities once the Butterworth-Padang Besar double-tracking railway project is completed.

In boosting tourism activities in Penang, Azhar said in addition to working with Firefly in offering free rides to the airlines' passengers from the Penang International Airport to Weld Quay in George Town, the company is now in talks with budget carrier AirAsia to do the same.

"We are also looking into partnering more hotels in Penang."

Rapid Penang commenced operations in 2007 and now services 42 routes in Penang.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/claudebarutel/4808182768/in/set-72157624534302542/

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4096/4807557849_5ec1c78a0e_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4098/4807561661_c0cd036f66_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/4808182768_6170a3040a_b.jpg

aman saja ...tak sesibuk macam KL
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5169/5302669342_2129ff5bb2_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xin-qing/5302669342/

I like the shining tyre rim of the rapid penang buses :).
see,they purchased European buses and seem to surpass rapidkl in terms of bus quality.

I agree. Last week I was in KL and some RapidKL buses seem dirty and need reapir. One had a screeching noise:ohno:
^^

I agree. Last week I was in KL and some RapidKL buses seem dirty and need reapir. One had a screeching noise:ohno:
^^screeching noise = brake pads or rotors in need of rpelacement.

RapidKL buses are poorly maintained, partly because their facilities are so poor - at least RapidPg. benefits from a new, common maintenance facility.

Not to say that this is an excuse for RapidKL...but they definitely need to improve their standards.

Cheers, m

screeching noise = brake pads or rotors in need of rpelacement.

RapidKL buses are poorly maintained, partly because their facilities are so poor - at least RapidPg. benefits from a new, common maintenance facility.

Not to say that this is an excuse for RapidKL...but they definitely need to improve their standards.

Cheers, m

How about the constantly honking, gangsteric and dying Metro KL buses, when are they going to be thrown out of the streets?

How about the constantly honking, gangsteric and dying Metro KL buses, when are they going to be thrown out of the streets?

I am actually impressed by Metrobus' capability in maintaining their buses longer than they should. At least everyday I dun see Metrobus lying broken next to the Federal Highway everyday like RapidKL!!

I am actually impressed by Metrobus' capability in maintaining their buses longer than they should. At least everyday I dun see Metrobus lying broken next to the Federal Highway everyday like RapidKL!!
^^
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs410.snc3/24775_1423476675629_1494090640_31111241_7988614_n.jpg:ohno:

^^
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs410.snc3/24775_1423476675629_1494090640_31111241_7988614_n.jpg:ohno:

:bash::bash::bash::bash::lol:

Quite a number of Perodua Alzas self combusted too..:lol:.but still best selling car.

Rapid Penang is one of the best public transport.
They have a electronic schedule at KOMTAR which is very reliable and most important it is using REAL TIME. This means the buses are punctual.
Their hotline also user friendly...with any queries can be asked with a call away.
They even have wireless internet connection on the bus.

aVKPJCVsPSI

RM120m Rapid boost for Penang public transport
By Marina Emmanuel
Published: 2011/01/18





PUBLIC transport in Penang is expected to get a RM120 million boost this year, via Rapid Penang's new depots, hubs, terminals and buses.

The impending arrival of some 200 new buses at the end of this year is also set to facilitate greater connectivity for passengers on Penang island and the mainland.

"We are targeting a ridership of four million per month when the 200 new buses arrive," Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad told Business Times in Penang.

He said with the addition of the new buses to Rapid Penang's existing fleet of 350, the company will be creating some 400 new jobs in Penang this year.

Rapid Penang is a subsidiary of Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd, which is owned by the Ministry of Finance.

Azhar said the Penang government had given its nod for Rapid Penang to start construction of a RM3 million new "Terminal 2" at Weld Quay.

The proposed terminal, which will sit on a 0.4ha state-owned land, is targeted for completion by the third quarter of this year, and will be built alongside the existing Rapid Penang terminal.

"The new terminal "will serve as an integrated hub not only for our buses, but also taxis, rickshaws and ferry commuters," Azhar said.

Also in progress is a RM500,000 upgrade of the Komtar bus terminal in George Town, which is expected to be completed by the end of February.

A second phase in upgrading the Komtar terminal will see Rapid Penang spending a further RM1 million to air-condition the waiting area for buses on the existing platforms and work is expected to be completed by the third quarter of this year.

Azhar also said that between three and four hubs for Rapid Penang - each costing an average RM200,000 - are expected to be set up at Paya Terubong and Batu Maung on the island. Similar hubs will also be built in Seberang Perai, Bandar Perda in Bukit Mertajam and Nibong Tebal.

Following the successful collaboration between Rapid Penang and community airline Firefly for free shuttle rides for Penang-bound passengers from the Penang International Airport, Azhar said that Rapid Penang is now in talks with national carrier Malaysia Airlines and low-cost airline Air Asia.

"Our idea is to promote seamless connectivity for both tourists and local flight passengers who arrive in Penang," he added, saying that another novel offering from Rapid Penang this year will be an iPhone application.

"The Rapid iPlanner, which can be downloaded to iPhones and iPads, will serve as a reference tool for all our bus users in terms of routes and exact timing of our buses," he said.

Meanwhile, Azhar said Rapid Penang will be commencing the Rapid Bridge Express Shuttle Transit (BEST) system in Penang in March.

The collaboration with the Penang Transport Council will offer free shuttle services for those living in Seberang Prai and working in the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone on Penang island.

aVKPJCVsPSI

we should bring back the trolley buses back!!

More buses for BEST
Thursday January 20, 2011
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/1/20/north/7823810&sec=North

SIXTEEN buses will be used for Penang’s Bridge Express Shuttle Transit (BEST) park and ride system, up from the 10 proposed earlier.

The state executive council approved the six additional buses at its meeting yesterday, state Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said.

He had submitted the proposal for the additional buses following a request from the Free Industrial Zone Penang Companies Association (Frepenca) that the waiting time for the buses be reduced.

Chow had, on Tuesday, said the original schedule was one bus every half-hour and that the additional buses would reduce the waiting time to 15 minutes but would cost the state government an additional RM600,000 per year.

“With 16 buses, we will be spending more than RM1mil per year but it will be money well spent to reduce traffic congestion on the bridge and FIZ,” Chow said.

He said Frepenca had also requested that the proposed timetable be reviewed, so that the buses start running earlier than 6.20am.

“They also feel that buses running after 8am would be redundant as employees would have started work by then,” he said.

He said BEST would not only benefit its commuters but also employers and other road users indirectly.

Citing an example, he said multi-national companies would be able to convert parking bays on their premises for more productive uses.

“Other road users will enjoy smoother traffic on the roads if BEST is a success.

“Also, BEST passengers will save up to RM200 monthly on the Penang Bridge toll and petrol,” he said.

BEST, which will ferry employees living on the mainland but working in the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone (FIZ), will start in March.

Chow said although the system was in place and could be launched earlier, the state had decided to wait a month to conduct trial runs.

“This is to ensure that we don’t face any teething problems. Although everything is ready, we will use this time to fine-tune the service,” he said.

Some 1,000 employees are expected to use the free service. Commuters only have to pay for the parking at the designated park and ride sites on the mainland.

Rapid Penang CEO will become SPAD COO next month :banana::banana: Hopefully his ideas in Rapid Penang will spread nationwide...and I hope Rapid will monopolize Malaysia :lol:

One more thing, I just visited RapidPg website (http://www.rapidpg.com.my/)..very interesting, nicely done :cheers:



April 05, 2011 17:26 PM

Rapid Penang Sets Goal Of 48 Million Riders

GEORGE TOWN, April 5 (Bernama) -- Public transport company Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd (Rapid Penang) has set as a target transporting 48 million riders after they receive 200 additional buses from the Federal government.

The outgoing Rapid Penang chief executive officer (CEO), Azhar Ahmad, said the 200 buses are expected to arrive by the end of this year.

"We will receive the additional buses by the end of this year and this will give a tremendous boost to our service in Penang," he told reporters after hosting a farewell lunch with the local media here today.

Azhar, who served as the CEO of Rapid Penang since its creation in Penang in 2007, has been appointed COO of the National Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) effective next month.

He said Rapid Penang, which now covers 90 percent of the routes on the island and 70 percent on the mainland, would expand its coverage when the additional buses arrive.

"Penang will be the first state to introduce double-decker buses. Out of the 200 additional buses, 60 will be double-decker buses," he said, adding that this will cut short waiting times for passengers to less than seven minutes.

Azhar also announced that the Rapid Penang iPlanner, an iPhone application, would be available next week.

He said the public would be able to download the application on their iPhones next week. This application will be the first in the country to allow passengers to access information regarding buses.

"There is also a 'Plan Your Trip Tool' with information on how to get from point A to B, featuring an exhaustive search summary that pinpoints the real time arrival and current position of a bus, as well as bus stops within the vicinity and places of interest.

"The places would encompass tourist attractions, food and beverage outlets, hotels, shopping malls and entertainment spots, and all the necessary functions that a traveller would need," he said.

Since it was introduced in July 2007, Rapid Penang now has 350 buses and controls 100 per cent of the routes on the island and 75.9 per cent of the routes in Seberang Perai, carrying an average of 80,000 passengers daily.

Azhar also announced that the Rapid Penang iPlanner, an iPhone application, would be available next week.

He said the public would be able to download the application on their iPhones next week. This application will be the first in the country to allow passengers to access information regarding buses.

"There is also a 'Plan Your Trip Tool' with information on how to get from point A to B, featuring an exhaustive search summary that pinpoints the real time arrival and current position of a bus, as well as bus stops within the vicinity and places of interest.

look interesting and effectiveness

Rapid Penang CEO will become SPAD COO next month :banana::banana: Hopefully his ideas in Rapid Penang will spread nationwide...and I hope Rapid will monopolize Malaysia :lol:

One more thing, I just visited RapidPg website (http://www.rapidpg.com.my/)..very interesting, nicely done :cheers:sad news - it looks like he cracked. I remember him telling me that he would rather stay in Penang where he could just do his job instead of dealing with the boardrooms & backrooms.

I was hoping that he would be the CEO of an expanded RapidPenang which would also offer passenger ferry services.

Maybe in the future he will come back to Penang. In the meantime, let's hope that some change will start to happen in KL. If anyone can take the lead it will be Azhar.

Cheers, m

i dont see any difference on traffic flow on Penang Bridge when the BEST took place recently.......evening rush hour on PB is the same condition especially on friday evening.so many cars dunno coming from where on the PB bound for mainland.get congested at the perai interchange........

i like the idea of having BEST shuttle system in penang and the free shuttle busses CAT...

everytime i go to KOMTAR, i will use the CAT bus service instead driving all the way from butterworth to the penang island....bring a relief to me...and also save on toll and also fuel usage....

i dont see any difference on traffic flow on Penang Bridge when the BEST took place recently.......evening rush hour on PB is the same condition especially on friday evening.so many cars dunno coming from where on the PB bound for mainland.get congested at the perai interchange........One thing that would make a big difference is lane segregation - add bus lanes to the Penang Bridge and prevent cars from entering the bus lanes - you would be amazed how much traffic flow can improve with lane segregation.

The Penang Bridge is a small highway - so they could be a good place to introduce "Bus TAG" (think Smart TAG but for buses) - special lanes in the middle of the Penang Bridge, with Bus TAG tollgates just for buses, equipped with Smart TAG readers

Cheers, m

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3163/5726502700_dc7ec2765c_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thedumbestass/5726502700/
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5126/5726475522_53f7371f4b_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thedumbestass/5726475522/in/set-72157626821108538
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3167/5726251808_8697c91c14_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thedumbestass/5726251808/in/set-72157626821108538

the frequency of rapidpenang is way too low to attract motorist to switch to public transport. it has to triple and quadraple the frequencies.

the frequency of rapidpenang is way too low to attract motorist to switch to public transport. it has to triple and quadraple the frequencies.

ya agree......and extend the operation hours in kampung area...
just imagine 9.30 pm no bus plying route KB-BM....

ya agree......and extend the operation hours in kampung area...
just imagine 9.30 pm no bus plying route KB-BM....U know that RapidPg drivers have been harassed in certain "quiet" kampung areas at night in the past?

Cheers, m

U know that RapidPg drivers have been harassed in certain "quiet" kampung areas at night in the past?

Cheers, m

i know that.....but they have to think about other passengers using the service late at night...

for me i always travel between KL and PEN using express bus....then if take 5 pm bus from KL to PEN sentral will reach there around 10 pm.......from PEN sentral to KB 601 then i need to stop at Kailan opposite seri malaysia hotel....just imagine i reach there around 10.45 pm.....no bus there....have to use teksi sapu to get to my house in PS......RM10 gone....:nuts:

they can extend the service late at night on the island site then why they have to sideline the butterworth part....

just imagine last bus from weld quay to batu ferringghi around 12 midnight....thats not fair...

greater KL orang penang ka..PS tu kat mana

ooo i got it..pokok sena..my kampung. Awat tak naik bas 52..

lama tak naik bas 50... dulu2 bas ni buruk skang sbb dah ada rapid bas ni pon naik taraf dah.. cuma kadang2 tu lalu serentak plak dua2 bas nih... dok depan belakang...

greater KL orang penang ka..PS tu kat mana

yes i am penangite....but currently studying in KL....PS in kepala batas maybe either one of this.....choose ler.hehhehehee

1.Pokok Sena
2.Pongsu Seribu or
3.Pajak Song.......

ooo i got it..pokok sena..my kampung. Awat tak naik bas 52..

Bas 52 tu bas apa?????bas UTC ka?

lama tak naik bas 50... dulu2 bas ni buruk skang sbb dah ada rapid bas ni pon naik taraf dah.. cuma kadang2 tu lalu serentak plak dua2 bas nih... dok depan belakang...

tu yang tak suka tue...kadang2 depa dok sama mai serentak jaaa...nanti bas kemudian takde mai langsung....hehhhee

laa.... hampa suma ni orang kepala batas ka.....

greater KL kalau xtau bas 52 tu confirm bukan orang pokok sena..maybe other PSs. Heheh.

Bas 52 used to ply Jetty-Padang Serai. Sekarang dah x nampak langsung..dont know la if still ada atau tak..

Ya, kami semua orang Penang..sekarang cari rezeki kt luar..mau kasi family makan.

Happy to see Rapid Penang now..but i hope they can implement Rapid KL fare system too..unlimited ride for RM 2. Of course, depending on routes.

I've met with a Dutchman who commute daily from Georgetown to Prai, using the free shuttle. Good news is, it's always full. It shows that they managed to get at least 40 cars off from the bridge and the road..

laa.... hampa suma ni orang kepala batas ka.....

saya dilahirkan di BM pekan tue....tapi dok umah kat PS KB...nak buat lagu mana rumah sini besaq giler 2 tingkat rumah batu lagi banglo.....nanti kalau p KL kerja sana jadi orang kolumpoq lak.....tapi KL tetap dihatiku...

PS KB cuma tempatku untuk menghilangkan tension dan menikmati makanan kampung.......

jangan marah ya orang penang KB tempat pak lah....

greater KL kalau xtau bas 52 tu confirm bukan orang pokok sena..maybe other PSs. Heheh.

Bas 52 used to ply Jetty-Padang Serai. Sekarang dah x nampak langsung..dont know la if still ada atau tak..

Ya, kami semua orang Penang..sekarang cari rezeki kt luar..mau kasi family makan.

Happy to see Rapid Penang now..but i hope they can implement Rapid KL fare system too..unlimited ride for RM 2. Of course, depending on routes.

I've met with a Dutchman who commute daily from Georgetown to Prai, using the free shuttle. Good news is, it's always full. It shows that they managed to get at least 40 cars off from the bridge and the road..

kalau dah cari makan kat kolumpoq tu bererti buat rumah kat ctue jugaklah...bukan nak balik mai KB kot buat banglo.......bukan apa aset kena ada kat KL untuk kesejahteraan cucu cicit kita masa akan datang dari segi peluang pekerjaan dan kesejahteraan hidup di sana...
MRT bakal berkembang di KL dan lembah klang so hargai tempat itu....:)

aku dulu bekas pekerja kat sebuah resort 5 bintang kat KB nun...tapi dah muflis dek habuan orang tak bertanggungjawab....tule kena p merantau p KL tue...

lani dah ada apartmen betoi2 depan stesen LRT.........senang citer kalau setakat nak P KLCC ka,sogo ka,the mall ka,wangsa walk ka,midvalley ka,BB ka,pavailion ka,BTS ka,atau nak p naik bas ekspres ka kat puduraya atau TBS-BTS senang semua.....semua dekat........

saya suka kerja kt negara batu ni..tambahan pulak dollar makin mahal..makin cepat la segala hutang2 kt Malaysia ni settle. Kehkeh. Ada rumah kt KL, dok bagi orang sewa..

So far belum plan nak settle down in KL..maybe nak melawat kawan2 and for investment and buat duit sikit2 lah..

Got an offer from another negara batu up north, sebelah pusat judi..to work for their base in Penang..still considering. Apa2 pun, i think i wanna buy landed house in Penang Island la...semua ada macam kt KL. just on smaller scale..and Rapid Penang improvement made to public transport played a part too..

I hope someday Gov will build trams on less congested road and subway..

aku org BM.... tp still blajaq lagi...... nnt bila bsq ingat nak beli umah kat penang tp mahal la....

saya suka kerja kt negara batu ni..tambahan pulak dollar makin mahal..makin cepat la segala hutang2 kt Malaysia ni settle. Kehkeh. Ada rumah kt KL, dok bagi orang sewa..

So far belum plan nak settle down in KL..maybe nak melawat kawan2 and for investment and buat duit sikit2 lah..

Got an offer from another negara batu up north, sebelah pusat judi..to work for their base in Penang..still considering. Apa2 pun, i think i wanna buy landed house in Penang Island la...semua ada macam kt KL. just on smaller scale..and Rapid Penang improvement made to public transport played a part too..

I hope someday Gov will build trams on less congested road and subway..

ya negara batu ka negeri batu?hehehhee.......selalulunya org kita suka labelkan KL macam tue.....tapi nak buat macam mana kerja lumayan kat sana.....dari cleaner service ka jadi satpam ka jadi supir ka semua ada kat sana.....kerja kantor tak yah bilang....semua peringkat ada....saya suka kalau bangunan tinggi2 ni ada dekat ngan stsen MRT ka stsen komuter ka nampak macam kat jepun atau negara2 maju.....sebab wawasan 2020 semakin hampir so mereka nak majukan KL setanding dengan kota2 metropolitan yang lain...saya bukan nak riak atau takabur tapi itu hakikat yang harus kita terima....

saya suka kalau penang macam KL ada LRT,mall besar2,ramai pelancong asing dok berkunjung tapi penang still need more improvement...

rumah aperment saya kat KL saya selalu dok guna LRT ja kalau nak p mana2 tempat yang ada liputan jaringan LRT,komuter atau monorail atau ERL.....boleh jimat kos minyak sekarang mahai nak mampuih......tol lagi parking lagi......sejak ada apartemn tu saya suka dok ctu......makan pun senang mak cik juai nasik campuq kat bawah ada sampai tengah malam dok juai......sedap lak tue....:lol:

aku org BM.... tp still blajaq lagi...... nnt bila bsq ingat nak beli umah kat penang tp mahal la....

belah tanjung memang mahai....sewa satu rumah kat tanjong tokong pun dekat rm550 sebulan tu rumah pangsapuri kos sederhana ja....

kalau area PJ old town atau kat pandan indah leh sewa satu rumah rm350 ja....

rapidpenang dari segi sistem yang bagus adalah seperti berikut:-

1.penggunana ICIS nanti rapidKL akan ada ni semua..
2.sistem bas perantara percuma CAT.
3.sistem BEST antara bayan lepas dan sunway carnival.
4.sistem bertolak yang teratur...tapi kat kawasan kampung kena kerapkan kekerapan bas dan lanjutan perkhidmatan bas sampai 11 malam.

itu saja.

greater KL kalau xtau bas 52 tu confirm bukan orang pokok sena..maybe other PSs. Heheh.

Bas 52 used to ply Jetty-Padang Serai. Sekarang dah x nampak langsung..dont know la if still ada atau tak..

Ya, kami semua orang Penang..sekarang cari rezeki kt luar..mau kasi family makan.

Happy to see Rapid Penang now..but i hope they can implement Rapid KL fare system too..unlimited ride for RM 2. Of course, depending on routes.

I've met with a Dutchman who commute daily from Georgetown to Prai, using the free shuttle. Good news is, it's always full. It shows that they managed to get at least 40 cars off from the bridge and the road..


RapidKL unlimited ride mana ada dah.

Rapid Penang lagi bagus drpd RapidKL sebenarnya.

1. Ada frekuensi yg boleh dipercayai walaupun kdg2 tak berapa tepat.
2. Sistem ICIS yg bagus (dapat tau bas ada kat mana dan bole rancang perjalanan)
3. Bas yg diselenggara dgn baik (RapidKL tak pandai jaga bas walaupun ada bas baru beli mcm SCANIA Rapid Penang)
4. Driver yg berdisiplin, mesra dan sedia membantu walaupun tak semua (driver RapidKL suka marah penumpang terutamanya warga asing, berhentikan bas suka hati kat traffic light atau tgh jalan):bash:
5. Rapid Penang sediakan bas free macam CAT & BEST, tapi KL tak ada pon

http://www.nst.com.my/nst/PixFront/pix_top_07012

ON THE GO, ALWAYS... Rapid Penang operations supervisor, Khairul Nizam Mohd Taib showing the Wifi-Digi services provided on Rapid buses free for the public to use. NSTpix by Syareme Sheriffudin. Jul 1, 2011 11:12 am