Bukit Gantang crash toll rises to 22

IPOH: Vietnamese factory worker Quang Ngor Hung, 27, on Saturday succumbed to head injuries in the Bukit Gantang bus crash, bringing the death toll to 22.

Quang, an employee of Eastern Asia Industries Sdn Bhd in Sungai Petani, died at the Ipoh Hospital at 5.20pm.

He was on his way back from a holiday in Malacca when the bus crashed along the North-South Expressway near Taiping last Monday.

In the accident, 20 died at the scene while nine others were seriously injured.

On Friday, three-year-old Indonesian Abdul Kariim H. Abu Bakar died at Taiping Hospital.

In MUAR, a mini bus was involved in an accident along the trunk road that left two passengers injured. They received outpatient treatment at the Muar Hospital.

The mini bus was travelling from Sg Abong to Kg Tengah when a four-wheel drive, with five passengers, was believed to have rammed into the bus causing it to land on its side at 12.45pm.

A real sad news.
Seeing so many dead bodies laying at the road side, really killed the mood.

One dead, 28 injured in express bus crash

KUALA LUMPUR: An express bus crashed at KM30.3 of the Gua Musang-Kuala Krai highway in Kelantan at 1am Tuesday.

One passenger died and 28 others were injured.

The driver fled from the scene, police said.

This thread should be named Malaysian Coffin Express.

Do u guys remember the Mahligai bus express that had a bad accident in Gua Musang some years ago.Most of its passengers died.

Behind every Mahligai bus, there's a Jawi inscription saying
'InsyaAllah Selamat'-God Willing it's safe :lol:

haha... you are damn right, Forrest.

The Star Online > Nation

Wednesday August 22, 2007

Express bus crashes into trailer

IPOH: An express bus with 94 outstanding summonses and whose driver had a warrant of arrest, crashed into trailer at the 362.9km of North-South Expressway but fortunately, no lives were lost.

Deputy Tanjung Malim OCPD Deputy Supt Adzhar Othman said the bus left Kuala Lumpur at 10.30pm on Tuesday and was heading towards Sitiawan, Perak, when the accident happened at 12.30am Wednesday.

The driver of the trailer escaped unhurt and his vehicle was only slightly damaged.

“The bus driver was speeding while trying to overtake a trailer. But when he saw another car speeding up from behind, he swerved back to the left lane.

“The bus crashed into the trailer and veered into the centre divider before coming to a halt on the fast lane,” DSP Adzhar said.

He said the 52-year-old bus driver, Mohamad Yusuff Mat Talib, was warded for a leg injury, while the co-driver and 23 passengers sought outpatient treatment for cuts and bruises in Slim River Hospital.

“Investigations show that the driver has one previous summons for jumping the red light and an outstanding warrant of arrest,” he said.

DSP Adzhar said the police have classified the case under Section 43(1) of Road Transport Act 1987 as it involved reckless driving.

The Star Online > Nation

Wednesday August 22, 2007



Foundation cites JPJ officers for alleged negligence

KUALA LUMPUR: Favouritism and buses that are not checked for roadworthiness are some reasons for the Social Action Initiative Foundation to act against the Road Transport Department (JPJ).

Its chairman Tan Sri Robert Phang said he would file a report with the Anti-Corruption Agency for alleged malpractices by nine JPJ officers, including deputy director-general Solah Mat Hassan, who was the former enforcement chief.

“I am not saying that they are corrupt. I don’t have any evidence for that.

“But I do have evidence of malpractice. They have not carried out the minimal standard operating procedures which resulted in buses not meeting the requirement for roadworthiness,” Phang said yesterday.

At a press conference on Monday, Phang claimed that JPJ and Puspakom had not been competent enough in carrying out their duties.

Citing the recent Bukit Gantang express bus accident, which claimed 22 lives, Phang said the answer lay with government agencies that regulate public vehicles.

“JPJ has the responsibility to ensure that buses are designed to international safety standards and driven by drivers who are properly trained, while Puspakom’s role is to inspect and certify that the vehicles are fit for the road,” he said.

Phang said police records showed that an average of 17.2 persons die in road accidents every day.

“The question is, who is responsible?” he said.

Thursday August 23, 2007


Another bus crashes on the NSE

IPOH: A bus with 94 outstanding summonses and whose driver has an outstanding warrant of arrest crashed into a trailer at the 362nd kilometre of North-South Expressway near Slim River yesterday.

All 23 passengers were treated for cuts and bruises at Slim River Hospital.

Police said the Konsortium bus driver was speeding and had tried to overtake a trailer.

The bus left Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday at 10.30pm and was on its way to Sitiawan, Perak, when the accident happened at 12.30am.

Errant bus operators and drivers targeted
Thursday August 23, 2007
By ZULKIFLI ABD RAHMAN
TheStar

http://www.thestar.com.my/archives/2007/8/23/nation/n_02jpj.jpg

Spot check: A JPJ officer checking the details of a bus
at the Sungai Besi Toll Plaza in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

PUTRAJAYA: Ops Bersih has been launched to “clean up” errant bus companies and drivers.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy ordered the Road Transport Department (JPJ) yesterday to take immediate steps to ensure that no more lives were lost or people injured in accidents involving buses.

Ops Bersih, which was supposed to start on Monday, was brought forward following the latest bus express accident in Kelantan on Tuesday.

Roadblocks will be set up at 15 locations nationwide until midnight on Aug 30.

The locations are at JPJ enforcement offices in Bukit Bunga (Kelantan); Air Sejuk and Kijal (Terengganu); Paya Rambutan East Coast Highway; Benta and Maran (Pahang); Tenang and Jamaluang (Johor); and other major bus routes like Sanggang (Pahang), the Bukit Gantang and Tapah expressway rest area (Perak); Juru toll plaza (Penang); Sungai Besi toll plaza (Kuala Lumpur); Senawang (Negeri Sembilan); and Yong Peng (Johor).

JPJ director-general Datuk Ahmad Mustapha Abdul Rashid said the message to bus drivers and operators was that the JPJ was serious about the safety of road-users.

He added his officers would continue with the operations to ensure that bus and commercial vehicle drivers adhered to the speed limit, carried valid operating permits and licences, and vehicles were in good condition according to the Motor Vehicle Rules.

On the counters at bus stations, he said officers would check the licences of the first and second drivers of the buses and the roadworthiness of buses, while the police would conduct urine tests.

“There are cases where the bus will have a second-driver at the point of departure, but one of them will alight somewhere into the journey,” he said.

Ahmad Mustapha said bus drivers should not drive more than eight hours within a 24-hour period, cannot drive for four continuous hours or more than 300km within the four-hour period.

He said bus drivers with outstanding arrest warrants for traffic offences would be arrested on the spot, while those whose licences were suspended would have their documents seized.

Agencies like the traffic police will also coordinate their operations on drivers, especially on suspended driving licences and outstanding arrest warrants, he added.



http://www.thestar.com.my/archives/2007/8/23/nation/n_03demerit.jpg


He said bus-manufacturing companies had been issued with a directive on Tuesday to build rigid one-piece bus bodies which adhered to the “R66 Economic Commission of European Countries” standards.

Motorists can check on their Kejara status with the JPJ or check online via www.jpj.gov.my or send an SMS addressed to JPJ new IC number (without hyphen) and send to 32252.

Five agencies in blitz on errant buses
Thursday August 23, 2007
TheStar


KUALA LUMPUR: Five major agencies have swung into action to bring to book errant bus companies and their drivers throughout Peninsular Malaysia.

Ops Bersih, involving the Road Transport Department (JPJ), police, Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board (CVLB), Puspakom and Immigration Department, saw officials checking on buses and drivers at major stations and along highways yesterday.

The joint campaign will continue until the end of the Hari Raya holidays in October, on the instructions of Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy, said JPJ director-general Datuk Ahmad Mustapha Abdul Rashid.




http://www.thestar.com.my/archives/2007/8/23/nation/n_02ops.jpg

Ops Bersih will include:

> Round-the-clock enforcement counters at all major bus stations, manned by the JPJ and traffic police, to check on buses and drivers before they begin their journeys and at the next stop;

- Prohibiting buses from travelling until summonses are paid;

- Further static checks and roadblocks at 15 areas along the highways;

- Urine tests on drivers and co-drivers;

- Police, JPJ, CVLB and Puspakom records to be updated with latest data on summonses and warrants of arrest;

- Buses must conform to international rigidity standard;

- On-the-spot one-month suspension on buses and commercial vehicles which fail Puspakom checks thrice in a row; and,

- Prohibiting renewal of licences and permits until all summonses are settled in court.

Quick joint action
Police

Officers from the traffic and narcotics departments will conduct operations with JPJ officers on highways and at bus stations. They will check for unpaid and outstanding summonses and arrest warrants. Urine tests will also be conducted on the drivers.


http://www.thestar.com.my/archives/2007/8/23/nation/n_02polis.jpg


Immigration Department

Immigration officers will also be involved to check on foreigners posing as Malaysian drivers and illegal immigrants riding on the buses.

Puspakom

Bus manufacturers were informed on Tuesday that they must build buses which adhere to the “R66 Commission of European Countries” construction standards, of which Malaysia is a signatory. Commercial vehicles which fail to undergo checks three times in a row will be blacklisted by the JPJ and CVLB through an online system.

JPJ

Its officers will man roadblocks on the highways to check on bus drivers' licences and vehicle permits. Round-theclock counters will also be set up at bus stations to check the drivers from the moment they begin their journeys until they stop at their destinations.

Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board

This agency will check on the validity of the drivers' Public Service Vehicle licences.

how quickly the communications problems disappear :ohno: :bash:

Cheers, m

Aiya... seem that JPJ just wake up from the sleep.

They thought they are one of the most earning money department in Government agencies last year then they can totally forget what is their duties.

JPJ pls wake up, your department are not there to just selling number plate at RM150K. You have other IMPORTANT tasks/duties to carry out. .

The Star Online > Nation

Monday August 27, 2007



Bus firms face driver shortage, warn of Raya crunch

By YENG AI CHUN and ROYCE CHEAH

PENANG: Express bus companies are facing a shortage of drivers, thanks to Ops Bersih.

Some drivers have gone AWOL for fear of being caught by the authorities for various offences, resulting in several bus companies having to cancel trips.

The companies are also saying that if the situation continued, it could affect the coming balik kampung rush for Hari Raya because there might not be enough drivers and buses to meet the surge in demand.

Konsortium Express Penang manager Albert Chew said his company was having problems getting replacement drivers after 20 of its 140 drivers went missing after Ops Bersih started on Aug 22.


Sorry, sir: An attendant telling a customer that all bus tickets for the day have been sold out at Puduraya terminal.
“We have stopped selling bus tickets for the Raya holidays due to the shortage of drivers. The drivers feel that they are being harassed and victimised by the ongoing action.

“They are expecting more checks to be done during the festive period, which is why they don't want to drive,” he said when met at the Sungai Nibong bus terminal yesterday.

The Road Transport Department (JPJ), police, Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board (CLVB), Puspakom and Immigration Department swung into action under Ops Bersih to check on buses and drivers at major stations and along highways following the bus crash which killed 22 near Taiping.

A Gunung Raya Express ticketing officer Abadi Abdul Kadir said 30% of its drivers were affected and he anticipated that between 60% and 70% of bus commuters wanting to balik kampung this Hari Raya would be affected.

He said most journeys were delayed by between two and three hours because of Ops Bersih.

An official of another express bus company said they had to hire “walk-in” drivers looking for jobs to overcome the shortage.

However, Transnasional ticketing officer Yahaya Karim said the company’s operations were not affected and all its buses continued to ply the designated routes.

In Puduraya, KUALA LUMPUR, a tout who was still hawking tickets for destinations in the south said tickets were sold out yesterday because of the end of the school holidays.

It was also learnt that some bus drivers refused to drive to the usual bus terminals or were using trunk roads to avoid the checks.

Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association president Datuk Ashfar Ali said most of the companies affected were those without proper permits.

“They are rogue companies operating illegally, so of course they would be afraid to take their buses out during the ongoing operation,” he said.

As for drivers not turning up for work, he said it was because some of them had already been caught earlier in the operation and were told they could not drive for having outstanding summonses.

I think this is the time the government to start investing in rail transport connecting all state capital and big towns so that malaysia has diverse mode of transportation for the benefit of the rakyat.

But rail also not so safe, cause theft on the rail track do happen.

I think this is the time the government to start investing in rail transport connecting all state capital and big towns so that malaysia has diverse mode of transportation for the benefit of the rakyat.it might just happen

actually, if more of the long haul travel is shifted to trains, everyone would benefit...

less express buses on the highways means less traffic congestion...they can be shifted to short haul routes...

e.g. instead of KL-Gerik have a train from KL-Sg. Petani and then bus from Sg.Petani to Gerik...

That would also benefit the express bus companies...they would have shorter distances which means that they can carry more passengers in one day...
and they can switch drivers more easily...

everyone benefits....

Cheers, m

Express bus firms left reeling

SEVERAL express bus operators claim that the Road Transport Department’s Ops Bersih operation against express buses is taking its toll.




Eagle Express supervisor Damanhuri Ismail said the company might close shop as many of its drivers were scared to go on the road as they had unsettled summonses.

“There is nothing we can do if the drivers refuse to work, other than stop the service. Besides drivers, the companies are also slapped with summonses,” he said in Penang yesterday.

Owned by Freebury Sdn Bhd, Eagle Express bus service was suspended on Saturday after one of its six drivers was detained a day earlier. It has six buses plying the Penang-Ipoh-Lumut route.

Konsortium Bas Ekspres Season manager Albert Chew claimed that 30 per cent of its 40 drivers had refused to drive.

“It’s a headache because we used to assign three drivers to a bus. When one driver is on leave, two are on standby,” he said. The company has 100 buses.

Asked why the company hired drivers with traffic records, he said they were experienced.

“It’s difficult to find experienced bus drivers without any summonses,” he said. — Bernama

I dun care whether the bus cos gulung tikar or not...route out all the rotten apples!!!! Every last one of them......show no mercy. The fact that many drivers run away shows how useless they are in accepting responsibilities.

Too many deaths have occurred due to errant bus drivers.

Kat Malaysia bas je cantik2...tp drebar bas mcm p*****k!!!!

agree..especially yang aku dengar pemandu bas ke kltn n tggnu paling dasyat.

Monday January 28, 2008



Family mourns loss of beautiful, intelligent go-getter

By ANDREA FILMER

PENANG: She had the world at her feet but death robbed medical student Lee Nian Ning (http://nianz.blogspot.com/) of a brilliant future.

The straight As student, former state swimmer and accomplished Girl Guide was on the double-decker express bus from Penang to Kuala Lumpur which crashed near Slim River on Friday.

Nian Ning, 21, a Public Service Department (PSD) scholar at the University of New South Wales in Australia who was on her way to visit friends in Kuala Lumpur, was among three passengers who perished when the driver lost control of the bus and slammed into a divider.

“We learnt that the driver had 13 summonses against him. Why had the company not screened him and realised that he was not competent to drive that bus?


Final rites: Friends paying their last respects to Nian Ning at her Taman Gelugor home in Penang Sunday.
“I wonder why the authorities still allowed such a monster to roam our streets?” asked Nian Ning's distraught father Lee Hock Chuan, 50, a company human resources director.

He also expressed disappointment over the bus company's reaction to the tragedy.

“They know who the victims are and yet, I have yet to receive a single call from them. There is not a single representative from the company here today to pay respects to my eldest daughter,” he said.

The family is contemplating legal action and Lee appealed to witnesses to come forward.


Devastated: Nian Ning’s parents looking through a scrapbook containing goodbye letters from her close friends.
“It won’t bring her back but we just want justice to be done,” he said.

The attractive Nian Ning, who stood 1.72m tall, was a national backwoods cooking champion and had set her sights on becoming a doctor.

She scored straight As in both the UPSR and PMR and obtained 11A1s and one A2 in the SPM exams.

“From a young age, she was so clear about her goal. Even though she had been approached to be a model, the only thing she wanted to be was an orthopaedic surgeon,” said her mother Ong Keep Gim, 48, a teacher.

Friends and family of the young victim paid their respects at her home in Taman Gelugor yesterday.

She was later cremated at the Batu Gantung crematorium.

More than 20 of her closest friends also created a scrapbook with personal messages to their friend.

“She was determined and a perfectionist,” said J.A. Cheng, 20, who was Nian Ning's schoolmate.

“She knew what she wanted in life and achieved her dreams. We will miss her very much.”

====================================



[URL="http://www.geocities.com/klbloke/growingup.jpg"]http://www.geocities.com/klbloke/nianninglee.jpg (http://www.geocities.com/klbloke/growingup.jpg)

http://weblog.xanga.com/nianning/624869391/my-dad-reads-my-blog.html

http://nianz.blogspot.com/

http://n7ck7.blogspot.com/2008/01/please-boycott-expressway-bus-services.html

Thanks for posting this. Nian Ning is a friend of mine. I am deeply saddened by her sudden demise. Kindly visit http://buscrashnomore.blogspot.com to support our petition. Nobody seem to care in this forum anyway.

These are lives we are talking about.

Thanks for posting this. Nian Ning is a friend of mine. I am deeply saddened by her sudden demise. Kindly visit http://buscrashnomore.blogspot.com to support our petition. Nobody seem to care in this forum anyway.

These are lives we are talking about.I can understand your feelings but I dont think that is correct...alot of people care but feel like they can do very little...

I personal have written letters and articles about this particular topic...and the issue of bad government planning and regulation and enforcement that allows these crashes to happen.

But, I think that this action (using the blog) is wonderful and I will share it with my community.

Cheers, m

ps. Im very sorry for your loss and the senselessness of it...

Sad news. It sounds like the government needs to clamp down on reckless drivers in Malaysia, especially bus drivers who have the lives of so many others in their hands. :(

I have travelled on the bus from Butterworth to KL and the driver we had was safe I think, at least I felt safe. Much worse was a bus in Thailand from Hua Hin to Surat Thani, I feared for my life the whole journey, the driver was crazy. :ohno:

^^ Bus accidents to occur, but Malaysia's bus travel is very safe, indeed. Im also a frequent traveller on bus ( especially.. KL- Alor Setar ) and I found the driving very safe and all drivers do comply with the speed limits.

Only very few bus drivers r reckless n they all should be fired !

It is unfair to say that all express buses in Malaysia are not safe but SAFETY rules, regulations and enforcement doesn't exist when it comes to express buses. I use to take express buses Penang-KL, KL-Penang at least once every 3 weeks. The bus drivers use their mobile phones on at least one occasion in three quarters of all the 4 hours+ journeys i had. Not to mention poor enforcement. I dare say at least half the buses on the road have one summon from the police for various offences such as speeding but yet they are allowed on the road.

If you compare express bus safety with say the UK, i would be so embarrased. Where are the safety belts? UK bus drivers will remind you time and again to wear your seat belts. They wouldn't risk a summon because of one passenger because the consequences are severe.

Online petition for Nian Ning

The Star Online - 4th February 2008 (http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/2/4/nation/20228056&sec=nation)

By ONG YEE TING

yeeting@thestar.com.my

PENANG: Friends of Lee Nian Ning, a medical student who died in a bus accident on Jan 25, have set up a website to seek signatures for a petition on express bus safety that they will send to the Transport Ministry after Chinese New Year.

There is also an online forum at the website (http:// www.buscrashnomore.blogspot.com) to discuss bus crashes in Malaysia.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia law student Teo Lee Ken said the site had already received 17,000 hits and 3,750 e-signatures since it was set up on Jan 28.

He said the website with the theme: ‘If this happened to her, it can happen to you’ targeted students who use public buses.

“We don’t know how much we can change the situation but we know that something needs to be done and someone has to start something,” he told reporters while collecting signatures after the memorial service for Nian Ning at Mahindrama Buddhist Temple yesterday.

Nian Ning, 21, a medical student and Public Services Department scholar at the University of New South Wales in Australia, was killed in an accident when the double-decker express bus she boarded from Penang to Kuala Lumpur crashed near Slim River at 5.55pm on Jan 25.

Universiti Malaya (UM) engineering student Desmond Tan said the idea to set up the website and forum came from a mutual friend who is now studying in Wales.

“He was saddened by her passing and wanted to do something for her although he couldn’t be physically here.

“He then suggested that we start a website that could reach out to all people around the world and create awareness on the importance of bus safety and to draw public attention to together prevent such tragedies,” he said.

Tan said they are now working to get feedback and suggestions from students in local colleges and universities.

“We are really glad that some strangers who came to know us through the website have volunteered to become our representatives in their respective colleges and universities,” he said.

He said they would hand in the petition to the Transport Ministry and the bus company a week after Chinese New Year.

“However, the campaign will continue until we get at least 26,000 signatures.”

Nian Ning’s father Lee Hock Chuan, 50 said she had been looking forward to celebrating Chinese New Year together with the family.

“She had even baked some festive cookies with her mother earlier,” he said.

It is unfair to say that all express buses in Malaysia are not safe but SAFETY rules, regulations and enforcement doesn't exist when it comes to express buses. I use to take express buses Penang-KL, KL-Penang at least once every 3 weeks. The bus drivers use their mobile phones on at least one occasion in three quarters of all the 4 hours+ journeys i had. Not to mention poor enforcement. I dare say at least half the buses on the road have one summon from the police for various offences such as speeding but yet they are allowed on the road.

If you compare express bus safety with say the UK, i would be so embarrased. Where are the safety belts? UK bus drivers will remind you time and again to wear your seat belts. They wouldn't risk a summon because of one passenger because the consequences are severe.

yea, true. UK's bus companies like National Express and Megabus are very ethical and very strictly adhered to rules and regulations. Eventho their buses are really small and uncomfortable (i still never see any 3-seater buses on road) and extremely expensive (around RM 240 for a trip from Cardiff to London(250km) without any discounts), but I feel much safer in UK buses than in Malaysia buses. I always observe the speed of the buses and their speed is never more than the maximum allowed speed. The bus drivers are so professional, asking passengers to fasten seat belts, greeting passengers like what you will get in commercial flights, etc. I am sure the bus drivers there get more trainings than in Malaysia.

^^ What is the importance of seat belts on buses anyway ?

In Japan, nobody wears seat belt on Inter-city bus. And fatal bus accident is almost ungeard of .

Seat belt is not important imo.. the most important is driving standard.

^^ What is the importance of seat belts on buses anyway ?

In Japan, nobody wears seat belt on Inter-city bus. And fatal bus accident is almost ungeard of .

Seat belt is not important imo.. the most important is driving standard.

safety belts will safe the passengers life if the bus really get into accident. It's a precaution measurement. but of course, the driving standard should come first.

^^ What is the importance of seat belts on buses anyway ?

In Japan, nobody wears seat belt on Inter-city bus. And fatal bus accident is almost ungeard of .

Seat belt is not important imo.. the most important is driving standard.

What do u mean safety belts are not important? Then why do you think safety belts are installed in buses of certain countries. Imagine the impact of an emergency break or crash when the bus is travelling at top speed of let's say 120km/hr. You would easily be thrown our the bus!

Fatal accidents are unheard off in Japan even without safety belts because they have other safety rules and regulations in place.

My experience with First Coach, Transtar Premium and Plusliner/Nice (KL-Singapore), are very pleasant ones. Safe and good customer service.

The bad experiences were - Maju Express, Konsortium, and other ciplak bus companies. Rude drivers who either sms or smoke when driving, old buses, not on time, telling u 24-seaters when it's not, etc.

P/S: I've also signed the petition.

My experience with First Coach, Transtar Premium and Plusliner/Nice (KL-Singapore), are very pleasant ones. Safe and good customer service.

The bad experiences were - Maju Express, Konsortium, and other ciplak bus companies. Rude drivers who either sms or smoke when driving, old buses, not on time, telling u 24-seaters when it's not, etc.

P/S: I've also signed the petition.

Yep, i agree. Add Aeroline (not sure if the spelling's correct) to the pleasant ones. However, those buses are a lilttle more pricey than the rest. University students who travel frequently between their hometown and their university may not afford them. They are the ones most at risk.

e-ticketing for express buses operational Aug 1
By Yuzam Yusa, 23 Jul 2008 8:53 AM
THEEDGEDAILY

KUALA LUMPUR: Axcess MyTicket Hub Sdn Bhd expects some 200 bus companies nationwide to subscribe to its pioneering express bus e-ticketing system.

The company has invested RM10 million to develop the system, dubbed “EZBus”, and has signed up 14 express bus companies ahead of the system's commencement on Aug 1.

“We are looking forward to signing up all 200 companies licensed by the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) by the completion of the project’s sixth and final phase, which is hopefully also five years from now," said Axcess executive director Salina Jaffar.

“We have also signed up with 18 higher learning institutions to install the EZBus system in their respective campuses. We expect more institutions to install our system in future,” she said yesterday, after signing agreements with technology partners Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft and Telekom Malaysia.

EZBus is a revolutionary computerised ticketing system that aims to improve how express bus tickets are purchased by offering three key channels namely online (www.ezbus.com.my), by phone (03-7711 5000) and via strategically located outlets in campuses, shopping malls, bus terminals and commercial areas.

With e-ticketing experience as an agent for KTMB intercity services under her company’s belt, Salina said the public can buy their tickets online using debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Maybank2u and CIMB’s web portal so far with more financial institutions to be signed up in future.

Salina said the company hoped to recoup its investment in the system in five years.

MyTaxi diperluaskan ke seluruh negara

KUALA LUMPUR Kempen MyTaxi di Lembah Klang yang berakhir semalam bakal diperluaskan ke seluruh negara kerana ia memberikan kesan positif kepada perkhidmatan teksi di negara ini.Setiausaha Bahagian Perkhidmatan Pelancongan, Kementerian Pelancongan, Sulaiman Harmain Shah berkata, ia juga kerana kempen yang dijalankan oleh kementerian itu di Lembah Klang mendapat sokongan daripada pelbagai pihak.

"Saya akan memaklumkan kepada menteri cadangan pemandu-pemandu teksi untuk memperluaskan dan melanjutkan lagi kempen ini terutama di Lembah Klang dalam masa terdekat ini," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian pada sesi dialog bersama pemandu-pemandu teksi sekitar ibu kota sempena siri terakhir kempen MyTaxi di sini.

Kempen MyTaxi yang diadakan setiap hari Selasa selama lima minggu di Pusat Pelancongan Malaysia itu bertujuan memberi panduan kepada pemandu teksi tentang tatacara melayan pelancong.

Kempen tersebut turut memberi peluang kepada pihak kementerian bertemu dengan pemandu-pemandu teksi bagi membincangkan cara membangunkan imej pemandu-pemandu sebagai duta negara dalam industri pelancongan.

Sulaiman berkata, lima teras yang dipraktikkan oleh pemandu melalui kempen itu banyak membantu pemandu teksi memberikan perkhidmatan yang berkualiti dan diharap ia akan kekal serta dapat mewujudkan pemandu teksi yang cemerlang.

Sementara itu, menjawab satu soalan pada sesi dialog yang diadakan, beliau mengakui bahawa pihaknya gagal memberikan maklumat lengkap mengenai caj-caj tambahan dalam perkhidmatan teksi tempatan menerusi risalah-risalah untuk kegunaan pelancong.

Antara perkhidmatan yang dikatakan gagal dimaklumkan itu ialah tambang teksi berdasarkan meter, caj tambahan kepada penumpang yang membawa lebih beg, caj kepada penambahan penumpang dan caj tambahan pada tengah malam.

Sulaiman berkata, pihaknya akan memaklumkan perkara itu kepada pihak menteri dan keputusan mengenai perkara tersebut akan diketahui selepas perbincangan dengan beberapa pihak yang berkaitan.

Just got this off Penangwatch.net

KL-Pg express bus fares goes up to RM40.00!
26 July 2008 - 2:41am
Just come back from KL -and was strucked by the hike in express bus ticket prices: KL-Butterworth ticket went for RM40.00! This is not any `big days' where such price hike can be expected-so the ticket hike can only be blamed on the recent fuel `tsunamy'. But there are a number of strange thing behind such price hike which should be noticed:

1. There is no one from the consumers affairs department to watch over such unauthorised ticket hike-which is a robbery under broad day light and something the anti-inflation agency should monitor! Notice that ticket pricing is still a controlled item-KL-Pg ticket goes for RM24.00 officially and still go for that price through Transnational-the state run bus company. But the tickets of Transnational has run out -but any wonder that this should happen? A ticket seller(a tout?) excuse their pricing by saying that Transnational buses have fuel subsidies while the otehrs don't-true?

2. There is a uniform demand for RM40.00 ticket from all ticket sellers -reflecting a level of organisation among the ticket sellers. Who organise them? Why there is no `market' force' to favour the consumers/travellers? Again the law enforcers have failed in their job to protect the citizens against ticket cartels!

3. The hike of RM16.00 more than the official price is 67% -much higher than the petrol hike of 43%! Since fuel is only a factor in the cost of the operation of a bus company they cannot claim a ticket hike as high as the fuel hike either.

Anyway I had a worse experience than just the ticket hike. After I paid for a ticket and waited for the bus -supposedly arrived at 1.30pm, I was disallowed to take my seat in the bus-without any reason given. I was told to change to another bus which is 1 hour later. I refused and went back to the ticket seller to find out what he would say. He contacted the controller of the bus and could not give any good reason -except to repeat the offer to switch me to another bus 1 hour later. I refused to take such treatment -and they simply refund me without bothering to come out with any reasonable explanation. Well look like they had simply double sold the seat?

Then I tried to take a train to return to Penang. At the counter I was told the train at 2.45pm had been delayed to 4.00pm. Since I was already at the Central station and I was not ready to feed Rm40.00 to the bus ticket sellers I choosed to buy the train ticket at RM34.00. When the time came the KTM announced that the `express train' from Singapore was delayed till 4.30pm-to the sigh of all passengers waiting for the train!

Anyway after the train arrived I had a good chance to survey the train under KTM. From what I can see the train is reasonably well maintained and clean -much better than the commuter train which suffer a lot of visible vandalism. But the train is definitely slow-`express train' actually travel about the speed of LRT! No wonder it took 7 hours for the same trip that only takes 4 hours for express buses.

Then for such a long trip there is only a small canteen/catering carriage to sell cold meehoon or instant noodles with some hot drinks. A bit pathetic you may say. They have a captured market but they can't make use of it.

Then the TV on the wall is not functioning-so it became really boring sitting there for such long time. I used my laptop till the battery ran out. How good if they offer internet access on the trains! Then passengers may not feel as bored on the train! For good measures throw in some power points as well.

I must however compliment the staff of the KTM on the train -they are courteous enough to put to shame most of the bus drivers on RapidKL or RapidPg!

The good will from that however is spoilt by the cracking PA system. Any announcement-which I can make out to consist of Malay and English language, coud be missed due to the blurred voices...

Anyway I arrived at Butterworth at 11.15pm-in time to board the ferry to go over to the island.

Can't avoid the impression:There is still a long way to go to improve our public transports.

Government says yes to bus fare hike


PUTRAJAYA: The Government has agreed to increase stage and express bus fares but has not decided on the quantum.

Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister Datuk Noh Omar said the new fares would be announced before Hari Raya in October.

Noh, however, shot down the Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association’s appeal for a 100% fare increase, saying it would be a great burden on the public.

“Their appeal for an increase cannot be refused but a 100% increase means a RM30 fare would be RM60. This is too high,” he said, adding that the memorandum from the association was accepted during the National Inflation Council meeting chaired by the Prime Minister on Monday.

Noh said the ministry has drawn up a formula on the fare increase, which it now has to discuss with the association.

“We understand their financial problem because prices of diesel, tyre and engine oil have gone up a few times since 2005, while fares have not increased,” he told reporters after presenting excellence award to 68 ministry staff here yesterday.

Noh also said that the Government was looking into the operators’ other problems, including complaints that they could not sell tickets yet for the Hari Raya season for fear there would not be enough buses.

“They said some buses do not want to operate during the festive season because it is only full for a one-way journey such as Kuala Lumpur to Johor and returns with fewer passengers,” he said.

Among ideas the Government was studying to help prevent bus companies from incurring losses, particularly when running services to rural areas, was to issue permits for them to transport school children and factory workers.

He said Mara was incurring losses of about RM3mil per year providing subsidised transport at Felda schemes.

The ministry was also studying the possibility of allowing the 20,000 school bus operators to ferry members of the public after they had sent students to school, to enable them to increase their income, he added.

Association president Datuk Ashfar Ali, however, insisted that the Government meets its three requests: an increase in diesel quota for both stage and express buses, a 100% fare increase and goodies for the industry in the coming Budget.

Bus fares to go up before Raya
By : Deborah Loh

http://www.nst.com.my/Wednesday/Frontpage/2307014/insidepix1
Bus operators have been asking for a fare hike of 100 per cent since the increase in the price of fuel.


PUTRAJAYA: Taking public transport home for Hari Raya will cost more as bus fares will be raised following pleas from operators.

Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister Datuk Noh Omar said fares for express and stage buses would definitely be raised, but bus companies would not get the 100 per cent increase they were asking for.

"It is just a matter of a percentage increase. I will make an announcement before Hari Raya. In the meantime, the ministry will continue to discuss the matter," Noh said yesterday.

Bus operators have been asking for a fare hike of 100 per cent to survive the recent fuel price increase and the rising operational costs.

They brought their woes to the National Inflation Council at its meeting on Monday through the Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association (PMBOA), which is a member of the council. The association in April had also submitted a memorandum to the government.

Noh said raising fares 100 per cent would burden the public.

"We will put the public's interest first, but we also understand the problems of bus companies. We know that they have been struggling since fares were last raised in 2005, as the price of diesel has gone up since then," he said after attending his ministry's excellent service awards ceremony.

On improving public transport in rural areas, Noh said the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board was allowing commuter services using vans for routes off main roads.

"Those who want to set up a bas mini desa (rural mini bus) service can apply to the CVLB for approval. They can use vans or smaller buses."

Noh said the ministry was also studying the possibility of allowing schoolbuses to serve public commuters in between fetching children to school.

He said it was one way to help school bus operators cut losses as they would otherwise sit idle during school hours.

"We're looking at existing bus regulations to see if this is possible," he said.

In an immediate reaction, PMBOA president Datuk Mohamad Ashfar Ali said if the government could not raise fares by 100 per cent, it should fulfil other requests for a higher quota of subsidised diesel and for the removal of sales tax on bus parts.

"Raising fares 100 per cent is the minimum for us to survive. We've told the government this. If they can't, they should give us a combination solution," he said.

Bus companies want the monthly amount of subsidised diesel raised to 5,000 litres per stage bus and 9,000 litres per express bus, from the present 2,500 litres for each bus.

Ashraf added that the association had proposed that the removal of sales tax on purchases of bus parts be implemented under the 2009 Budget, and as such were seeking "immediate relief" in the form of a 100 per cent fare increase.

"We sympathise with passengers but at the same time, we don't want to go out of business," he said.

Bus operators want interim fare hike to stay on the road


KUALA LUMPUR: Bus operators want an immediate 30 per cent fare hike as a temporary measure to start selling tickets for Hari Raya trips.

They said some operators have stopped selling express bus tickets for trips from September.

Konsortium Transnasional Bhd chairman Datuk Nadzmi Salleh said touts were now selling tickets.

"But the buses might not be there on the dates stated on the tickets," he said here yesterday.

Express and stage bus operators nationwide have asked for a 100 per cent hike after the recent fuel hike. The last fare increase was three years ago.

Nadzmi said the interim increase would help bus companies cope with increasing operational costs while the government decides on a final increase.

"We understand the government needs time to decide on the right amount as they do not want to burden the poor but they should consider our plea for a temporary hike as bus operators are not making money."

Nadzmi, whose company runs a fleet of 1,500 buses, says he has been selling assets to reduce losses.

"Last year, the company sold RM27 million worth of assets to cope with the losses.

"The smaller bus companies are bleeding even more."

Nadzmi said nine bus companies had stopped operations since the fuel price hike.

"These companies have surrendered their licences to the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board. There are others who have reduced the number of buses by half."

Nadzmi said some stage bus companies had stopped plying "social service" routes.

"This has also caused frustration among the rural folk," he said.

Companies which have surrendered their licences used to ply the Muar-Batu Pahat, Kajang-Bangi, KL-Kajang-Seremban and KL-Rawang-Tanjung Malim routes. Companies serving George Town and Ipoh have also ceased operations.

Nadzmi said bus companies also hoped the government would provide them a larger diesel quota, suggesting 5,000 litres for stage buses and 9,000 litres for express buses a month.

At present, bus companies are given a quota based on the average usage over three previous months.

Tiada bas tambahan pulang pada Aidilfitri
bhnews@bharian.com.my

PMBOA tindak balas selepas kecewa permohonan naik tambang ditolak

KUALA LUMPUR: Tiada lagi perkhidmatan bas tambahan untuk Aidilfitri ini dan pengguna yang mahu pulang berhari raya di kampung perlu mencari alternatif lain, kata Presiden Persatuan Pengusaha Bas Seluruh Malaysia (PMBOA), Datuk Ashfar Ali.

Sambil mengakui permintaan bas tambahan bagi orang ramai pulang ke kampung pada musim perayaan tinggi, Ashfar berkata, PMBOA memutuskan mengambil tindakan itu kerana kecewa dengan kerajaan yang menolak permohonan persatuan untuk menaikkan tambang sebelum Aidilfitri ini.

Beliau berkata, keputusan itu dicapai selepas PMBOA mengadakan beberapa pertemuan dengan pengusaha bas ekspres berhubung perkara itu.



"Pertemuan itu turut membincangkan kekecewaan pengusaha bas ekspres terhadap kerajaan yang seolah-olah tidak mengendahkan masalah kami walaupun satu memorandum sudah dihantar kepada Kementerian Pembangunan Usahawan dan Koperasi serta Kementerian Kewangan, masing-masing pada 14 April dan 20 Jun lalu.

"Jadi selepas mengadakan beberapa pertemuan dengan semua pengusaha bas ekspres, kami bersetuju tidak menyediakan perkhidmatan bas tambahan kerana sebarang pertambahan bas akan menyebabkan kos meningkat," katanya ketika dihubungi di sini, semalam.

Sebelum ini, PMBOA meminta kerajaan meluluskan cadangan kenaikan tambang 100 peratus yang dikemukakan April lalu dan menambah jumlah kuota diesel subsidi kepada 5,000 liter sebulan untuk bas henti-henti dan 9,000 liter sebulan untuk bas ekspres daripada 2,500 liter sebulan sekarang.

Bus driver attacks passenger
By MEERA VIJAYAN


JOHOR BARU: An express bus passenger who asked to be dropped off after the Sungai Besi toll was slashed by a chopper-wielding bus driver.

The incident occurred at 10pm on Monday when he went to speak to the driver during a break at a rest area in Yong Peng.

Businessman P. Mayakrishnan, 33, who sustained cuts on his fingers said that it was a horrifying moment and all he could think about when attacked was his wife and two young children.

Mayakrishnan said he had purchased a ticket at the Larkin bus terminal here on Aug 4 after confirming with the salesperson that he could be dropped off before Puduraya in Kuala Lumpur.

“The counter staff told me to inform the driver. I was taking my father for medical treatment and was not familiar with Kuala Lumpur,” he said, adding that he took the 8.15pm bus.

Mayakrishnan said when he went to speak to the driver about dropping him off, the driver became agitated and started shouting.

“I was upset at being shouted at for no reason, and said that I would lodge a complaint with his company,” he said.

Mayakrishnan said, to his horror, the driver grabbed a big chopper that was at the side of the bus door and attacked him.

“I tried to defend myself. But as I turned to get out of the bus, he pushed me down the steps,” he said, adding that the driver then slashed him with the chopper, injuring his left hand.

Bystanders and the victim’s father tried to reason with the driver, but he merely jumped behind the wheel and got ready to drive off.

Alarmed, Mayakrishnan and his father got back on the bus and continued the three-hour journey to Kuala Lumpur, as they had their luggage on board.

Upon reaching Kuala Lumpur, he lodged a police report and sought treatment at Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

When contacted, Batu Pahat OCPD Asst Comm Ibrahim Mohd Aris confirmed that the 26-year-old driver was arrested the following day and has been remanded until Aug 9 to assist in investigations.

He said that the case was being investigated under Section 324 of the Penal Code for causing hurt with a dangerous weapon.

Bus fare hike 'will be reasonable'



PUTRAJAYA: Taking an express bus home for Hari Raya will cost more, but the increase will be less than a 30 per cent surcharge.

Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board chairman Datuk Markiman Kobiran said the rate of increase to be decided by the cabinet in the next two weeks would be reasonable and acceptable to the passengers and bus operators.

"We are preparing a cabinet paper on the matter after getting feedback from many quarters, including consumers, operators, non-governmental organisations and consultants.

"The rate cannot be too low as it can disrupt the bus service nor will it be so high that it burdens the people.

"The cabinet's decision will be a win-win situation for both sides. It won't be too high or too low," he told the New Straits Times yesterday.

It was reported recently that balik kampung for Hari Raya this year might be tough on the pocket for many with express bus tickets carrying a 30 per cent surcharge due to higher fuel cost.

Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister Datuk Noh Omar was quoted as saying that the government was mulling the possibility of such a move after taking into account the woes of express bus operators, some of whom were facing huge operational losses.

Their fares have not increased since May 2005.

Previously, a surcharge of RM5 is allowed on tickets purchased two weeks before and after Hari Raya.

On claims by bus operators that they could not cope with losses, Markiman said this was surprising as there had been a significant increase in the number of applications for permits to run services during Hari Raya every year.

"If they are running at a loss, why do they still apply for permits? Some of them have been forwarding their applications every year."

Markiman took to task those who threatened not to put additional buses on the road during the festive season if the surcharge was not increased.

"Do not threaten us. We do not want to rush into making a decision as this involves the people who are already burdened with higher prices of food and fuel."

Last year, the board issued 1,946 additional bus permits for Hari Raya and this year, it would increase it by 10 to 15 per cent.

They can be used to run operate services one week before and one week after Hari Raya.

Beli tiket sehari sebelum bertolak
Oleh Amin Ridzuan Ishak

PMBOA cuba elak dituduh tipu penumpang

KUALA LUMPUR: Orang ramai yang ingin pulang ke kampung halaman dengan bas ekspres bagi menyambut Aidilfitri tahun ini, hanya boleh membeli tiket sehari atau dua hari sebelum tarikh perjalanan masing-masing.

Berbeza dengan pada setiap musim perayaan sebelum ini, di mana tiket balik kampung boleh dibeli sehingga sebulan atau dua bulan lebih awal, pengusaha bas ekspres tidak akan berbuat demikian tahun ini.



Presiden Persatuan Pengusaha Bas Seluruh Malaysia (PMBOA), Datuk Ashfar Ali, berkata tindakan itu dibuat susulan keputusan pihaknya untuk tidak menyediakan khidmat bas tambahan pada musim Aidilfitri tahun ini berikutan tiada perkembangan terkini berhubung tuntutan mereka.

PMBOA sebelum ini menuntut supaya kerajaan membenarkan kenaikan tambang sementara sementara menunggu pengumuman kenaikan tambang bas ekspres dan menambah kuota diesel subsidi untuk pengusaha perkhidmatan itu.

Beliau berkata, pihaknya tidak akan menjual tiket balik kampung lebih awal kerana bimbang gagal memenuhi permintaan yang dijangka meningkat sedangkan pengusaha tidak mampu menanggung kos operasi tinggi seterusnya menimbulkan risiko penumpang tidak dapat dihantar ke destinasi.

“Apabila gagal membawa penumpang yang sudah membeli tiket, kami berhadapan risiko seperti permit ditarik balik atau lebih teruk dikenakan tindakan atas tuduhan menipu penumpang yang gagal dibawa balik kampung.

“Kami tidak mahu dikenakan tindakan itu dan lebih baik kami menyediakan perkhidmatan seperti biasa (tanpa ada bas tambahan). Itulah sebabnya kami membatalkan cadangan membenarkan orang ramai membuat tempahan tiket lebih awal,” katanya ketika dihubungi di sini, semalam.

Sebelum ini, akhbar melaporkan perkhidmatan bas tambahan pada musim perayaan tidak akan disediakan selepas mesyuarat antara PMBOA dengan pengusaha bas ekspres memutuskannya kerana berpendapat sebarang pertambahan perkhidmatan akan menyebabkan kos kami meningkat.

....stupid idea....

Tackling Touts By Limiting Purchase Of Express Bus Tickets - Noh
August 10, 2008 22:17 PM

KUALA TERENGGANU, Aug 10 (Bernama) -- The government may limit the purchase of express bus tickets per person to prevent touts from buying them in bulk during festive seasons, said Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister Datuk Noh Omar.

He said this was one of the ways being studied to curb the activities of touts during festive seasons.

"Should we limit the purchase of tickets per person, some people might get angry and if we don't, some people might buy between 30 and 40 tickets.

"We are looking into it... whether it is necessary to limit the ticket purchase. If it is the best way to deal with touts, it will be implemented during the coming Hari Raya Puasa season," he told reporters after attending the closing of a commercial vehicles management course here Sunday.

Noh said the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) and other agencies had already launched operations to curb touts in view of the coming festive season.

He said 40 touts, including two foreigners, who were selling express bus tickets were nabbed at the Puduraya bus terminal in Kuala Lumpur in an operation, two days ago.

-- BERNAMA

Bas ekspres dijamin cukup
Oleh Amin Ridzuan Ishak
aminridzuan@bharian.com.my
Mekanisme khas ringankan beban pengusaha diumum minggu depan

KUALA LUMPUR: Kerajaan memberi jaminan bas ekspres membawa orang ramai pulang ke kampung halaman untuk perayaan Aidilfitri ini mencukupi, walaupun ada pengusaha 'mengugut' tidak akan menyediakan khidmat tambahan.

Beberapa mekanisme khas untuk membantu meringankan beban ditanggung pengusaha bas berikutan kenaikan kos operasi, termasuk kadar tambang baru akan diumumkan Menteri Pembangunan Usahawan dan Koperasi, Datuk Noh Omar, minggu depan.



Pengerusi Lembaga Pelesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan (LPKP), Datuk Markiman Kobiran, berkata mekanisme yang bakal diumumkan itu diyakini mampu untuk membantu pengusaha untuk terus memberikan perkhidmatan kepada pengguna tanpa sebarang gangguan.

"Mungkin ancaman tidak menyediakan perkhidmatan bas tambahan seperti dilaporkan media sebelum ini, tidak lagi wujud. Saya berasa ini berita baik serta jaminan akan ada bas kepada orang ramai yang mungkin risau tidak dapat balik kampung kerana bas tidak mencukupi.

"Sebab itulah, kementerian menasihatkan pengusaha supaya bersabar dengan pengumuman yang akan dibuat dalam masa terdekat dan bukannya mengeluarkan kenyataan seakan-akan mendesak kami serta mengancam pengguna," katanya ketika dihubungi di sini, semalam.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika ditanya tindakan kerajaan bagi memastikan perkhidmatan bas ekspres sempena Aidilfitri akan datang mencukupi, selepas Persatuan Pengusaha Bas Seluruh Malaysia (PMBOA), memutuskan untuk tidak memberikan khidmat tambahan.

Kan dah setuju dari dulu dah untuk tawarkan " Tambang promo" kepada pembeli awal & kenakan tambang biasa ( selepas harga dinaikkan ) kepada pembeli yang menempah lewat ?

The balik kampung woes are here again
By JAYAGANDI JAYARAJ

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2008/8/12/central/m_01tickets.jpg
Same old stories of greedy bus operators, black market touts and fake ticket rackets

THE fasting season starts at the beginning of next month and the annual problem of express bus operators and touts trying to make a fast buck for the Raya balik kampung trips is rearing its ugly head again.

Every year we hear the same old stories of over-priced express bus tickets and touts buying almost all the tickets and selling them at black market rates. There are also cases of cheating by unscrupulous syndicates selling fake tickets.

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2008/8/12/central/m_02haliza.jpg
Early planning: Haliza Mohd Khalil (left) said it was easier to get tickets earlier in the month in preparation for balik kampung for Raya.

These problems are especially common at the Puduraya bus station in Kuala Lumpur.

To stop all these nonsense, the government plans to limit the number of express bus tickets a person can buy to prevent the black market touts from buying them in bulk.

StarMetro visited the Puduraya bus station yesterday and found that the bus companies have yet to start selling the balik kampung tickets.

According to the bus ticket counter personnel, the tickets will only be on sale from the middle of the fasting month.

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2008/8/12/central/m_02balik.jpg
Big crowd: People waiting to buy tickets at the Pudu Raya terminal.

However, most companies do not set a limit on how many tickets a person can buy as long as the tickets are available for sale.

Ticketing agent Fatimah Abdullah said the balik kampung tickets sold to customers were subject to availability on a first- come-first-serve basis.

“When it comes to touts, I do not know who they are. But if I suspect they are touts, I will try not to sell tickets to them,” she said.

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2008/8/12/central/m_02murshida.jpg
Murshida Jamaluddin: ‘I usually buy my ticket a month in advance so as to get it at the normal price.

“Having said that, it is not something that we can control. To be safe and to avoid the touts, it is best that the customers book their tickets earlier, rather than waiting until the week before Raya,” she said.

Another ticketing agent Fiena Karim said her bus company often set a limit on the number of tickets a person can buy.

“We only allow four to five tickets per person depending on the availability of seats,” she said.

She said, however, that limiting tickets to customers might not necessarily stop touts from getting the tickets.

Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board (CVLB) chairman Datuk Markiman Kobiran, meanwhile, told StarMetro that the CVLB was working with the police and Rela to conduct surprise checks in a bid to curb the problems.

A few days ago, 40 touts, including two foreigners, were arrested at the Puduraya terminal.

“There will be more such checks,” Markiman said.

He said announcements on bus fares and the provision of additional buses during Raya would be made sometime this week.

30pc extra on bus fares
By : Jennifer Gomez and Azura abas



KUALA LUMPUR: New bus rates will be announced before the fasting month starts next week.

Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister Datuk Noh Omar said he would make the announcement after several matters had been ironed out with the government.

"I was told that a bus company could suffer losses of up to about RM100,000 a day," he said after launching a two-day conference for National Tekun officers yesterday.

Sources said express and stage bus companies would be allowed to impose a 30 per cent surcharge on fares from Sept 15. This is for a one-month period.

Sources said this was decided at a two-hour closed-door meeting between Noh and bus operators.

The surcharge was demanded by the operators before they agreed to put more buses on the road for the Hari Raya period.

Bus operators explained that they needed a "reasonable" increase because of festive costs. "When we put more buses on the road during the holidays, our drivers get triple salary," a source said.

On the 100 per cent fare price hike the operators are seeking, the source said Noh told them the quantum would be decided later.

The source said operators were agreeable to a smaller hike if the government offered other incentives. This could be in the form of higher fuel subsidies and lower taxes for the purchase of tyres, batteries and chassis.

30% surcharge likely for balik kampung bus tickets
By TEH ENG HOCK


PETALING JAYA: Those who plan to balik kampung by bus this Hari Raya may have to pay 30% more for their tickets.

Industry sources said the Government had agreed to impose a surcharge on stage and express bus fares from Sept 15 for a month.

Travellers from Kuala Lumpur to Johor Baru who were paying RM23.90 for a ticket each will now need to pay RM31.07 while those heading to Penang will have to pay RM34.84 instead of RM26.80.

Despite news of the increase, bus operators have yet to start selling tickets for the Hari Raya period as they are waiting for the Government to make an official announcement.

Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association president Datuk Ashfar Ali said they would not sell tickets in advance until they receive official confirmation.

“Otherwise, we don’t know for sure how much the tickets would be sold for or whether we might be penalised for selling at a new price without getting the nod from the authorities,” he said.

Ashfar said they would continue to push for a 100% fare increase, something they had been demanding for since late last year.

“This (30% increase) is just an interim measure. We are led to believe that the figure will be adjusted accordingly,” he said.

He said there might not be a need for a 100% fare hike if the Government announces goodies for the bus industry in Budget 2009.

Among the items asked for by operators are lower taxes for chassis, air-conditioning systems, spare parts, tyres and batteries, as well as the setting up of a fund by the Government to train new bus drivers.

30 per cent bus fare surcharge



THE government has approved a 30 per cent surcharge on express and stage bus fares from Sept 15. The surcharge will be allowed until Oct 15.

Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister Datuk Noh Omar said the approval was given after taking into account the woes of express bus operators, some of whom were facing huge operational losses.

"When operators put more buses on the road, they have to incur additional operational costs, such as wages," he said at the Parliament lobby yesterday.

Noh said express bus companies could apply for temporary permits from the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board to run additional services during Hari Raya Aidil Fitri.

He said last year a RM5 surcharge on tickets was imposed for additional buses.

Additional east-bound bus services will be based at the Putra and Pekeliling bus terminals.

Those travelling north will be at the Puduraya and Duta bus terminals.

The Bukit Jalil Sports Complex will house the temporary bus services for south-bound routes.

"Shuttle bus services by RapidKL will be provided from the Puduraya bus terminal to the Duta bus terminal and the Bukit Jalil Sports Complex, with fares fixed at RM3."

Noh said buses that were more than 12 years old would not be allowed to travel more than 300km.

He urged the public to buy their tickets from genuine ticketing agents to avoid being cheated.

'Bas ekspres balik raya cukup'


Kerajaan benarkan surcaj 30 peratus terhadap tiket sempena Aidilfitri

KUALA LUMPUR: Orang ramai yang ingin balik kampung dengan bas ekspres bagi menyambut Aidilfitri tahun ini, boleh menghela nafas lega berikutan jaminan yang diberikan syarikat pengusaha untuk menyediakan perkhidmatan mencukupi.

Jaminan itu diberikan Persatuan Pengusaha Bas Seluruh Malaysia (PMBOA) selepas kerajaan bersetuju membenarkan mereka mengenakan surcaj 30 peratus terhadap tiket sempena Aidilfitri berkuat kuasa 15 September hingga 15 Oktober depan.



Presidennya, Datuk Ashfar Ali, berkata secara dasarnya ahlinya bersetuju menambah perkhidmatan bas tambahan selain daripada meneruskan operasi bas berjadual tetap pada musim perayaan, bulan depan.

“Selaras dengan langkah kerajaan membenarkan surcaj 30 peratus dikenakan, kami berjanji akan menambah jumlah bas tambahan beroperasi pada musim perayaan bagi memastikan orang ramai dapat dihantar ke destinasi masing-masing untuk meraikan Aidilfitri.

“Menerusi langkah kerajaan itu, kami kini mampu menampung kos operasi untuk menjalankan perkhidmatan bas tambahan. Bagaimanapun, semua ini juga bergantung kepada sesebuah syarikat bas kerana keputusan akhir untuk menyediakan bas tambahan terletak di tangan mereka.

“Kalau sesebuah pengusaha berasakan dengan mengenakan surcaj itu masih menyebabkan mereka kerugian, tiada bas tambahan. Tetapi, kami jangka kebanyakan ahli mampu memberikan perkhidmatan tambahan dan orang ramai tidak perlu risau bas tidak mencukupi,” katanya di sini, semalam.

Mengulas lanjut, Ashfar berkata, pihaknya juga akan menarik balik arahan untuk menjual tiket kepada orang ramai hanya sehari atau dua hari sebelum tarikh perjalanan masing-masing, sebaliknya mengembalikan sistem tempahan sebulan lebih awal.

“Kita akan mula membenarkan orang ramai untuk menempah tiket sebulan lebih awal mulai esok (hari ini). Selain itu, selaras dengan kebenaran mengenakan surcaj, tiket yang dibeli untuk tarikh perjalanan 15 September hingga 15 Oktober akan dikenakan tambahan 30 peratus,” katanya.

Semalam, Menteri Pembangunan Usahawan dan Koperasi, Datuk Noh Omar, mengumumkan kerajaan membenarkan pengusaha bas ekspres dan bas henti-henti mengenakan surcaj 30 peratus bagi perkhidmatan sempena Hari Raya Aidilfitri yang berkuat kuasa selama sebulan mulai 15 September.

Beliau berkata, kadar surcaj yang dibenarkan itu adalah hanya tindakan sementara sebelum kementeriannya membuat keputusan terhadap kadar tambang baru bas ekspres selepas musim perayaan Oktober ini.

"Pelaksanaan surcaj itu adalah bagi membantu pengusaha bas mengurangkan kos operasi selepas mengambil kira pelbagai pandangan dan maklum balas serta keluhan daripada mereka.

"Ia adalah tindakan sementara sebelum kementerian menimbangkan kenaikan tambang pada Oktober ini. Bagaimanapun, kenaikan tambang hanya dibuat selepas kerajaan puas hati dengan kualiti perkhidmatan,” katanya di lobi Parlimen.

Noh berkata, pengenaan kadar surcaj kepada penumpang bukan sesuatu yang baru, kerana pada tahun sebelum ini kadar berkenaan ditetapkan pada kadar RM3 serta RM5 dan ia dikuatkuasakan hanya kepada pengusaha bas ekspres.

Namun, keputusan yang dibuat untuk musim perayaan ini membabitkan semua perkhidmatan bas, termasuk bas ekspres dan bas henti-henti. Sebagai kemudahan penyediaan perkhidmatan pengguna, 2,000 Lesen Perubahan Sementara (LPS) akan dikeluarkan.

Katanya, permohonan lesen itu kini dibuka di pejabat Lembaga Pelesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan (LPKP) mulai hari ini dan bas yang dibenarkan untuk dijadikan bas ekspres tambahan terdiri daripada bas ekspres, bas henti-henti, bas sewa khas, bas sekolah dan bas pekerja.

‘Balik kampung’ rush minus extra bus service


KUALA LUMPUR: No additional buses are expected to be on the road to meet the balik kampung rush for this year’s festive holidays because school bus and factory bus operators nationwide have refused to lease out their buses for the purpose.

Pan Malaysia Bus Operator Association president Datuk Mohamed Ashfar Ali said that based on quotations submitted by its members, many of the school bus and factory bus operators were not keen to lease out their buses.

“We too can’t offer a higher lease quotation because we don’t make much profit either and the government won’t let us raise fares,” he said when contacted by Bernama yesterday.

He said although the Government had promised to increase the quota for diesel subsidy, there were still many bus operators who did not benefit from the facility.

This, he added, was also the reason many operators of express buses and stage buses had to shoulder up to 70% of their diesel needs without subsidy.

Mohamed Ashfar said the association had been asking to be allowed to increase bus fares since last year to cope with the increasing cost of maintenance and oil price hike.

On the 30% surcharge allowed by the Government for the Hari Raya season, effective for one month from Sept 15, he said, it was not enough to give the express bus operators sufficient capital to lease additional buses.

He suggested the Government increase the surcharge to enable express bus companies to obtain adequate capital for purpose of getting additional buses.

No extra buses to meet Raya rush



KUALA LUMPUR: No additional bus services are expected to meet the rush for this year's Hari Raya holidays following refusal by school and factory bus operators to lease their vehicles.

Pan Malaysia Bus Operator Association president Datuk Mohamed Ashfar Ali said based on the quotations submitted by its members, many of the school and factory bus operators were not keen to lease their buses.

"We too can't offer a higher lease quotation, because we don't make much profit either and the government won't let us raise fares."

He said although the government had promised to increase diesel subsidy quotas, many bus operators still did not benefit from the facility.

Mohamed Ashar said the association had been asking to increase bus fares since last year to cope with the increasing costs.

On the 30 per cent surcharge allowed by the government for the Hari Raya season, effective for one month from Sept 15, he said, it was not enough for express bus operators to lease additional buses.

He suggested the surcharge be increased to enable bus companies to get the additional buses. -- Bernama

More incentives for bus operators this Raya


PUTRAJAYA: The Government is providing 9,000 litres of subsidised diesel for each additional bus the operators are willing to put on the road, to avert a shortage for the Hari Raya rush across the country.

The Cabinet decided to offer this incentive following fears that school and factory bus operators might refuse to lease out their buses, if they were not offered a diesel subsidy.

To ward off such a crisis, an additional 2,000 express buses can be expected to be put on the roads for the balik kampung exodus this Hari Raya.

This optimism takes into account the Government’s offer of a diesel subsidy of 9,000 litres for each additional express bus used between Sept 15 and Oct 15.

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad said the decision would cost the Government between RM100mil and RM150mil in subsidy.

“This is in addition to the 30% surcharge and discounted toll charges to ensure Malaysians have enough transportation to get home,” he told reporters after attending the launch of Bernama’s web television.

Prior to the announcement, bus operators had said that the 30% surcharge allowed by the Government for the Hari Raya season was inadequate for them to lease more buses.

Shahrir added that Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister Datuk Noh Omar would give more details on the Cabinet decision.

Asked if there would be a fuel price revision this month, Shahrir said he hoped that there would be a Hari Raya gift, as the world oil price had dropped recently.

Budget airline, Firefly, said there would be extra return flights from Subang to Kota Baru on Sept 29-30 and Oct 3-6, while AirAsia had also arranged for extra return flights on other domestic routes.

Govt offers 2,000 permits and subsidised diesel to avert balik kampung travel crisis
By TEH ENG HOCK


PETALING JAYA: It is still uncertain whether all of the 2,000 temporary bus permits will be taken up despite the Government’s latest diesel subsidy offer to bus operators.

Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association president Datuk Ashfar Ali said he could not comment on whether school, factory and charter bus operators would lease out their buses, even with the subsidised diesel allocation.

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2008/9/4/nation/n_pg01ticket.jpg
Bus rush: An official of a bus company at the Hentian Putra bus terminal in Kuala Lumpur making a ‘time out’ sign with his hands as he tries to control the crowd rushing to buy bus tickets yesterday to balik kampung during the coming Hari Raya festive period. — AZMAN GHANI / The Star

“Some are willing to take on shorter routes while others are not willing at all,” he said.

He said he would have to study the details of the move announced by Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Samad before commenting further.

Some 1,900 temporary licences were issued to school, factory and charter buses last year to cope with the Hari Raya crowd, but this year, there had been few takers so far despite the Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister Datuk Noh Omar setting aside 2,000 temporary permits.

Today, Noh is meeting with bus operators in Kuala Lumpur to resolve this looming crisis that could leave tens of thousands of people who travel by bus back to their hometowns to celebrate the Hari Raya Aidilfitri in a quandary.

Bus operators had earlier said that it was “not economically feasible” to lease school, factory and charter buses, as the costs of operations were high.

Ashfar, prior to government's announcment assured there would be 300 to 400 extra buses to cater to the balik kampung crowd, but it was insufficient to meet the demand.

“Usually, we have about 21% extra buses to fill in for buses that are undergoing maintenance. We roll out all of them during festive periods,” said Ashfar.

It is learnt that many express bus operators were previously unhappy that they are only receiving between 4,000 and 5,000 litres of subsidised diesel per bus on average.

Operators claim tickets sold out



MALACCA: Many passengers hunting for express bus tickets for the Hari Raya season ended up empty-handed on Tuesday after operators claimed tickets had been sold out.

Some who went to the Malacca Sentral terminal on Monday were told that tickets had yet to be sold only to return the next day and be informed that they were too late.

Hafiz Shuib, 25, said he might not be able to return to Kota Baru due to the mix-up.

"It will be easier for all of us if there is a system for the sale of tickets. I am upset that I may not be able to go home for Raya," he said.

Norsyahila Ahmad Sahidan said her travel plans on Sept 24 had to be changed when she was told that tickets to Kulim had been sold out. She finally managed to get a ticket for RM45, up from the usual RM38.

Her friend, Arbayah Ahmad Yassin, 23, said she was in a quandary as only Transnasional Berhad had buses bouand for Temerloh and tickets were not available.

"Some clerks said the tickets had been sold out while others claimed the tickets were not on sale."

Malacca Omnibus Operators' Association chairman Razali Endun said the 30 per cent surcharge on fares would not be of much help for companies in the long run.

He said the association wanted to increase fares to offset rising costs.

"We will appreciate it if taxes on spare parts and accessories are waived to make our operations more cost-efficient."

More bus licences for Raya rush home


KUALA LUMPUR: Temporary express bus permits or temporary variation licences (LPS) will be issued on the spot to put an additional 2,000 buses on the road for the balik kampung rush this Hari Raya.

The Government will also allow operators who are providing extra buses to choose routes according to demand.

This is in addition to the 9,000 litres of subsidised diesel to be given to each bus from Sept 15, which was announced on Wednesday by Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Samad.

Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister Datuk Noh Omar said that prior to the announcements, only about 100 LPS were taken up although the ministry had allocated 2,000 permits for this festive period.

Noh said they have agreed to open routing for the additional buses, which meant that LPS holders could pick their routes according to demand.

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2008/9/5/nation/n_12mohdnor.jpg
Personal attention: Noh Omar checking bus ticket sales for the coming Hari Raya festive period at the Puduraya bus terminal during a working visit to the terminal in Kuala Lumpur Thursday.

Previously, additional buses were only allowed to operate routes designated under the LPS.

On school, factory and charter bus operators being reluctant to lease out their vehicles as additional buses, Noh said he had spoken to the school bus operators, and they had agreed to lease them out at a reasonable rate.

Noh was speaking to reporters after visiting ticket counters at the Puduraya bus terminal. Earlier, he had a closed-door meeting with bus operators.

Most tickets for travel between Sept 25 and 27 have been snapped up.

Noh said the Government understood the problems faced by bus operators, which was why they agreed to reduce their road tax and toll charges.

“We allowed them to impose a 30% fare surcharge for this festive month, and increased their subsidised diesel quota. The diesel subsidy will cost the Government more than RM100mil for a month,” he said.

He said the authorities would come down hard on ticket touts, and threatened to revoke the permits of bus companies who are in cahoots with them.

Bus operators had also agreed to ban their counter staff from using walkie-talkies, as they were used to communicate with touts, he said.

In an immediate response, Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association president Datuk Ashfar Ali said that with such measures he was confident that there would be enough buses to meet the Hari Raya demand.

“Give us a few days to sort things out. Hopefully by Monday, additional tickets will be made available,” he said.

this just seems to be a giant scam - create a crisis, frustrate the people, take advantage of the consumer, flout the laws, and make a ton of money....:bash:

Cheers, m

Kaunter terus diserbu

Oleh FAIZAL NAZARUDDIN,br.faizal.nazaruddin@kosmo.com.my


http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/pix/2008/0908/Kosmo/Negara/ne_02.1.jpg
SUASANA sesak orang ramai beratur untuk mendapatkan tiket bas di Hentian Pudu Raya semalam.

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KUALA LUMPUR – Tiket bas tambahan terutama bagi perjalanan ke Pantai Timur yang dijangka mula dijual oleh kebanyakan kaunter bas hari ini bakal menyaksikan kaunter-kaunter terus diserbu.

Ini kerana permintaan masih tinggi selepas tiket bagi perjalanan yang sama habis dijual sejak minggu lalu.

Seperti contoh sebuah kaunter bas bagi syarikat Baidury Ekspres yang mula menjual tiket bas tambahan semalam diserbu sehingga memaksa penjualannya dihentikan semalam.

“Baru buka kaunter sejam, tiket untuk lima bas tambahan telah habis sampai kami terpaksa gantung jualan sampai esok (hari ini),” kata kakitangan kaunternya yang hanya mahu dikenali sebagai Linda kepada Kosmo! di Hentian Putra di sini semalam.

Menurut Linda, perjalanan bas biasa ke Pantai Timur untuk tarikh 24 sehingga 30 September ini telah habis dijual sejak minggu lepas di semua kaunter dan ini mendorong ramai menunggu tiket bas tambahan.

Sementara itu, Mohd. Husissan Hussein, 29, terkilan setelah seminggu berulang-alik ke Hentian Putra, tetapi masih gagal memperoleh tiket pulang pada hujung bulan ini.

“Saya tidak putus asa, macam tahun-tahun lepas bila dapat pada saat-saat akhir,” ujarnya.

Bagi pelajar, Nurul Janah Isa, 19, dia terpaksa menunda tarikh lebih awal iaitu 20 September untuk pulang ke kampung ekoran tiket bas bagi 24 September ke atas sudah habis.

Janji cuma tinggal janji

Oleh NORAINI ALI
dan NUR AKHMAR ABHAR
berita@kosmo.com.my


http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/pix/2008/0909/Kosmo/Negara/ne_01.1.jpg
WALAUPUN dapat tiket, tiga gadis ini (dari kiri) Nurhidayah Ghani, Nurhidayah Nor Azmi dan Hanan Najmuddin mempertikai harga RM55 untuk ke Pantai Timur, naik lebih RM20.

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KUALA LUMPUR - Ramai warga kota yang ingin mendapatkan tiket bas tambahan bagi perjalanan ke Pantai Timur yang sepatutnya mula dijual semalam, hampa lagi apabila banyak kaunter tidak menjualnya.

Tinjauan Kosmo! di Hentian Putra mendapati, kebanyakan kaunter hanya menjual tiket perjalanan biasa sahaja kecuali kaunter Transnasional dan agensi tiket, Pantai Timur Ekspres Agency.

Kakitangan kaunter Sutera Ekspress, Azhar Bachik, 28, tidak pasti bila tiket bas tambahan akan dijual.

"Selagi belum ada arahan, saya pun tak boleh nak beritahu bila," katanya.

Beberapa penjaga kaunter tiket yang ditemui seperti Adik Beradik Ekspres, Sani Ekspres, Konsortium dan Mutiara Ekspres turut memaklumkan tiket bas tambahan belum dijual.

Sebelum ini, pada 4 September lalu, Presiden Persatuan Pengusaha Bas Se-Malaysia, Datuk Mohamad Ashfar Ali mengumumkan bahawa sebanyak 2,000 buah bas tambahan disediakan dengan tiket mula dijual selewat-lewatnya semalam.

Mohamad Ashfar pula ketika dihubungi semalam menjelaskan, jumlah tiket bas tambahan mencukupi, cuma ia tidak dijual serentak.

"Banyak bas tambahan belum dapat LPS (Lesen Perubahan Sementara). Mana yang dah dapat tentu jual tiket dulu, yang tak dapat kenalah tunggu," ujarnya.

Seorang pengunjung yang ditemui, Rozi Abdul Wahab, 24, beliau sudah seminggu hampa berulang-alik ke Hentian Putra.

"Memang menyusahkan kerana penat berulang-alik, tapi nak buat macam mana," keluhnya.

Sementara itu, orang ramai yang dapat membeli tiket bas tambahan pula mengeluh kerana harga tiket naik hampir dua kali ganda.

Pelajar Universiti Kolej Metropolitan Kuala Lumpur (KLMU), Hanan Najmuddin, 21, yang membeli tiket bas tambahan dari Pantai Timur Ekspres Agency bagi perjalanan ke Jerteh, Terengganu meluahkan rasa tidak puas hati dengan harga tiket yang baginya terlalu mahal.

"Sebelum ini harga tiket balik ke Jerteh ialah RM30.80, kini naik RM24.20 menjadikan harga tiket RM55," ujarnya kesal.

Kaunter sesak tiket ke utara mula dijual

Oleh LUQMAN HAKIM RAHIM
luqmanhakim.abrahim@
kosmo.com.my

http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/pix/2008/0909/Kosmo/Negara/ne_12.1.jpg
Orang ramai berbaris untuk mendapatkan tiket bas ekspres ke utara di kaunter bas Shamisha Holiday Ekspres di Jalan Hamzah, Kota Bharu semalam.

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KOTA BHARU - Selain destinasi popular ke Kuala Lumpur dan Johor Bahru, penjualan tiket bas ke destinasi utara 'hangat' seperti pisang goreng apabila ia mula dijual semalam.

Tidak mahu berputih mata, orang ramai mula menyerbu kaunter Perhentian Bas Jalan Hamzah di sini bagi mendapat tiket perjalanan pada 15 September hingga 15 Oktober nanti.

Tinjauan Kosmo! semalam mendapati orang ramai yang beratur panjang menanti giliran masing-masing tanpa mengira panas terik seawal pukul 7 pagi lagi.

"Saya tunggu sini sejak pagi untuk beli tiket untuk anak saya yang akan pulang selepas hari raya nanti," ujar seorang pesara, Wan Kamarul Wan Kamal, 52, yang berbaris di kaunter Shamisha Holiday Ekspres.

Syarikat ini menyediakan bas bagi lapan destinasi seperti Kangar, Parit Buntar, Pulau Pinang, Butterworth, Kulim, Alor Star termasuk Kuala Terengganu yang dijual dengan harga antara RM26 hingga RM36.

Katanya, syarikat ini bertanggungjawab menjual tiket lebih awal berbanding syarikat lain dan ia memberi peluang kepada pengguna untuk melakukan persiapan awal.

Bagi seorang pelajar institusi pengajian tinggi, Shamsiah Mohamad, 20, beliau yang ingin pulang ke Alor Star membeli tiket dua hala bagi mengelak daripada kejadian 'panik' pada saat-saat akhir selain membendung masalah 'ulat' tiket.

Lucrative income for bus ticket touts


A BUS ticket tout earns up to RM6,000 a month, reported Utusan Malaysia.

In an undercover investigation, it was learnt that an experienced tout can earn RM200 a day.

A tout working tirelessly, seven days a week non-stop can rake in a handsome RM5,000 to RM6,000 - despite the job being illegal.

The touts were also not afraid of getting caught by the authorities because their income was more than enough to pay the fines.

One full-time tout, who only wants to be known as Kamal, admitted to earning a fixed income of RM800 a month.

On average, he said he could earn a commission of between RM100 and RM150 a day from ticket sales. In a month, he earns at least RM2,000, including his fixed income.

He said touts were able to rake in such high incomes through commissions of between RM2 and RM5 for every ticket they sold.

Enough tickets for all, but beware of touts
By : R. Sittamparam


KUALA LUMPUR: There are more than enough tickets for everyone for the Hari Raya balik kampung exodus.

Pan Malaysia Bus Operators Association president Datuk Mohamed Ashfar Ali said the public need not worry about the non-availability of tickets as more companies would be putting them on sale soon.

"Based on the demand and approval of temporary licencses and subsidised diesel by the government, more companies will offer additional bus services for the season.

"The public, however, cannot be fussy over dates for the trips as tickets for Sept 26 to 28 are selling fast."

Ashfar gave an assurance that everyone who wished to go back home for the holidays by bus would get there in time for Hari Raya.

He, however, cautioned the public not to buy tickets from touts either outside or inside bus stations.

He believed touts would be active at bus terminals at Larkin Johor Baru, Puduraya in Kuala Lumpur, Butterworth and Alor Setar.

He also urged the public to check prices and times printed on tickets.

Ashfar said the police and Road Transport Department enforcement officers would be present at all 26 bus terminals nationwide to safeguard the interests of passengers.

KTM Bhd, meanwhile, announced it had sold 28,650 of 52,430 train tickets to and from destinations in the North, East Coast and South for the period between Sept 24 and 30.

It said most of the tickets for trips out of here had been sold out while there was ample tickets for trips back here.

It said 19,850 of the 50,736 train tickets to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore for the period between Oct 1 and 7 had been sold.

The company said additional trips would be provided during the festive period based on their availability.

Tiket bas raya kehabisan

Oleh SHAHRULANOOR ISHAK
shahrulanoor.ishak@kosmo.com.my

http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/pix/2008/0912/Kosmo/Negara/ne_10.1.jpg
ORANG RAMAI berlegar-legar di kaunter Terminal Makmur, Kuantan semalam dengan harapan dapat membeli tiket untuk pulang berhari raya di kampung.

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KUANTAN – Tiket bas raya hampir habis. Tiket bagi perjalanan bas ekspres dari Kuantan ke Terengganu, Kelantan, Perak, Pulau Pinang dan Kedah terutama pada minggu terakhir Ramadan pula habis dijual.

Wakil jualan tiket SPI Ekspres Sdn. Bhd. di Kuantan, Mohd. Asuad Mohd. Tahir, 23, berkata, tiket bagi perjalanan bas pada 25 dan 26 September sudah habis.




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“Selain 25 dan 26 September, turut habis ialah tiket pada 29 dan 30 September disebabkan permintaan tinggi. Tiket pada 27 dan 28 September pula hampir habis,” katanya semasa ditemui di Terminal Makmur di sini semalam.

Dalam pada itu, Mohd. Asuad menambah, pihaknya bagaimanapun cuba mendapatkan bas persiaran seba- gai pengangkutan tambahan bagi memenuhi permintaan.

“Bas tambahan itu nanti dijangka dapat memenuhi permintaan pada sepanjang minggu terakhir puasa. Orang ramai tak perlu bimbang,” katanya.

Sementara itu, Penyelia Jualan Transnasional Sdn. Bhd., Zulkifli Jusoh, 33, pula berkata, pengguna yang ingin pulang ke Kuala Lumpur tidak perlu bimbang.

Takut jual tiket
Oleh Mohamad Hussin
mohamad@hmetro.com.my



KUALA LUMPUR: “Kita bimbang bas tambahan yang dijanjikan tak ada... sebab itu kami tidak mahu jual tiket bas tambahan kerana majoriti pengusaha bas belum memohon permit Lesen Perubahan Sementara (LPS) sempena Aidilfitri.

“Persatuan bimbang untuk memberi jaminan bahawa bas tambahan mencukupi, nanti apabila tiba masanya penumpang akan marah kerana sudah beli tiket, walhal bas yang dijanjikan tak wujud,” kata Presiden Persatuan Pengusaha Bas Ekspres Melayu Semenanjung Malaysia (Pembawa), Tajuddin Yunus.

Beliau berkata, pengusaha bas tambahan perlu segera memohon LPS dan kad fleet bagi mengelakkan masalah bas tambahan tidak mencukupi sebelum musim perayaan Aidilfitri tahun ini.

“Saya difahamkan, Lembaga Pelesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan (LPKP) hanya menerima 300 permohonan setakat ini berbanding 2,000 yang disediakan untuk bas tambahan kali ini.

“Kami tahu ada ‘ulat tiket’ jual tiket untuk musim perayaan tetapi ia mungkin palsu kerana setahu kami setakat ini belum ada syarikat bas ekspres yang menjual tiket perjalanan biasa atau bas tambahan.

“Ia berikutan sebahagian besar pengusaha bas ekspres bimbang mengalami kerugian jika menyediakan khidmat tambahan kerana terpaksa menanggung kos tinggi akibat kenaikan harga diesel, alat ganti, tayar serta kos pengurusan,” katanya.

Tajuddin juga menafikan dakwaan pihaknya ‘menyimpan’ tiket bas tambahan pada musim perayaan ini atas alasan bimbang kerugian jika tiket itu dijual sebelum penguatkuasaan surcaj 30 peratus mulai 15 September ini.

“Macam mana kita nak simpan tiket bas tambahan sedangkan pengusaha bas belum lagi membuat permohonan kepada LPKP.

“Ada segelintir pengusaha bas sekolah, persiaran dan kilang tidak berminat menyediakan perkhidmatan bas tambahan terutama untuk perjalanan ke pantai timur memandangkan kos operasi meningkat.

“Setakat ini, kita (Pembawa) mempunyai 25 syarikat bas membabitkan 500 bas ekspres yang akan beroperasi menjelang musim perayaan ini,” katanya.

Semalam, Persatuan Pengusaha Bas Seluruh Malaysia (PMBOA) menafikan dakwaan kononnya segelintir pengusaha syarikat bas sengaja ‘menyimpan’ tiket bas tambahan pada musim perayaan ini atas alasan bimbang kerugian jika tiket itu dijual sebelum penguatkuasaan surcaj 30 peratus mulai 15 September ini.

5,600 Buses To Cater For Aidilfitri Balik Kampung Rush - Markiman
September 14, 2008 22:49 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 14 (Bernama) -- A total of 4,900 express buses and 733 additional buses will operate from Monday until Oct 15 to cater for the Aidilfitri 'balik kampung' rush, said the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) chairman Datuk Markiman Kobiran.

"To date we have approved 733 temporary licence for additional buses to ply during the hari raya holiday and we expect more companies would apply for the licence next week," he told Bernama.

He said all the buses would operate from the Puduraya, Duta, Putra and Pekeliling terminals, and the Bukit Jalil Sports Complex temporary terminal.

The Puduraya and Duta terminals will be for north-bound buses, Putra and Pekeliling (east-bound), and the Bukit Jalil Sports Complex (south-bound).

He said the buses would be adequate for the festive season and advised consumers to buy tickets from genuine counters or the internet to prevent them from being cheated by touts.

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters after launching the Bukit Jalil Sports Complex temporary terminal here, he said the RM200,000 terminal was built by UDA MALL Sdn Bhd and the Perbadanan Stadium Merdeka.

Markiman said it could handle 500 buses owned by 62 companies, daily.

He said the CVLB would seek RapidKL's cooperation to provide services from the Puduraya terminal to the Duta terminal and the Bukit Jalil Sports Complex temporary terminal with a fare of RM3 per passenger.

"We will also ask RapidKL to extend its services after midnight starting two or three days before hari raya," he said.

-- BERNAMA

Berasak beli tiket





KUALA LUMPUR: Orang ramai menggunakan cuti hujung minggu semalam untuk membeli tiket bas ekspres untuk pulang berhari raya di kampung halaman masing-masing sebelum ia habis dijual.

Tinjauan Harian Metro di Hentian Puduraya mendapati kaunter tiket sesak sehingga menyebabkan pembeli terpaksa beratur panjang dan menunggu lama.

Seorang pembeli, Naim Suhut, 19, berkata dia datang awal pagi ketika kaunter tiket baru dibuka bagi mengelak daripada beratur panjang, tetapi sangkaannya meleset berikutan kaunter tiket penuh dengan pembeli.

“Saya fikir datang pagi tidak perlu beratur dan berebut, tetapi rupanya ada pembeli yang lebih awal daripada saya sehingga memaksa saya menunggu dua jam,” katanya yang ingin membeli tiket pulang ke Perak.

Berbeza dengan Siti Hanisah Nordin, 22, yang terpaksa membeli tiket bas tambahan kerana kehabisan tiket raya untuk destinasi ke Pantai Timur.

“Saya terpaksa menaiki bas persiaran dengan harga yang lebih mahal berbanding bas lain kerana tiket ke Kota Bharu habis dijual walaupun saya datang membelinya seawal dua hari berpuasa,” katanya yang akan pulang pada 26 September ini.

Ditanya mengenai masalah ulat tiket yang mengambil kesempatan, Siti Hanisah berkata, dia tidak mempercayai janji manis ulat terbabit kerana sudah kerap kali akhbar memaparkan masalah berhubung isu berkenaan.

“Saya memang tidak pernah beli tiket dengan mereka (ulat) walaupun dalam keadaan terdesak seperti musim perayaan dan cuti sekolah kerana bimbang ditipu yang akhirnya merugikan wang dan masa saya,” katanya yang pernah menyambut raya di ibu kota kerana kehabisan tiket.

Petugas kaunter tiket Plusliner, Bahar Yudin, 33, berkata penjualan tiket dalam masa sehari semakin meningkat bermula minggu ini kerana orang ramai mula mendapat cuti raya.

LPKP Approve 700 Extra Buses For "Hari Raya"
September 15, 2008 21:35 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 15 (Bernama) -- Those planning to go back to their hometowns and celebrate "Hari Raya" with their loved ones need not worry about missing that chance as the Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board (LPKP) has approved 700 extra buses.

Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association president Datuk Mohamed Ashfar Ali said the 700 extra buses should be enough to cater for the exodus in view of the forthcoming festival.

"If the need arises to supplement that number we can make arrangements for more," he told Bernama when contacted here Monday.

With regard to the 30 percent surcharge on fares charged by stage and express buses, as allowed by the government, he said so far, the association has not received any negative feedback from passengers.

Meanwhile, a survey by Bernama at the Puduraya Bus Terminal saw huge crowds at ticket counters although some express bus companies were charging higher fares, especially to northern destinations.

-- BERNAMA

Tunggu di terminal ditetapkan


KUALA LUMPUR: Orang ramai yang mahu pulang ke kampung menaiki bas ekspres atau bas tambahan sempena Aidilfitri ini perlu menunggu di terminal bas sementara yang ditetapkan berkuat kuasa semalam sehingga 15 Oktober ini.

Pengerusi Lembaga Pelesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan (LPKP), Datuk Markiman Kobiran berkata, mereka yang mahu ke pantai timur perlu menunggu di Hentian Putra dan Pekeliling, manakala Hentian Puduraya dan Duta ditetapkan bagi perjalanan ke utara.

Katanya, bagi perjalanan ke selatan pula, pengguna perlu menaiki bas di Kompleks Sukan Negara Bukit Jalil.

Beliau berkata, lokasi lain bagi terminal bas sementara yang dibenarkan beroperasi berdasarkan keperluan adalah di Gombak, Kajang, Putrajaya dan Damansara Utama (One Utama) manakala terminal sementara di negeri ditetapkan Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan (JPJ).

“RapidKL turut menyediakan bas pengantara dari Hentian Puduraya ke Hentian Duta dan Kompleks Sukan Negara Bukit Jalil dengan kadar tambang RM3 sehala bermula jam 6 pagi hingga jam 12 malam.

“Orang ramai dinasihatkan membeli tiket di kaunter tiket yang sah saja supaya tidak dimanipulasi pihak yang tidak bertanggung jawab,” katanya.

Sebarang aduan kepada LPKP boleh dibuat sama ada melalui talian 1-800-88-9600 atau menerusi khidmat pesanan ringkas ke 39900 atau e-mel ke aduanlpkp@mecd.gov.my.

Terminal tak sesuai
Oleh Helmy Abd Rahman
helmy@hmetro.com.my



KUALA LUMPUR: Menyusahkan! Itu reaksi sebahagian besar penumpang yang menaiki bas ekspres untuk pergi balik ke selatan tanah air di terminal bas sementara dari Kompleks Sukan Bukit Jalil, dekat sini, yang mula beroperasi sejak kelmarin.

Rata-rata yang ditemui merungut dan melahirkan rasa tidak puas hati berikutan lokasi terminal berkenaan jauh dari ibu kota, selain terpaksa membayar tambang tambahan untuk ke tempat terbabit.

Khairul Affendy Mohammad, 26, berkata penumpang tidak seharusnya dibebani dengan bayaran tambahan untuk ke tempat itu, lebih-lebih lagi dengan kadar surcaj 30 peratus yang dikenakan untuk perkhidmatan bas sempena Aidilfitri selama sebulan bermula Isnin lalu.

“Apa yang dikesalkan, saya terpaksa bayar tambang tambahan untuk ke sini dari Hentian Puduraya. Sepatutnya, pengangkutan disediakan secara percuma dan keadaan ini memang menyusahkan.

“Jika saya tahu dari awal, memang tak jadi nak berangkat ke Pasir Gudang hari ini (semalam),” katanya.

Bagi Norhidayah Md Yusof, 24, pula kerajaan katanya sepatutnya memilih lokasi di ibu kota atau kawasan berhampiran supaya lebih mudah untuk menguruskan hal berkaitan pengangkutan.

Jururawat itu yang baru tiba dari Johor Bahru ketika ditemui, berkata keadaan terminal sementara itu yang ala kadar juga membuatkannya tidak begitu selesa.

“Walaupun niat sebenar kerajaan memilih lokasi ini untuk mengelak kesesakan, banyak masalah lain pula timbul dan saya fikir keadaan akan jadi lebih teruk menjelang penghujung puasa ini,” katanya.

Lembaga Pelesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan (LPKP) sebelum ini menggunakan hentian sementara itu untuk mengurangkan kesesakan di Hentian Puduraya yang sebelum ini menyediakan perkhidmatan bas ekspres dari semua laluan.

Tinjauan Harian Metro di lokasi terbabit semalam mendapati keadaan sedikit lengang dipercayai berikutan belum ramai warga kota yang mengambil cuti Aidilfitri untuk pulang ke kampung halaman.

Sementara itu, penjual tiket, Fairuz Mohd, 28, mengakui ramai yang mengadu kepadanya mengenai pemilihan lokasi berkenaan yang dikatakan tidak sesuai.

“Memang sejak semalam (kelmarin) lagi ramai yang mengadu mengenai masalah pemilihan lokasi di sini dan lebih mengejutkan ramai yang tidak mengetahui perkara ini walaupun sudah dihebahkan melalui media,” katanya.

Kaunter tiket lengang
Oleh Maiamalina Mohamed Amin
maiamalina@hmetro.com.my



KUALA LUMPUR: Kurang dua minggu menjelang 1 Syawal, kaunter tiket bas ekspres di beberapa hentian dan terminal bas utama di ibu kota seakan-akan tidak berfungsi apabila tiada lagi barisan panjang orang ramai berebut mendapatkan tiket.

Suasana lengang yang wujud sejak beberapa hari lalu sekali gus membuatkan beberapa syarikat pengusaha bas bertindak menutup kaunter mereka untuk tempoh tertentu sebelum membukanya kembali pada waktu puncak seperti tamat waktu pejabat.

Malah, tinjauan Harian Metro di Hentian Duta dan Terminal Bas Tun Razak atau lebih dikenali Hentian Pekeliling, di sini pada waktu rehat makan tengah hari semalam mendapati ruang menunggu serta deretan kaunter tiket kosong tiada berpengunjung.

Laluan keluar masuk bas juga tidak sesak difahamkan kerana jadual perjalanan setiap bas terhad memandangkan permintaan pulang ke kampung lebih banyak tertumpu pada lima hari terakhir sebelum raya bermula 26 September ini.


Bercerita lanjut mengenai jualan tiket musim perayaan, penjaga kaunter Etika Ekspres, Mohd Faizul Senin, 23, berkata pihaknya masih mempunyai sejumlah tiket untuk dijual bagi perjalanan ke utara, namun berdepan masalah kekurangan pembeli.




“Tiket banyak lagi malah perjalanan bagi tarikh 26 September ke bawah juga masih ada, cuma orangnya saja yang tiada datang beli jika dibandingkan awal bulan lalu.

“Masa itu memang ramai, penuh sesaklah hentian ini sebab orang nak dapatkan tiket balik kampung agaknya mereka takut tiket habis, tapi tiket tidak habis pun, ada lagi termasuk perjalanan biasa dan bas tambahan,” katanya.

Mohd Faizul berkata, satu daripada sebab tiket bas kelolaan syarikatnya masih berbaki menjelang Aidilfitri berikutan jualan baru saja dibuka Isnin lalu, selain tidak mengamalkan sistem tempahan.

“Kita jual tiket ikut siapa cepat dia dapat, jadi sementara ada ini orang ramai boleh datang beli tiket ke Alor Star, Kangar dan Kuala Perlis,” katanya.

Sementara itu, bagi penjaga kaunter Mara Liner di Hentian Pekeliling, Anita Abu, 41, tiket bas bertarikh 26 September hingga 5 Oktober depan habis dijual, termasuk membabitkan perjalanan beberapa bas tambahan.

Katanya, sejak mula dijual 10 September lalu, kaunter syarikatnya penuh sesak selama beberapa hari, namun mulai surut menjelang Isnin lalu disebabkan faktor tiket banyak habis bagi tarikh yang dimahukan orang ramai termasuk selepas hari raya.

Express bus operator expects to double profit


KUALA TERENGGANU: Sani United Sdn Bhd, the operator of bumiputra-owned Sani Ekspress bus services, expects to double its profit to RM2mil this year from RM1mil achieved in the financial year ended Dec 31, 2007.

Chief executive officer Sani Salleh said the projected increase in profit was following the addition of Swedish-made double-decker buses to its services in the east coast.

“Previously, with the ordinary bus with a capacity for 30 passengers, the company was able to achieve an income of almost RM1mil every month.

“But with the double-decker bus, which was introduced a month ago, we have made a monthly income of RM1.5mil,” he told Bernama yesterday.

The company expects to record a revenue of RM12mil for the year.

Currently, Sani Ekspress employs 10 double-decker buses for its services and expects to increase the number by another five before the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration.

As a preparation to increase its network of services to the northern areas next year, Sani said the company had ordered another 10 double-decker buses costing RM10mil.

The buses are expected to be delivered early next year.

Sani said the company’s new services to the north will cover the Kuala Lumpur to Alor Setar, Sungai Petani, Kuala Perlis and Kangar routes. - Bernama

Tiket bas masih banyak lagi: LPKP





KUALA LUMPUR: “Orang ramai jangan kelam-kabut...masih banyak tiket bas ke semua destinasi,” kata Pengerusi Lembaga Pelesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan (LPKP), Datuk Markiman Kobiran ketika diminta mengulas mengenai tiket bas yang sudah habis dijual di kebanyakan kaunter syarikat bas ekspres.

Menurutnya, beliau memberi jaminan tiket bas untuk pulang ke kampung masih dijual dan orang ramai tidak perlu bimbang walaupun sambutan Aidilfitri tinggal beberapa hari saja.

“Setakat ini, kami sudah meluluskan 1,822 Lesen Perubahan Sementara (LPS) bagi menampung permintaan orang ramai yang mahu pulang ke kampung,” katanya, semalam.

Beliau berkata, pengusaha bas sekolah, bas kilang dan persiaran diminta segera memohon LPS untuk mengendalikan bas tambahan kerana ia masih dibuka sehingga 30 September ini.

“Syarikat bas boleh memohon mendapatkan LPS melalui syarikat sendiri atau menerusi syarikat bas ekspres yang bekerjasama dengan mereka,” katanya.

Bus, train tickets still available
By : R. Sittamparam




KUALA LUMPUR: As the balik kampung exodus begins in earnest today, bus operators have this advice for those yet to get tickets — don’t panic.

And KTM Berhad said many return-trip train tickets were available for its outstation destinations.

Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association president Datuk Ashfar Ali said there should be no question of bus tickets not being available, now that bus companies have been allowed to run extra buses based on demand.

“When there is demand for a particular route and time, operators can immediately mobilise their additional buses. The government has approved some 1,400 extra buses, with more to be added, based on increased demand.”

Ashfar expected the situation to be tense at the 26 bus terminals in the country from today till Sunday, after which things are expected to cool down.

He was glad that this year, the management of privatised bus terminals had come forward to solve the problem of ticket touts.

As a result, the touts problem at the Puduraya bus terminal, for example, was now manageable.

Ashfar said the problem of touts could be taken care of once and for all if the government amends Rule 36 of the Motor Vehicles (Commercial Transport) Rules 1959.

He said touts were taking away about 30 per cent of the business from bus operators by luring commuters to illegally-run buses.

Ashfar also called on bus passengers to become the eyes and ears of the authorities by reporting bus drivers who speed, as well as other errant vehicles on the highways.

“Travellers can call the toll free line at 1-800-88-9600 for the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board or SMS to 39900 or call Rakan Cop.”

The board’s chairman, Datuk Markiman Kobiran, said there had been no complaints from the public over the bus service for the festive season.

KTM Berhad said many return-trip tickets to the north, east coast and south were available. It said most outward-bound tickets had been sold.

It had provided 54,442 tickets for the period between yesterday and Tuesday, with 41,810 sold.

Buy tickets at counter, public told
Saturday September 27, 2008
By PRIYA MENON
TheStar

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2008/9/27/central/m_pg01murugiah.jpg

PASSENGERS are warned again to stay away from touts at Puduraya.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department T. Murugiah, who visited the bus station, said that people should buy tickets only from the counter.

“Purchase tickets from the counters only because some of you may be cheated of your ticket and your money,” Murugiah said during the visit last Friday.

He said cooperation from the public was important to ensure a safe and hassle-free trip back home.

He also said that he was satisfied with the facilities provided at the bus station for passengers.

“There are enough officers and personnel from the Road Transport Department (JPJ), police and in-house guards who are at hand to solve any problems passengers may face,” he said.

At present there are five JPJ officers, two police officers, seven in-house officers and an unidentified number of plain clothes policemen.

Uda Mall’s general manager, Shytul Shahryn Mohamad Shaari said that they hoped to have the officers posted permanently at the station.

Murugiah said that the suggestions brought up by Uda Mall would be reviewed and sent to the appropriate ministry for approval.

Uda Mall has also upgraded and repaired the ventilator system at the terminal to ensure people were comfortable while waiting for their buses.

“Uda Mall Sdn Bhd has spent close to RM200,000 to fix the ventilator and air-conditioning system,” said Shytul.

Murugiah said he was only expecting minor problems during the balik kampung period as the bus terminals have been separated into four different locations.

The north-bound buses will be operating from the Puduraya and Duta terminals, east-bound buses from Putra and Pekeliling terminals and south-bound buses from the Bukit Jalil Sports Complex temporary terminal.

Murugiah said his department was concerned about the passengers’ welfare.

“When we receive complaints, it is our duty to visit the site and solve them the best way possible,’’ he said.

Drive safely back to hometowns
Monday September 29, 2008
TheStar

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2008/9/29/central/m_03khalid.jpg

Here you go: Khalid (left) presenting a goodie bag to a motorist.

MOTORISTS have been advised to drive carefully when they balik kampung and return to the Klang Valley during this Hari Raya season.

The advice came from Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar, who presented some 1,000 goodie bags to motorists during a road safety campaign at the Sungai Buloh rest area on Saturday.

Khalid said that statistics from the Ops Sikap 17 revealed that there were less fatalities in Selangor compared to previous years and hoped this would be maintained.

“There were 41 deaths from accidents this year compared to 64 deaths in the same period last year.

“In Selangor, there were 975 accident cases, a decline of 41 cases compared to last year.

“So far, the police have issued 5,390 summonses to motorists, of which 550 were for speeding followed by 82 for beating the red lights, 115 for accidents while the rest were for other offences,” he said.

Khalid added that speeding was the main cause of accidents and fatalities. He hoped motorists would slow down and follow the speed limits.

After the event, all the police personnel, including the volunteers, broke fast together at Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurant at the rest stop.

Bus surcharge to remain




PUTRAJAYA: The 30 per cent surcharge for rides on express buses and shuttle buses introduced for the Hari Raya period will remain until a new bus fare schedule is drawn up. Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister Datuk Noh Omar declined to say when the new fare would be released, but said he had decided to keep the surcharge because of the satisfactory services provided by the bus companies. He said complaints about ticket touts and shortage of buses during the festive period were markedly fewer this year.

Buses > http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=527003&page=3

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KL - Penang Bus ride
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81 syarikat bas ekspres beroperasi di Puduraya


DEWAN Rakyat semalam diberitahu, sebanyak 81 syarikat bas ekspres beroperasi di Hentian Puduraya pada masa ini, kata Timbalan Menteri Pembangunan Keusahawanan dan Koperasi, Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.

Menurutnya, syarikat bas berkenaan menjalankan operasi membabitkan 147 laluan di sepanjang Lebuh raya Utara-Selatan.

“Daripada jumlah itu, sebanyak 106 laluan atau 72 peratus laluan panjang yang melebihi 300 kilometer.

“Bagi meningkatkan perkhidmatan bas ekspres perjalanan jauh, beberapa langkah akan dilaksanakan kementerian antaranya mewajibkan penggunaan pemandu kedua bagi bas yang melakukan perjalanan melebihi 300 kilometer (km) sehala atau pemanduan melebihi empat jam secara berterusan selain buku log bagi merekodkan butiran perjalanan.

“Mewajibkan pengusaha memasang peralatan GPS (sistem pengesanan global) bagi bas ekspres baru bagi memudahkan pihak syarikat bas memantau perjalanan bas mereka,” katanya menjawab soalan Teo Nie Ching (DAP-Serdang).

Tiada bas tambahan sempena Deepavali

KUALA LUMPUR: “Bas balik kampung tidak akan ditambah,” demikian tegas Persatuan Pengusaha Bas Ekspres Melayu Semenanjung Malaysia (Pembawa) ketika ditanya mengenai keperluan bas balik kampung sempena Hari Deepavali, Isnin ini.

Presidennya, Tajuddin Yunus, berkata setakat ini pihaknya belum berhasrat menambah perkhidmatan bas, sebaliknya masih bergantung kepada kemudahan bas ekspres sedia ada yang diyakini mampu menampung keperluan pengguna.

Katanya, waktu operasi dan laluan bas ke setiap destinasi juga diselenggara seperti biasa malah tiada pertambahan memandangkan permintaan bas ekspres tidak begitu ketara berbanding ketika cuti Aidilfitri penghujung September lalu.

“Untuk keperluan Deepavali minggu ini kami memang tidak berhadapan masalah kekurangan bas kerana yang sedia ada pun mencukupi dengan tiket ke semua destinasi sama ada utara, selatan dan timur masih ada malah berlebihan.

“Saya jangka permintaan terhadapnya juga tidak begitu banyak seperti Aidilfitri yang lalu, maka tidak perlu memohon permit Lesen Perubahan Sementara (LPS) untuk bas tambahan,” katanya ketika dihubungi Harian Metro, semalam.

Bagaimanapun, Tajuddin berkata semua pengusaha bas ekspres sentiasa berjaga-jaga kemungkinan berlaku pertambahan dalam permintaan bas ekspres untuk ke beberapa destinasi seluruh negara.

Sementara itu, Pengerusi Lembaga Pelesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan (LPKP), Datuk Markiman Kobiran, berkata, pihaknya belum lagi menerima permohonan LPS daripada mana-mana syarikat pengusaha bas ekspres.

Deputy Minister checks out Puduraya after several complaints
By JADE CHAN


DEPUTY Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department T. Murugiah has urged all bus ticket sellers and bus drivers to be more customer-friendly and responsible when running their operations.

“They have to deal not only with local customers, but also foreign tourists.

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2008/10/25/central/m_04murugiah.jpg
Checking up: Murugiah speaking to some passengers during his visit.

“If customers need assistance like dealing with delayed buses, they should try to offer whatever help they can instead of brushing them off rudely or giving excuses,” he said.

Murugiah was speaking during his visit to Puduraya yesterday, after Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching highlighted complaints about customers getting cheated by ticket sellers.

He said he received six complaints during his visit about delays in bus departures, citing one example that a bus that was scheduled to depart for Alor Star at 9am had yet to depart three hours later.

Also present were officers from the Road Transport Department (JPJ), the Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board (CVLB), and Uda Mall Sdn Bhd, the company that manages the Puduraya terminal.

“The government is concerned about the situation and wants to resolve the rakyat’s problems.

Even though the government has given the bus companies the opportunity to operate a business, some abuse this privilege and if we take action by revoking their licence, they will get angry.

“I’ve requested for the JPJ and CVLB to monitor the situation closely, so the problem can be resolved as soon as possible,” Murugiah said.

“I’ve informed them to have a meeting with all the ticket sellers to remind them to be more customer-friendly, and to have another meeting with all bus operators to remind them to fix their schedules properly and for buses to depart on time.

“It is ridiculous for them to give excuses like traffic jams as they can plan their bus schedules earlier.”

He said that he would leave it to the CVLB and JPJ to decide if any sterner action should be taken against the bus ticket sellers and operators.

On touts, Murugiah said that there have been fewer reports of customers being cheated by touts after stricter enforcement and believed that with closer monitoring, the problem could be resolved.

“The Puduraya management has also requested for an increase in police personnel at the bus terminal.

“I was informed that there are four policemen - two static and two on patrol - stationed here at the moment, but they’ve requested for an additional two detectives and four uniformed officers to patrol the area.

“I will write a letter of request and submit it to the relevant department in the Prime Minister’s Department,” said Murugiah, who is with the Public Complaints Bureau.

He added that he would also suggest that the CVLB set up a complaints counter at Puduraya and station an officer to attend to customers’ complaints.

JPJ Headquarters enforcement director Salim Parlan assured that the matters raised during the visit would be brought up at the department’s board meeting next week.

Noh: Higher fares next year


PUTRAJAYA: Higher fares for public transport will be announced early next year, said Entrepreneur and Co-operative Development Minister Datuk Noh Omar.

The new rates include those for stage buses, taxis and schoolbuses.

Noh said the new rates would take into consideration public interest, the industry’s viability and the many incentives the Government had announced in Budget 2009 for the public transport sector.

“I cannot say how much the increase will be as the ministry is still trying to determine the most appropriate rates for taxis, stage, express and schoolbuses,” he told reporters after attending the ministry’s Family Day yesterday.

“However, I do not foresee the hike to be 100% as requested by some players in the industry.”

Noh gave an assurance that the new fares would not burden lower wage earners, who made up the majority of public transportation users.

“At the same time, we also have to consider the needs and abilities of the transport companies, to ensure they can continue to provide effective and efficient service to the public,” he said.

“We do not want them to close shop because it will only cause inconvenience and burden the public.”

Bus fare surcharge to stay
By : Kristina George


PUTRAJAYA: The 30 per cent surcharge for express buses will not be removed despite the recent reduction in fuel prices, Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister Datuk Noh Omar said yesterday.

"The express and shuttle bus fares were never affected by the rising costs of fuel because the government had provided subsidies for these bus companies," Noh pointed out, adding that an extensive study showed that the bus companies' losses were caused by rising operational costs.

"We realised that the cost of tyres, batteries and employees' allowances were increasing, and that led to the extension of the 30 per cent surcharge implemented last month," he said at the ministry's annual family day celebration at Taman Botani here.

Noh said that the government was studying the matter to determine a new bus fare table early next year.

"I assure the public that the fare hike will not be 100 per cent as expected by these bus companies.

"We will also ensure that the decision will benefit bus companies, but not burden the public," he said.

KTB terus desak kerajaan naikkan tambang bas

KUALA LUMPUR 2 Nov - Konsortium Transnasional Bhd. (KTB) menggesa kerajaan membuat semakan menaikkan tambang bas bagi memastikan mutu perkhidmatan pengangkutan awam dapat dipertingkatkan.

Pengerusi dan Pengarah Urusan KTB, Datuk Mohd. Nadzmi Mohd. Salleh berkata, kenaikan tambang itu adalah bagi memastikan lebih banyak pengusaha bas dapat bersaing untuk terus menawarkan perkhidmatan terbaik.

''Kali terakhir kerajaan membenarkan tambang dinaikkan adalah pada bulan Mei 2005, ini menunjukkan sudah tiga tahun kami terpaksa mengekalkan harga yang sama.

''Keadaan sekarang yang semakin mencabar dengan harga kos operasi semakin meningkat maka adalah mustahil bagi pengusaha bas terutama syarikat kecil untuk terus bersaing dalam industri ini,'' katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia baru-baru ini.

Tambahnya, KTB sendiri yang merupakan antara syarikat pengusaha bas terbesar di Malaysia terpaksa menanggung kos operasi berlebihan sebanyak RM35 juta dalam setahun untuk bahan api (diesel) berbanding tahun 2005.

''Selain itu, kami turut terpaksa menanggung kenaikan kos penyelenggaraan seperti harga tayar, caj terminal, tol, gaji pekerja serta pada 1 Oktober lalu KTB terpaksa membayar insurans yang meningkat sehingga 200 peratus,'' jelasnya.

Mohd. Nadzmi berkata, kenaikan tambang bas ini bukan kerana pengusaha bas ingin mengaut keuntungan berlebihan tetapi lebih untuk mengimbangi kenaikan kos operasi.

''Pada kami biarlah harga tambang murah tetapi keuntungan dapat dimaksimumkan dan sekiranya tambang baru tidak disemak semula kami bimbang ia akan menyebabkan lebih banyak laluan terpaksa diberhentikan dan ini akan merugikan orang ramai,'' katanya.

Setakat ini, KTB telah menghentikan kira-kira 10 laluan bagi setiap negeri ekoran kerugian.

Langkah tersebut telah mengakibatkan penumpang terpaksa menghadapi kesukaran untuk mendapatkan perkhidmatan awam bagi bergerak dari satu destinasi ke destinasi yang lain, kata Mohd. Nadzmi.

Oleh itu, KTB mencadangkan kerajaan untuk mengambil contoh atau model dari negara luar dengan menetapkan tahap perkhidmatan dan frekuensi serta mutu perkhidmatan dan sekiranya pengusaha tidak dapat mencapai piawaian yang ditetapkan pihak berkuasa perlu mengambil tindakan, jelas beliau.

''Model tersebut telah terbukti keberkesanannya dan dapat membantu menyelesaikan masalah yang kita hadapi sekarang dan pengusaha bas dapat bertahan lama dalam industri ini.

''Dengan menyediakan perkhidmatan awam yang berkualiti dapat meningkatkan minat orang ramai untuk menggunakan perkhidmatan tersebut dan dapat membantu mengurangkan kesesakan yang dialami kini,'' tambahnya.

Selain itu, untuk mengekalkan industri perkhidmatan pengangkutan awam, kerajaan perlu bersikap adil dan mengambil langkah yang tepat untuk menarik pelabur dalam industri ini," kata Mohd. Nadzmi.

Express bus operator containing costs
By ELAINE ANG


Konsortium Transnasional expects to pare losses in second half

KUALA LUMPUR: Express bus operator Konsortium Transnasional Bhd (KTB) expects to pare its losses in the second half of the year through cost-cutting measures and higher bus fares during Hari Raya and current festive period.

KTB posted a loss of RM8.8mil in the first half of its financial year on RM131.8mil revenue.

Chairman and managing director Datuk Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh said the 30% fare surcharge for Hari Raya and the current festive period, effective Sept 15 until the end of the year, would help mitigate KTB’s higher operating costs in the fourth quarter.

“The lower diesel price has also helped us to a certain extent as we still have to buy 20% to 30% of our diesel at pump price of RM1.90 per litre since the diesel subsidy quota is insufficient,” Nadzmi told StarBiz.

http://biz.thestar.com.my/archives/2008/11/26/business/b_pg04nadzmi.jpg
Datuk Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh

“However, despite the lower pump price of diesel, the subsidised price for diesel is still RM1.43 per litre,” he noted.

As part of its rationalisation plan, KTB, which operates some 1,500 express and stage buses in the country, has reduced the frequency of some bus routes. It has also stopped some of the social and non-profitable routes.

“We have been subsiding the social routes with our more profitable ones but with rising operating costs, we are unable to do so anymore,” he said.

The group is also increasing the number of buses using compressed natural gas (CNG) in its fleet, which will help save on fuel costs.

Mohd Nadzmi said KTB was in the midst of acquiring 393 buses using CNG to add to its current stable of 72 stages buses. Of the 393 buses, 74 will be express buses.

“We will be taking delivery of 30 to 40 buses every month to replace and expand our fleet next year. I believe KTB will be the first bus company to use an express bus which utilises CNG,” he said, adding that buses using CNG would incur fuel savings of about 29%.

KTB is also aiming to triple the number of double decker express buses next year from the 20 presently, thus increasing capacity by about 72%.

To further reduce costs, KTB is outsourcing the maintenance of its buses to the original suppliers.

“At present, more than 50% of the maintenance work is outsourced. We plan to outsource the maintenance of all our new buses as they come in,” Mohd Nadzmi said.

‘Introduce safety belts for express buses’
By SYLVIA LOOI


IPOH: The Government should make safety belts mandatory for express buses to minimise injuries and deaths from accidents.

Perak Gerakan publicity bureau chairman Choong Shean Yang said the safety of passengers would be greatly improved if seatbelts were used.

They would minimise injuries as passengers will not be thrown about during an accident or when the bus overturns, he said in a statement here Wednesday.

He said that the latest bus crash in Tangkak, Johor, on Sunday was a reminder that such a ruling was needed.

While bus operators had earlier objected to the move due to the cost, Choong said it was not valid anymore.

“Human life is more precious than the cost involved,” he said.

In the Sunday incident, 10 people, including a nine-year-old girl, were killed when the express bus they were in skidded and crashed into a tree at KM146.5 of the North-South Expressway near Tangkak.

They were among 26 passengers and two drivers heading to Johor Baru and Singapore from Perak in the 2am mishap.

Seven died at the scene while the others succumbed to their injuries at the Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital here.

Sani Ekspress sasar 2,000 penumpang sehari



SANI United Sdn Bhd (SUSB), pengendali perkhidmatan bas Sani Ekspress milik Bumiputera sepenuhnya, mensasarkan tambahan penumpang daripada 1,500 kepada 2,000 sehari bermula pertengahan tahun depan.

Sasaran itu selari dengan hasrat syarikat pengangkutan awam nombor satu di pantai timur untuk memenuhi permintaan khusus cuti sekolah dan cuti perayaan.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya, Sani Salleh, berkata sasaran itu berdasarkan cadangan menggunakan khidmat bas dua tingkat yang akan digunakan sepenuhnya selewat-lewatnya pertengahan bulan depan.

Beliau berkata, penggunaan bas dua tingkat dapat menampung jumlah permintaan semakin mendadak sejak kebelakangan ini.

“Daripada 25 bas membabitkan pelaburan RM40 juta, hanya 15 saja yang beroperasi setakat ini. Justeru, dengan berbaki 10 bas lagi, kami yakin akan dapat menjalankan operasi membabitkan dua laluan iaitu pantai timur dan utara,” katanya.

Beliau berkata, mengikut pecahan laluan yang ada sekarang ini, tujuh bas disediakan bagi laluan Kuala Lumpur-Kuala Terengganu, Kuala Lumpur-Kota Bharu (enam) sementara Kuala Lumpur-Kuantan (dua).

“Jumlah itu belum dapat menampung permintaan penumpang, jadi kami berharap masalah itu akan diatasi dengan secepat mungkin. Sejajar dengan itu juga, kami akan membuka laluan baru ke utara.

“Pihak kami sentiasa serius memberikan perkhidmatan terbaik kepada penumpang kerana memilih perkhidmatan kami sebagai pengangkutan pilihan,” katanya.

Saman penumpang, bukan bas

Oleh ASRON MUSTAPHA dan JUNHAIRI ALYASA
berita@kosmo.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR - Pengusaha bas ekspres meminta kerajaan menggubal undang-undang terlebih dahulu dengan menetapkan penumpang disaman jika tidak memakai tali pinggang keledar sebelum mewajibkan syarikat bas memasang peralatan itu dalam kenderaan masing-masing.

Presiden Persatuan Pengusaha Bas Se-Malaysia (PMBOA), Datuk Mohamad Ashfar Ali berkata, adalah tidak adil jika pengusaha bas disaman atas kesalahan penumpang enggan memakai tali pinggang keledar.

"Pada kami, undang-undang kena jelas terlebih dahulu.

"Jika itu sudah ditetapkan, kami sedia memasang tali pinggang keledar walaupun pada bas lama,'' katanya ketika dihubungi semalam.

Mohamad Asfar juga memberi jaminan kos pemasangan peralatan itu tidak akan menyumbang kepada kenaikan tambang.

Katanya, bagi setiap tali pinggang keledar, kos pemasangan adalah antara RM100 hingga RM200.

Beliau juga berharap kerajaan menyediakan tali pinggang keledar secara percuma manakala kos pemasangannya ditanggung oleh pengusaha.

Sementara itu, Pengurus Besar Komunikasi Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn. Bhd. (RapidKL), Ebi Azli Abdullah berkata, arahan itu perlukan kajian yang lebih mendalam sebelum dikuatkuasakan ke atas syarikat bas henti-henti.

"Dalam kes bas ekspres arahan ini mudah dilaksanakan dan ada kewajaran tetapi bas henti-henti situasinya berbeza kerana tidak semua penumpang duduk, ada yang berdiri,'' jelasnya.

Namun, katanya, jika ia sudah diwajibkan, RapidKL bersedia untuk melaksanakannya.

Bus operators keen to push up fares because of higher operating costs
Stories by ELAINE ANG


IF the express bus companies get their way, passengers will soon have to pay significantly more for their tickets. Complaining of rising costs, the industry is pushing hard for a fare hike.

Konsortium Transnasional Bhd (KTB), the country’s biggest express bus operator, is calling for a 60% hike in ticket prices, while the Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association (PMBOA) wants the fares, including those for stage buses, to be doubled.

The fare is currently calculated based on a ceiling price of 6.5 sen per km for economy express buses and 15 sen per km for luxury/executive coaches.

KTB chairman and managing director Datuk Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh stresses that the hike is necessary to ensure the survival of the players. The last fare review was more than three years ago, allowing an 18% increase for economy express buses.


http://thestar.com.my/archives/2008/12/27/business/p18-costcht.JPG

He says that review in May 2005 has helped ease the burden of increasing costs in the five years after the previous fare increase in 2000, but much has changed since 2005. The soaring fuel prices has been a huge factor.

Motorists are naturally happy that pump prices have been cut seven times since the whopping hike in June, but it is a different story for bus companies. The subsidised diesel price has remained stagnant at RM1.43 per litre.

“Although oil prices have come down, we are not feeling it. We are still paying the same price for subsidised diesel and the price increases by suppliers have not incorporated the full extent of the costs they have had to bear so far,” he tells StarBizWeek.

According to Nadzmi, subsidised diesel has increased 120% from 65 sen per litre on Jan 1, 2005, to RM1.43. Other costs, such as tyres, spare parts and services, have been going up as well.

He adds: “There is also an insufficient quota of subsidised diesel provided to us, with the quota only fulfilling about 70% to 80% of our requirement most of the time.”

For KTB, the increase in the price of subsidised diesel costs the company an additional RM35mil per annum compared with 2005.

“We don’t even make that much profit in a year. Subsidised diesel is only one cost factor that is killing us in terms of profitability – our total operating costs are now higher than our revenue collected. The costs are eating into the bones already,” says Nadzmi.

“The more we operate our buses, the higher our costs. Even if we do not operate so many buses we will still have to bear the fixed costs. So we are in a dicey situation. We are profit-making organisations. So is it fair for us to absorb all these costs?”


The Government has agreed to a 30% surcharge for economy bus fares for the Hari Raya period until Oct 15. It has been reported that the surcharge has since been extended until a new fare structure is announced.

Nadzmi says the surcharge has helped KTB reduce losses and improve cash flow.

Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister Datuk Noh Omar was recently quoted as saying that despite the drop in fuel prices, an increase in express and stage bus fares next year was unavoidable due to escalating costs.

This, however, have failed to appease the bus operators. Nadzmi asks: “But when next year?”

“A quick decision from the Government is very important as the situation may change after a long delayed decision and it may not be an appropriate solution any more.”

He suggests that the Government have annual fare reviews instead of sudden, big increases, which will burden consumers and result in a contraction of demand. “We want stability in our business environment and that includes price stability,” he says.

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He also proposes a monthly ceiling of 9,000 litres diesel per bus. “We are suggesting that the Government look at the whole year to identify the peak months and create a ceiling based on that,” he says.

PMBOA president Datuk Mohamad Ashfar Ali says that if the Government does not agree with a 100% fare increase in view of the present economic situation, an alternative is that it converts the 30% surcharge for the Raya season into a fare increase from Jan 1, 2009.

The association is also asking the Government to reduce the subsidised diesel price for bus operators to RM1 per litre. The association represents 111 bus companies with more than 3,200 express and stage buses and over 9,000 employees.

Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations (Fomca) secretary-general Muhammad Sha’ani Abdullah says a fare increase will definitely affect consumers as it will increase the cost of doing business and travelling.

“However, this is unavoidable because the Government has no idea how else to fund public transport other than by increasing the fare. We believe it is justified because of the increase in operational costs, such as batteries, tyres, wages and other spare parts,” he says.

Muhammad Sha’ani adds that many cities in developed countries provides public funding for public transport, so that it is accessible to all.


“It is not commercially possible to do this only from funds collected from bus fares. It is important that the Government understands the social cost if the current model of public transport funding is not reviewed fast,” he warns.

Tambang bas kekal kerana harga alat ganti melambung

KUALA LUMPUR: Tambang bas tidak akan diturunkan buat masa ini walaupun harga diesel turun sejak beberapa bulan lalu berikutan beberapa faktor termasuk harga alat ganti yang melambung naik sehingga mencecah 250 peratus.

Pengerusi Lembaga Pelesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan (LPKP), Datuk Markiman Kobiran, berkata tindakan menurunkan tambang bas tidak boleh dilakukan sewenangnya kerana kadar tambang bas yang ditetapkan ketika ini sudah diguna pakai sejak 2005 walaupun paras diesel naik melambung beberapa kali.

Katanya, pemikiran bahawa tambang bas perlu dikurangkan apabila harga diesel turun tidak boleh dipraktikkan kerana ia mengambil beberapa faktor lain termasuk harga alat ganti yang meningkat melampau ketika ini.

“Persepsi itu salah. Ini kerana ada alat ganti walaupun mungkin bahagian kecil, tetapi harganya naik tinggi antaranya bateri yang naik sehingga 250 peratus,” katanya.

Proposal to end express bus at midnight


KUALA LUMPUR: The Transport Ministry is studying a proposal to end express bus service at midnight to avoid the loss of many lives on the road.

Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said the propposal made by the Road Safety Department (JKJR) and the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety (Miros) was made as drivers were usually tired at night despite having adequate rest.

"The proposal is not aimed at burdening bus operators but for the safety of passengers who take express buses their main mode of transportation," he said after presenting donations to 200 single mothers in conjunction with Chinese New Year on Saturday.

However, the ministry was still waiting for feedback from express bus operators and the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) on the proposal.

Ong also said agencies under the ministry were speeding up the delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians trapped in Gaza. - Bernama

Midnight ban on buses proposed
By TEH ENG HOCK and LESTER KONG

KUALA LUMPUR: Express buses may be banned from the roads after midnight in a bid to improve road safety.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said he was contemplating the proposal which would be presented to the Cabinet after seeking feedback from all stakeholders, including government agencies, bus operators and consumer groups.

He said his ministry had proposed the ban following a research by the Road Safety Department and Malaysian Institute of Road Safety (Miros).

“Many fatal accidents occur at night. Research shows that a human being will encounter mental and physical fatigue after midnight, even if he had had sufficient rest in the day,” he said.

But he said his ministry would have to discuss the proposal further with the relevant agencies, including the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board.

“We do not mean to trouble the bus operators but this is in the interest of passenger safety,” he said after giving out mandarin oranges in conjunction with the Chinese New Year at the Pandan Perdana market.

Miros director-general Prof Dr Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah said the proposal came about because many accidents happened after 2am.

He said the proposal had to go hand-in-hand with the bus operators’ safety, health and environment practices and aimed at creating awareness that sleepy drivers would endanger the lives of passengers.

Bus firms call for care on midnight travel ban
By : Azura Abas


KUALA LUMPUR: Can the existing bus terminals and roads cope with the bigger number of coaches when the night fleet joins the day fleet?

What will happen to the small traders and food operators along the bus routes who benefit from the night trips?

These were among the questions Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association (PMBOA) president Datuk Mohamad Ashfar Ali raised when asked to comment on the proposal to end express bus services at midnight.

"About 40 per cent of our buses leave the stations after 7pm. We operate at night because of the demand from passengers," he told the New Straits Times yesterday.

Ashfar said bus operators had always placed safety on its list of priorities.

In fact, he added, almost all bus operators had implemented the Safety, Health and Environment Code of Practice which sought to promote a more sustainable and vibrant transport industry

"There are ongoing efforts in the industry to enhance safety standards for passengers and bus drivers."

Ashfar said the association would look into the proposal to ban night, and especially midnight, express bus travel before giving its input to the authorities.

On Saturday, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said the proposal by the Road Safety Department and the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety was aimed at reducing accidents as drivers were usually tired at night, despite having adequate rest.

Ong added that most accidents involving express buses were caused by drivers falling asleep at the wheel.

The PMBOA president believes that workable solutions could be found because the relevant authorities, including the Road Safety Department and CommercialVehicle Licensing Board, had adopted a more cooperative and operator-friendly attitude over the past year.

Kenderaan Transnasional Ber-had chairman and managing director Datuk Mohd Nadzmi Salleh said the government must be "very careful" when implementing the proposal.

"This matter can be handled effectively by having a registry of bus drivers so that operators can check the drivers' track records, including the number of traffic offences the drivers may have committed.

"In the long run, only bus drivers with a clean record will be hired and bad drivers will be weeded out of the system," he said, pointing out that the registry was a self-regulating system and would be cheaper to implement compared with enforcement measures.

Tanya penumpang dulu

Oleh HISHAM IDRIS
dan YUSAIRY YUSOF
berita@kosmo.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR – Persatuan Pengusaha Bas Se-Malaysia (PMBOA) menyarankan pihak berkuasa meminta pandangan penumpang terlebih dahulu sebelum membuat keputusan menamatkan perkhidmatan bas ekspres pada waktu malam.

Presidennya, Datuk Mohamad Ashfar Ali berkata, selama ini perkhidmatan untuk perjalanan malam diadakan kerana terdapat permintaan yang tinggi daripada orang ramai.

“Bila ada penumpang yang inginkan perkhidmatan sedemikian, maka pengusaha bas menyediakannya untuk memenuhi permintaan tersebut,” katanya ketika dihubungi Kosmo! semalam.

Kelmarin, Menteri Pengangkutan, Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat memberitahu bahawa kementeriannya sedang mengkaji cadangan untuk memberhentikan perjalanan bas ekspres pada waktu malam.

Menurut Mohamad Ashfar, selain pengguna, beberapa perkara termasuk kemudahan infrastruktur dan impak sosioekonomi perlu dilihat bagi memastikan cadangan itu benar-benar membawa kesan positif.

Bagi pihak pengusaha bas, katanya, ia tidak menjadi masalah untuk hanya beroperasi pada waktu siang hari, namun perkara itu mungkin tidak dapat diterima oleh orang ramai yang memerlukan perkhidmatan tersebut.

Ketika ini dianggarkan lebih 1,000 buah bas ekspres beroperasi pada setiap malam untuk ke pelbagai destinasi di seluruh negara.

Ministry to meet bus and taxi reps


IPOH: The Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Ministry will meet representatives of bus and taxi federations today to discuss a surcharge plan to offset rising costs.

Minister Datuk Noh Omar said his ministry would consider all feedback during the meeting, including those of consumer associations and parent-teacher associations.

Mini bus, express bus and rental car operators have also been invited to the 8.30pm meeting at Medan Mara in Jalan Raja Laut, Kuala Lumpur.

Urging schoolbus operators to be patient, Noh said the ministry would take the results of the discussion to the Cabinet for a decision.

“We want to see their (the operators) requests because they cannot burden the people.

“At the same time, the ministry wants to ensure that the operators do not suffer losses,” he told reporters at the Meru Valley Golf Resort on Sunday.

Noh noted that although the price of fuel had dropped, the cost of spare parts and insurance remained high.

Earlier this month, schoolbus operators reportedly threatened to take a two-week break unless the Government allowed a 30% surcharge or reduced the price of subsidised diesel to RM1 a litre.

The boycott would affect some 800,000 students.

Bas, teksi minta naik tambang 100 peratus


KUALA LUMPUR: Syarikat pengangkutan bas ekspres, bas henti-henti, bas sekolah dan teksi meminta tambang dinaikkan 60 hingga 100 peratus bagi menampung peningkatan kos operasi.

Menteri Pembangunan Usahawan dan Koperasi, Datuk Noh Omar, berkata mereka meminta kerajaan menelitinya kerana kali terakhir tambang pengangkutan awam dinaikkan pada 2005.

“Pertubuhan dan pengusaha bas ekspres, bas henti-henti dan teksi meminta kenaikan 100 peratus, manakala bas sekolah meminta 60 peratus kenaikan. Bagaimanapun mereka menjelaskan ia tidak ada kaitan dengan harga minyak kerana ia tidak memberi kesan kepada pengangkutan awam.



“Ketika tambang dinaikkan pada 2005, harga diesel subsidi adalah 65 sen seliter dan walaupun ia meningkat kepada RM1.43 seliter sekarang, pengusaha masih mampu bertahan dan beroperasi,” katanya selepas majlis perasmian Seminar Pemantapan Imej Pengusaha Teksi Lembah Klang dan penyampaian Surat Tawaran Kelulusan Teksi Lembah Klang (Fasa 1), di Pusat Dagangan Dunia Putra (PWTC) di sini semalam.

Kelmarin, Berita Harian melaporkan kementerian pada dasarnya setuju menaikkan kadar tambang bagi bas ekspres dan bas henti-henti sebanyak 30 peratus dalam tempoh terdekat. Sumber memberitahu kenaikan dipersetujui dalam mesyuarat khas dipengerusikan Noh bersama 33 pihak berkaitan pengangkutan awam pada Selasa lalu.

Noh berkata, antara sebab utama tambang perlu dinaikkan untuk membiaya kos tayar, bateri, alat ganti, insurans, minyak pelincir dan pengurusan.

“Sebelum ini, jika bas ekspres mendapat 35 penumpang pun syarikat sudah boleh mengaut keuntungan, tetapi sekarang walaupun bas penumpang penuh sekali pun, belum tentu mereka untung,” katanya.

Noh berkata, kertas cadangan akan dirangka dalam masa terdekat sebelum dikemukakan ke Kabinet yang seterusnya akan menilai kewajaran kenaikan yang dicadangkan.

“Kerajaan akan mencari penyelesaian dengan mengambil kira kebajikan rakyat dan memastikan pengusaha tidak terus rugi kerana sudah ada syarikat gagal menjelaskan pinjaman akibat kenaikan kos operasi,” katanya.

New bus and taxi fares by April


KUALA LUMPUR: New bus and taxi fares are expected to be announced in the first quarter of the year after taking into consideration the needs of passengers and public transportation operators.

Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board chairman Datuk Markiman Kobiran said the proposed fares had been submitted to the Entre- preneur and Cooperatives Deve- lopment Ministry earlier this month.

“(The minister) Datuk Noh Omar will get feedback from the Transport Ministry, Finance Ministry and the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry before tabling it to the Cabinet next month,” he told Bernama yesterday.

He was commenting on the date for revising public transportation fares following a drop in fuel prices and other factors that triggered an increase in fares.

“The approach used in the proposal is how to increase the quality of public transportation services through the revision of fares and focusing on customer satisfaction.

“We are not forgetting bus and taxi operators because the last fare revision was done in 2005,” said Markiman, referring to the time when subsidised diesel cost 65 sen a litre, compared to RM1.43 now.

Bak dalam pesawat

Oleh ADHAM SHADAN
adham.shadan@kosmo.com.my

Bas ekspres eksklusif Suasana Edaran banyak menerapkan unsur perkhidmatan dalam pesawat. Mahu mencubanya?



http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/pix/2009/0129/Kosmo/Rencana_Utama/ru_01.1.jpg
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'TUAN-TUAN dan puan-puan, selamat datang diucapkan kepada semua. Anda kini bersama-sama kami di dalam kenderaan berplat KFC6 ke Singapura. Diharapkan anda memiliki dokumen perjalanan yang sah dan untuk keselamatan, sila pastikan anda memakai tali pinggang keledar di tempat duduk anda. Selamat jalan dan terima kasih," ujar satu suara pengumuman yang amat sinonim di pendengaran mereka yang sering berkelana di awan biru.

Namun, apabila menjenguk ke luar tingkap, bukan kepulan awan putih yang kelihatan sebaliknya deretan bangunan. Anda bukan berada di landasan pesawat lapangan terbang. Sebaliknya di dalam perut sebuah bas di perhentian bas, mungkin di hentian Puduraya!

Barangkali begitulah situasinya apabila unsur-unsur perkhidmatan dalam pesawat diterapkan dalam sebuah bas. Konsep menarik yang dinamakan 'penerbangan darat' itu telah pun sedia untuk dinikmati dalam perkhidmatan sesetengah bas ekspres masa kini.


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"KANAN: SETIAP kerusinya merupakan kerusi urut dengan getaran.
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ATAS KIRI: KRU kabin melayan keperluan penumpang sepanjang perjalanan.
BAWAH KIRI: SEBAGAI kru kabin yang terlatih, Intan Faziatul Izani bukan saja menyediakan makan minum penumpang, malah perlu bijak mengendalikan sebarang masalah.">
Duduk di dalam bas, anda disapa kru kabin persis pramugari dan pramugara yang bertugas di awanan. Apabila tiba waktu makan, dulang dikeluarkan dari sisi kerusi anda. Makanan dihidangkan dan anda menikmati sajian sambil melihat panorama lebuh raya.

Apabila anda mengalami masalah atau inginkan sesuatu, tekan sahaja butang panggilan yang terletak di atas kepala. Sebagai contoh, jika anda mahukan selimut, kru kabin akan mendapatkan selimut untuk anda. Keadaan dalam bas saling tak tumpah seperti dalam pesawat.


Kosmo! berkesempatan meninjau keadaan dalam bas ekspres dua tingkat Suasana Edaran Sdn. Bhd. yang menawarkan perkhidmatan tersebut, baru-baru ini.

Dengan kecanggihan unsur LCD personalization atau hiburan peribadi untuk setiap penumpang, ia adalah syarikat bas bumiputera yang menyediakan perkhidmatan seumpamanya yang boleh dianggap berkelas tertinggi. Perkhidmatan seperti itu terlebih dahulu lebih banyak dipelopori oleh syarikat Singapura.

Dalam suasana serba moden hari ini, kewujudan perkhidmatan seperti itu dialu-alukan. Apatah lagi, masyarakat hari ini cukup menitikberatkan keselesaan dan keselamatan.

"Dua perkara inilah yang menjadi teras perkhidmatan kami. Selain itu, ia juga sebagai usaha untuk memberikan persaingan dan menawarkan kelainan berbanding bas-bas biasa," kata Pengurus Operasi dan Sumber Manusia Suasana Edaran, Zulkifli Sulaiman.


"Ia juga bersesuaian dengan usaha kerajaan untuk menggalakkan penggunaan kenderaan awam. Mungkin ramai yang tidak tahu, ada bas ekspres kini yang betul-betul canggih," tambahnya sambil memberitahu perkhidmatan itu baru ditawarkan oleh syarikat berkenaan sejak September lalu.

Namun, merealisasikan penerbangan darat juga ada cabarannya yang tersendiri. Jika penerbangan udara terdedah kepada risiko seperti cuaca buruk atau sistem komunikasi terganggu akibat penggunaan alat elektronik, perkhidmatan tersebut juga ada cabarannya.

Jalan darat yang lurus, bersimpang siur dan tidak rata sedikit sebanyak menyukarkan proses penyediaan makan dan minum. Itulah sebabnya kebanyakan syarikat bas memilih menyajikan makanan ketika di lebuh raya yang lurus.

"Dalam keadaan ini, pernah berlaku air tertumpah. Ia amat berbeza dengan penerbangan udara yang perjalanannya lancar," kata kru kabin bas, Intan Faziatul Izani, 23. Dia berpakaian seragam berwarna merah umpama seorang pramugari.

"Pernah juga ketika menuruni anak tangga dari tingkat atas ke tingkat bawah bas, saya terjatuh apabila bas berhenti. Tetapi, ia jarang berlaku," katanya yang sudah tiga tahun berkhidmat sebagai kru kabin bas. Sebelum ini, dia berkhidmat dengan sebuah bas lain.

Seorang lagi kru kabin, Ramli Osman, 31, berkata, faktor bas yang berjalan di atas jalan raya turut membangkitkan cabaran buatnya sebagai pramugara bas.


http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/pix/2009/0129/Kosmo/Rencana_Utama/ru_01.5.jpg
"TEMPAT menyimpan bagasi."

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


"Yalah, bas berjalan, boleh berhenti. Kalau kapal terbang, takkan hendak berhenti atas udara? Bila boleh berhenti, kerenahnya mestilah lebih banyak. Selalu jugalah saya terpaksa mencari penumpang yang 'hilang' apabila singgah di tempat persinggahan," katanya.

"Kami juga biasanya hanya bertugas berseorangan dalam satu perjalanan. Jadi, apa sahaja yang berlaku perlu ditangani sendiri," katanya.

Sebab itulah, pihak bas sendiri biasanya akan mengadakan latihan simulasi untuk melatih para kru kabin sekiranya mereka berdepan dengan sebarang masalah.

Untuk mengelak bas daripada mengalami hentakan apabila bas melalui jalan tidak rata, bas dilengkapi dengan sistem belon udara untuk menyesuaikan keadaan jalan. Bas juga tidak berhenti menggunakan brek sebaliknya cenderung menggunakan retarder yang mengurangkan kesan inersia.

Satu lagi cabaran perkhidmatan tersebut ialah persepsi orang ramai.

"Apabila orang tengok sahaja bas canggih seperti ini, orang akan cepat kata, wah tentu mahal, tak naklah naik, sedangkan harganya berpatutan dan lebih murah," kata pemilik merangkap pengarah urusan Edaran Suasana, Hasri Hassan. Sebagai contoh katanya, syarikat Hasri hanya menawarkan tambang bas pada kadar RM55 untuk ke Pulau Pinang, jauh lebih murah daripada yang ditetapkan oleh kerajaan iaitu RM81.40 bagi bas kategori eksekutif ke Pulau Pinang.


http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/pix/2009/0129/Kosmo/Rencana_Utama/ru_01.6.jpg
"PAPARAN LCD dengan 128 seleksi permainan video."

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


Lebih menarik, ada bas yang menawarkan sesuatu yang lebih hebat daripada kapal terbang sendiri.

Bas dua tingkat dan high decker Suasana Edaran itu dilengkapi dengan kemudahan canggih. Setiap kerusinya merupakan kerusi urut dengan getaran. Setiap kerusi juga mempunyai satu paparan LCD dengan empat pilihan filem dan 128 seleksi permainan video. Set kepala (headphone) turut disediakan.

Setiap tempat duduk dilengkapi dengan pencucuh plag. Jadi anda mempunyai tempat untuk mengecas gajet telefon bimbit atau komputer riba anda. Terdapat juga lampu untuk membaca pada waktu malam. Pengguna bas, Noor Iskandar berkata, menaiki bas itu lebih baik daripada menaiki pesawat.

"Sangat selesa. Kerusinya pun besar. Kerusi kapal terbang pun tak sebesar itu.

Banyak aktiviti yang boleh dilakukan sepanjang perjalanan. Ada 128 permainan video untuk dimainkan. Hendak tidur pun selesa. Selimut ada, bantal pun besar. Lima jam perjalanan ke Singapura seakan tak terasa," katanya.

Seorang lagi pengguna, Aidil Daniel berkata, ada peristiwa lucu yang berlaku dalam satu perjalanan.

"Kalau dulu, satu bas ada satu TV dan semua orang tonton cerita yang sama. Tapi dalam bas ini, saya tonton filem lain, orang lain tonton filem lain. Masing-masing ada TV sendiri. Ada satu ketika, saya terdengar penumpang di depan saya menjerit, rupa-rupanya dia tengok cerita hantu," katanya yang menyifatkan bas ini seperti bas gajet.

Mendengar keseronokan yang ditawarkan, barangkali ada yang sudah mencongak-congak mahu naik kapal terbang, pandu sendiri atau menaiki bas.

Mula bisnes sejak usia 18 tahun

PEMILIK dan pengusaha bas Suasana Edaran, Hasri Hassan, 42, seorang yang cekal dalam bisnes pengangkutan.

Seawal usia 18 tahun, Hasri sudah miliki empat buah treler untuk melakukan kerja-kerja mengangkut barang seperti untuk pindah rumah. Perniagaan tersebut dimulakan atas inisiatifnya sendiri dengan sebahagian duit modal bapanya.

Tiga tahun selepas itu, dia mula menceburi bidang teksi dan memiliki sejumlah teksi lapangan terbang dan limo hotel Shangri La. Dia turut menjadi pemandu teksi.


http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/pix/2009/0129/Kosmo/Rencana_Utama/ru_01.7.jpg
"HASRI HASSAN sanggup turun padang menjadi pemandu jika kakitangannya tidak mencukupi."

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


Kemudian, dia memulakan perniagaan bas sekolah diikuti bas kampus di Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) dan Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI). Dua tahun lalu, syarikat Suasana Edaran ditubuhkan dan mula beroperasi bagi laluan KL-Seremban-KL.

Bermula September tahun lalu, ia membuka langkah dengan menceburi pasaran laluan kompetitif KL-Singapura-KL dan KL-Pulau Pinang-KL. Perkhidmatan bas bagi dua laluan tersebut melibatkan bas dua tingkat dan high decker.

“Jika bisnes melibat sesebuah pengangkutan menghadapi kegagalan atau masalah, jangan putus asa, sebaliknya cuba teroka bisnes pengangkutan baru. Dalam bisnes bagi saya yang penting ialah kita perlu buktikan apa yang kita katakan,” kata Hasri merendah diri.

Pekerjanya juga memberitahu, Hasri juga seorang yang berjiwa pekerja. Dia sanggup turun padang menjadi pemandu apabila kakitangannya tidak mencukupi.

Satu lagi ciri bas-bas Suasana Edaran yang begitu akrab dengan Hasri sebagai pemiliknya ialah nombor platnya yang menggunakan nombor enam. Enam dianggap sebagai angka tuah Hasri kerana dia dilahirkan pada tahun 1966.

Bas satu tingkatnya berangka 6666, manakala bas high decker berangka 66 dan bas dua tingkat 6.

Additional Routes Bring RM3 Million Income Boost For Sani Express Bus Company




KUALA TERENGGANU, March 6 (Bernama) -- Sani United Sdn Bhd (SUSB), operator of Sani Express bus company, is upbeat of a RM15 million additional income following permission to ply four northern routes.

Chief Executive Officer Sani Salleh said the higher RM3 million income this year from RM12 million last year is expected to come from opening of new routes -- Shah Alam or Kuala Lumpur, Sungai Petani, Alor Setar and Kangar beginning June.

Previously, the company only runs east coast routes between Kuala Lumpur or Shah Alam, Kuantan, Kuala Terengganu and Kota Baharu, he said.

"With the opening of the northern routes, the company looks forward for extra income, with the use of 25 Sweden-made double-decker buses equipped with hi-tech sophisticated facilities to detect defects.

"The buses can meet the growing demand of passengers," he told reporters after attending the company's third anniversary celebrations and handing of "Queen of Sales" prize here today.

Sani said the global economic slowdown gave a reversed business environment to his company as passengers who enjoyed flying to Kuala Lumpur or other destinations now preferred travelling on express buses as it was cheaper.

"So far, my company is not facing any problems in coping with the economic malaise, but our passengers are increasing, more so with our company stressing on passengers' travel comfort and safety," he said.

Moving forward, Sani United proposed to expand the service network to the southern region next year, he said.

Sani said the company will also have a new head office complex "Sani Express Centre" at Section 16 in Shah Alam in place of the old headquarters in Ampang.

The RM17 million one-storey building on a 0.4ha site was a former factory that had been turned into a one-stop centre with multipurpose facilities.

He said among them are a training centre, workshop, hostel, administrative office and a hall.

The complex, slated for operations in May, can accommodate 20 buses at a time, he added.

-- BERNAMA

by ermalene_01
http://www.flickr.com/photos/len-je/3489056090/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3403/3489056090_80c6175b84_b.jpg

Bak dalam pesawat
Oleh ADHAM SHADAN
adham.shadan@kosmo.com.my

Bas ekspres eksklusif Suasana Edaran banyak menerapkan unsur perkhidmatan dalam pesawat. Mahu mencubanya?

http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/pix/2009/0129/Kosmo/Rencana_Utama/ru_01.1.jpg
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'TUAN-TUAN dan puan-puan, selamat datang diucapkan kepada semua. Anda kini bersama-sama kami di dalam kenderaan berplat KFC6 ke Singapura. Diharapkan anda memiliki dokumen perjalanan yang sah dan untuk keselamatan, sila pastikan anda memakai tali pinggang keledar di tempat duduk anda. Selamat jalan dan terima kasih," ujar satu suara pengumuman yang amat sinonim di pendengaran mereka yang sering berkelana di awan biru.

Namun, apabila menjenguk ke luar tingkap, bukan kepulan awan putih yang kelihatan sebaliknya deretan bangunan. Anda bukan berada di landasan pesawat lapangan terbang. Sebaliknya di dalam perut sebuah bas di perhentian bas, mungkin di hentian Puduraya!

Barangkali begitulah situasinya apabila unsur-unsur perkhidmatan dalam pesawat diterapkan dalam sebuah bas. Konsep menarik yang dinamakan 'penerbangan darat' itu telah pun sedia untuk dinikmati dalam perkhidmatan sesetengah bas ekspres masa kini.


http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/pix/2009/0129/Kosmo/Rencana_Utama/ru_01.2.jpg
"KANAN: SETIAP kerusinya merupakan kerusi urut dengan getaran.
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ATAS KIRI: KRU kabin melayan keperluan penumpang sepanjang perjalanan.
BAWAH KIRI: SEBAGAI kru kabin yang terlatih, Intan Faziatul Izani bukan saja menyediakan makan minum penumpang, malah perlu bijak mengendalikan sebarang masalah.">
Duduk di dalam bas, anda disapa kru kabin persis pramugari dan pramugara yang bertugas di awanan. Apabila tiba waktu makan, dulang dikeluarkan dari sisi kerusi anda. Makanan dihidangkan dan anda menikmati sajian sambil melihat panorama lebuh raya.

Apabila anda mengalami masalah atau inginkan sesuatu, tekan sahaja butang panggilan yang terletak di atas kepala. Sebagai contoh, jika anda mahukan selimut, kru kabin akan mendapatkan selimut untuk anda. Keadaan dalam bas saling tak tumpah seperti dalam pesawat.


Kosmo! berkesempatan meninjau keadaan dalam bas ekspres dua tingkat Suasana Edaran Sdn. Bhd. yang menawarkan perkhidmatan tersebut, baru-baru ini.

Dengan kecanggihan unsur LCD personalization atau hiburan peribadi untuk setiap penumpang, ia adalah syarikat bas bumiputera yang menyediakan perkhidmatan seumpamanya yang boleh dianggap berkelas tertinggi. Perkhidmatan seperti itu terlebih dahulu lebih banyak dipelopori oleh syarikat Singapura.

Dalam suasana serba moden hari ini, kewujudan perkhidmatan seperti itu dialu-alukan. Apatah lagi, masyarakat hari ini cukup menitikberatkan keselesaan dan keselamatan.

"Dua perkara inilah yang menjadi teras perkhidmatan kami. Selain itu, ia juga sebagai usaha untuk memberikan persaingan dan menawarkan kelainan berbanding bas-bas biasa," kata Pengurus Operasi dan Sumber Manusia Suasana Edaran, Zulkifli Sulaiman.


"Ia juga bersesuaian dengan usaha kerajaan untuk menggalakkan penggunaan kenderaan awam. Mungkin ramai yang tidak tahu, ada bas ekspres kini yang betul-betul canggih," tambahnya sambil memberitahu perkhidmatan itu baru ditawarkan oleh syarikat berkenaan sejak September lalu.

Namun, merealisasikan penerbangan darat juga ada cabarannya yang tersendiri. Jika penerbangan udara terdedah kepada risiko seperti cuaca buruk atau sistem komunikasi terganggu akibat penggunaan alat elektronik, perkhidmatan tersebut juga ada cabarannya.

Jalan darat yang lurus, bersimpang siur dan tidak rata sedikit sebanyak menyukarkan proses penyediaan makan dan minum. Itulah sebabnya kebanyakan syarikat bas memilih menyajikan makanan ketika di lebuh raya yang lurus.

"Dalam keadaan ini, pernah berlaku air tertumpah. Ia amat berbeza dengan penerbangan udara yang perjalanannya lancar," kata kru kabin bas, Intan Faziatul Izani, 23. Dia berpakaian seragam berwarna merah umpama seorang pramugari.

"Pernah juga ketika menuruni anak tangga dari tingkat atas ke tingkat bawah bas, saya terjatuh apabila bas berhenti. Tetapi, ia jarang berlaku," katanya yang sudah tiga tahun berkhidmat sebagai kru kabin bas. Sebelum ini, dia berkhidmat dengan sebuah bas lain.

Seorang lagi kru kabin, Ramli Osman, 31, berkata, faktor bas yang berjalan di atas jalan raya turut membangkitkan cabaran buatnya sebagai pramugara bas.


http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/pix/2009/0129/Kosmo/Rencana_Utama/ru_01.5.jpg
"TEMPAT menyimpan bagasi."

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


"Yalah, bas berjalan, boleh berhenti. Kalau kapal terbang, takkan hendak berhenti atas udara? Bila boleh berhenti, kerenahnya mestilah lebih banyak. Selalu jugalah saya terpaksa mencari penumpang yang 'hilang' apabila singgah di tempat persinggahan," katanya.

"Kami juga biasanya hanya bertugas berseorangan dalam satu perjalanan. Jadi, apa sahaja yang berlaku perlu ditangani sendiri," katanya.

Sebab itulah, pihak bas sendiri biasanya akan mengadakan latihan simulasi untuk melatih para kru kabin sekiranya mereka berdepan dengan sebarang masalah.

Untuk mengelak bas daripada mengalami hentakan apabila bas melalui jalan tidak rata, bas dilengkapi dengan sistem belon udara untuk menyesuaikan keadaan jalan. Bas juga tidak berhenti menggunakan brek sebaliknya cenderung menggunakan retarder yang mengurangkan kesan inersia.

Satu lagi cabaran perkhidmatan tersebut ialah persepsi orang ramai.

"Apabila orang tengok sahaja bas canggih seperti ini, orang akan cepat kata, wah tentu mahal, tak naklah naik, sedangkan harganya berpatutan dan lebih murah," kata pemilik merangkap pengarah urusan Edaran Suasana, Hasri Hassan. Sebagai contoh katanya, syarikat Hasri hanya menawarkan tambang bas pada kadar RM55 untuk ke Pulau Pinang, jauh lebih murah daripada yang ditetapkan oleh kerajaan iaitu RM81.40 bagi bas kategori eksekutif ke Pulau Pinang.


http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/pix/2009/0129/Kosmo/Rencana_Utama/ru_01.6.jpg
"PAPARAN LCD dengan 128 seleksi permainan video."

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


Lebih menarik, ada bas yang menawarkan sesuatu yang lebih hebat daripada kapal terbang sendiri.

Bas dua tingkat dan high decker Suasana Edaran itu dilengkapi dengan kemudahan canggih. Setiap kerusinya merupakan kerusi urut dengan getaran. Setiap kerusi juga mempunyai satu paparan LCD dengan empat pilihan filem dan 128 seleksi permainan video. Set kepala (headphone) turut disediakan.

Setiap tempat duduk dilengkapi dengan pencucuh plag. Jadi anda mempunyai tempat untuk mengecas gajet telefon bimbit atau komputer riba anda. Terdapat juga lampu untuk membaca pada waktu malam. Pengguna bas, Noor Iskandar berkata, menaiki bas itu lebih baik daripada menaiki pesawat.

"Sangat selesa. Kerusinya pun besar. Kerusi kapal terbang pun tak sebesar itu.

Banyak aktiviti yang boleh dilakukan sepanjang perjalanan. Ada 128 permainan video untuk dimainkan. Hendak tidur pun selesa. Selimut ada, bantal pun besar. Lima jam perjalanan ke Singapura seakan tak terasa," katanya.

Seorang lagi pengguna, Aidil Daniel berkata, ada peristiwa lucu yang berlaku dalam satu perjalanan.

"Kalau dulu, satu bas ada satu TV dan semua orang tonton cerita yang sama. Tapi dalam bas ini, saya tonton filem lain, orang lain tonton filem lain. Masing-masing ada TV sendiri. Ada satu ketika, saya terdengar penumpang di depan saya menjerit, rupa-rupanya dia tengok cerita hantu," katanya yang menyifatkan bas ini seperti bas gajet.

Mendengar keseronokan yang ditawarkan, barangkali ada yang sudah mencongak-congak mahu naik kapal terbang, pandu sendiri atau menaiki bas.

Mula bisnes sejak usia 18 tahun

PEMILIK dan pengusaha bas Suasana Edaran, Hasri Hassan, 42, seorang yang cekal dalam bisnes pengangkutan.

Seawal usia 18 tahun, Hasri sudah miliki empat buah treler untuk melakukan kerja-kerja mengangkut barang seperti untuk pindah rumah. Perniagaan tersebut dimulakan atas inisiatifnya sendiri dengan sebahagian duit modal bapanya.

Tiga tahun selepas itu, dia mula menceburi bidang teksi dan memiliki sejumlah teksi lapangan terbang dan limo hotel Shangri La. Dia turut menjadi pemandu teksi.


http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/pix/2009/0129/Kosmo/Rencana_Utama/ru_01.7.jpg
"HASRI HASSAN sanggup turun padang menjadi pemandu jika kakitangannya tidak mencukupi."

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


Kemudian, dia memulakan perniagaan bas sekolah diikuti bas kampus di Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) dan Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI). Dua tahun lalu, syarikat Suasana Edaran ditubuhkan dan mula beroperasi bagi laluan KL-Seremban-KL.

Bermula September tahun lalu, ia membuka langkah dengan menceburi pasaran laluan kompetitif KL-Singapura-KL dan KL-Pulau Pinang-KL. Perkhidmatan bas bagi dua laluan tersebut melibatkan bas dua tingkat dan high decker.

“Jika bisnes melibat sesebuah pengangkutan menghadapi kegagalan atau masalah, jangan putus asa, sebaliknya cuba teroka bisnes pengangkutan baru. Dalam bisnes bagi saya yang penting ialah kita perlu buktikan apa yang kita katakan,” kata Hasri merendah diri.

Pekerjanya juga memberitahu, Hasri juga seorang yang berjiwa pekerja. Dia sanggup turun padang menjadi pemandu apabila kakitangannya tidak mencukupi.

Satu lagi ciri bas-bas Suasana Edaran yang begitu akrab dengan Hasri sebagai pemiliknya ialah nombor platnya yang menggunakan nombor enam. Enam dianggap sebagai angka tuah Hasri kerana dia dilahirkan pada tahun 1966.

Bas satu tingkatnya berangka 6666, manakala bas high decker berangka 66 dan bas dua tingkat 6.

GREAT!!! :cheers:

Tambang baru bas, teksi diumum bulan depan


KUALA LUMPUR: Kadar tambang baru bas dan teksi dijangka diumumkan bulan depan selepas semakan dibawa ke perhatian Kabinet, akhir bulan ini.

Pengerusi Lembaga Pelesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan (LPKP), Datuk Markiman Kobiran, berkata kadar tambang baru itu membabitkan bas henti-henti, bas ekspres, bas pengantara dan bas sekolah selain teksi serta kereta sewa.

"Kita menunggu maklum balas Kementerian Pengangkutan dan Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna sebelum semakan dibawa ke Kabinet akhir bulan ini," katanya kepada Bernama semalam.



Katanya, kajian semakan tambang telah dibawa kepada perhatian Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz pada 7 Mei lalu, tetapi enggan menyatakan peratus kenaikan.

Sebelum ini, kerajaan dilaporkan bersetuju pada dasarnya memberi kenaikan 30 peratus bagi meringankan beban pengusaha pengangkutan awam termasuk surcaj 30 peratus tambang bas ekspres yang dikekalkan sehingga hari ini.

Higher taxi and bus rates to go before Cabinet


KUALA KANGSAR: New bus and taxi fares will be presented to the Cabinet for approval next week, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz.

He said the new fares would cover taxis and express, feeder, school and standard bus services.

“I have studied and approved the proposal by the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board. I have to get feedback from all ministries before presenting it to the Cabinet,” he told reporters in Kati near here yesterday.

Nazri, however, declined to reveal the quantum of increase as it involved many sectors but said it would not burden the people.

“We will always consider the interest of operators and consumers before deciding. How can we expect good service if the operators can’t make money?” he asked.

The Government was said to have agreed to a 30% increase although the operators had asked for a 60% to 100% rise.

He said the Cabinet could only discuss the new fares next week (early June) as it had other pressing matters on the agenda including that on the Port Klang Free Zone. — Bernama

Kenaikan tambang ke Kabinet minggu depan
KUALA KANGSAR 25 Mei - Kertas cadangan kenaikan tambang pengangkutan awam akan dikemukakan ke Kabinet minggu depan, kata Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz.

"Kertas cadangan itu telah diluluskan Lembaga Pelesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan (LPKP) dan saya sendiri melihat serta menandatanganinya minggu lalu sebelum diserahkan kepada kementerian lain," katanya di sini semalam.

Beliau ditemui selepas merasmikan Kempen Bumi Hijau anjuran Biro Pertanian UMNO Padang Rengas di Sekolah Menengah Temenggong Kati.

Menurut Mohamed Nazri, kenaikan tambang itu akan melibatkan semua pengangkutan awam termasuk bas dan teksi.

"Kita mahu berlaku adil dan ingin melihat perkhidmatan pengangkutan awam lebih bertanggungjawab dan dapat berkhidmat dengan sebaik mungkin kepada pelanggan.

"Kenaikan ini bergantung kepada sektor dan jenis perkhidmatan yang diberi bukannya secara purata berdasarkan suasana setempat. Misalnya Kuala Lumpur tidak sama dengan di Pulau Pinang," katanya.

Beliau menyatakan, keputusan tentang tambang tersebut bergantung kepada Kabinet setelah mendapat pandangan daripada semua pihak.

"Kenaikan ini juga akan mengambil kira soal menjaga kepentingan semua pihak termasuk operator, pemandu dan pengguna," katanya.

Tambang pengangkutan wajar naik

KUALA LUMPUR 25 Mei - Langkah kerajaan mengkaji semula kadar tambang pengangkutan awam di negara ini disifatkan oleh pengusaha terlibat sebagai tindakan yang wajar kerana kadar sedia ada tidak dapat menampung kos operasi mereka.

Presiden Persatuan Pengusaha Teksi dan Kereta Sewa Wilayah Persekutuan dan Selangor (Perkepli), Datuk Aslah Abdullah berkata, kadar kenaikan itu munasabah kerana ia mampu mengurangkan beban pengusaha perkhidmatan.

"Sebelum ini pemandu teksi mengenakan tambang sebanyak RM2 untuk dua kilometer pertama tetapi kadar baru mungkin sebanyak RM3.

"Walaupun kenaikan yang diberi masih belum mencapai 30 peratus seperti diminta oleh persatuan, ia sedikit sebanyak mampu mengurangkan beban kami," katanya ketika dihubungi Utusan Malaysia di sini hari ini.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas kenyataan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz mengenai kertas cadangan kenaikan tambang pengangkutan awam yang dijangka diumumkan oleh LPKP seperti dilaporkan akhbar hari ini.

Mohamed Nazri berkata, kadar baru itu hanya akan dikuatkuasakan selepas mendapat kelulusan Kebinet.

Sementara itu, Presiden Persatuan Pengusaha Bas seluruh Malaysia (PMBOA), Datuk Mohamad Ashfar Ali berkata, kenaikan tersebut sememangnya amat dinanti-nantikan.

"Meskipun kenaikan ini akan memberi sedikit bebanan kepada penguna, mereka perlu bersikap positif.

"Situasi ini tidak akan berlaku sekiranya kerajaan dapat mengurangkan harga diesel sekurang-kurangnya RM1 seliter atau memberikan subsidi kepada pengusaha bas," ujarnya.

Beliau bagaimanapun enggan mengulas lanjut kerana perkara itu masih kabur dan belum ada pengesahan daripada kerajaan.

Had laju bas ekspres, henti-henti 90 km sejam
Oleh Shaarani Ismail
shaarani@bharian.com.my




Bagi kurangkan kemalangan babitkan kenderaan awam

KUALA TERENGGANU: Kerajaan mungkin mewajibkan pengusaha bas ekspres dan henti-henti mengikat kelajuan kenderaan supaya tidak lebih 90 kilometer sejam bagi mengurangkan kemalangan membabitkan kenderaan awam kerana dipandu laju.

Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz, berkata langkah itu sudah pun dilaksanakan di beberapa negara maju seperti Jepun dan beberapa negara Eropah, termasuk Jerman.



"Pengalaman saya di beberapa negara maju mendapati bas ekspres dan bas henti-henti hanya mempunyai kelajuan maksimum 90 kilometer sejam dan dipandu di lorong ketiga serta tidak mengganggu kenderaan lain.

"Di negara ini, sering kita lihat bas ekspres memecut laju dan keadaan ini sudah tentu menakut dan membahayakan pengguna jalan raya terutama apabila ia membabitkan bas dua tingkat," katanya selepas menyampaikan surat kelulusan kereta sewa kepada 73 pemandu kereta sewa seluruh Terengganu di sini, semalam.

Hadir sama, Pengerusi Lembaga Pelesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan (LPKP), Datuk Markiman Kobiran.

Nazri berkata, walaupun sebelum ini pelbagai kaedah dan cara sudah dilaksanakan kerajaan untuk memastikan pemandu bas ekspres mematuhi peraturan had laju yang ditetapkan, termasuk pemasangan kotak hitam dan pemantauan menggunakan sistem kedudukan global (GPS), namun ia tidak berkesan.

Sehubungan itu, Nazri berkata, mengikat dan mengehadkan kelajuan maksimum bas pada 90 kilometer sejam adalah antara tiga cadangan dikemukakan kepada Kabinet untuk pertimbangan sebelum dilaksanakan.

Katanya, dua lagi cadangan adalah mewujudkan sekolah memandu pengangkutan awam yang diuruskan kerajaan bagi memastikan latihan diberikan kepada bakal pemandu bas dan kenderaan awam serta penubuhan Suruhanjaya Kebangsaan Pengangkutan Awam.

Nazri berkata, penubuhan institusi itu yang akan menyediakan latihan dan kursus pemanduan kenderaan awam, adalah sebahagian rumusan jangka panjang bagi meningkatkan profesionalisme pemandu.

Taxi and bus fares up soon
By TEH ENG HOCK

KUALA LUMPUR: Taxi and bus passengers will be forking out between 30% and 50% more for their trips when fares are raised soon – and it could be as early as next month.

With the increase, a 10km taxi ride will cost more than RM10 instead of the current RM8, and even more should they be caught in a traffic jam.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz told reporters after hosting a dialogue with taxi operators and associations in the Klang Valley that a memorandum on the fare increase had been circulated to all ministries for their feedback.

The increase would encompass fares for taxis and stage, express and schoolbuses, he said.

Nazri said the starting fare for taxis would increase from RM2 to RM3 for the first kilometre and from 10 sen to 13 sen for every subsequent 150m.

He said that when a taxi was stationary, such as during a traffic jam, the proposed rate was 13 sen for every 27 seconds, more than a 100% increase from the 10 sen for every 45 seconds.

Although Nazri declined to reveal the proposed fare increase for buses, sources indicated that the rise would be around 30%.

It is also understood that despite Nazri saying that he would table the proposal to the Cabinet only after receiving feedback from the ministries, the matter could be decided this month.

At the dialogue, taxi operators and associations also told Nazri that they had problems buying insurance for their vehicles as the firms did not want to sell them policies.

“I have spoken to the minister in charge of the Economic Planning Unit Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop and proposed that instead of a full liability plan, the Insurance Act should be amended to allow for limited liability.

“Currently, insurance companies collect RM400mil a year in premiums, but the claims come up to about RM2bil. Maybe we can limit them to RM5,000 or RM10,000,” he said.

Fare hike to stay, says Nazri


SEREMBAN: The Government has allowed the 30% surcharge imposed by express bus operators during last year’s Hari Raya to become part of a permanent fare increase.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said the actual fare hike to be announced by the government later would be “most minimal”, over and above the 30% surcharge .

The surcharge was initially approved by the government for only one month during the Hari Raya period, but express bus operators were allowed to continue charging the increased fare indefinitely after an appeal to the government.

He said that since the 30% surcharge had never been retracted, the government could not allow another hike in quick succession.

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2009/6/10/nation/n_08cabbies.jpg
Women cabbies: (From left) M. Meenambal, 45, Kamisah Mohamed Din, 49, and Chiang Quee Lian, 45, looking at their taxi permits given by Nazri at a ceremony in Seremban Tuesday. — Bernama

Citing an example, he said the one-way bus fare on the Seremban-Kuala Lumpur route which used to be RM4.70 before the surcharge, was increased to RM6 during the Hari Raya period. The increased fare has not been lowered since.

“When we announce the next round of fare increase, the new fare will be slightly higher, say around RM6.10 or RM6.20,” he told reporters after handing over taxi permits to 73 individuals from the state here.

Nazri said the Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board was in the final stages of coming up with the new fare structure for buses and taxies.

“We are getting feedback from the relevant ministries and once this is done, I will get the final approval from the Cabinet before announcing it,” he said.

On a separate matter, Nazri warned bus and taxi operators not to employ foreigners as drivers.

He said those found guilty would be slapped with a RM300 compound each.

“I have friends who tell me that they are greeted with “nak ke mana pak” (where do you wish to go Sir) by Indonesian taxi drivers at KLIA.

“We also have Pakistani cabbies driving around Kuala Lumpur who do not even know where KLCC is,” he added.

Students may get travel discounts


SERI KEMBANGAN: The Government will study the viability of a transport discount card for students.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said several agencies would be asked to look into this as it had a big implication.

“The students asked the Government to consider a discount card as they find transportation costs a burden,” he told reporters after a two-hour closed door meeting with the National Students Consultative Council.

Muhyiddin, who is Education Minister, said the students had pointed out that other countries offered such discounts.

He also said the National Defence University of Malaysia had been given the mandate to head research into several non-traditional security issues.

“This matter, which was brought up by the consultative council, shows our students are aware of the country’s overall security,” he said.

The university, he said , would work with other agencies on various aspects, including food security and social safety.

On another matter, Muhyiddin said the Government had agreed to the establishment of a National Women Students Council that would be coordinated by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.

He said the consultative council had presented five working papers on various issues including the state of schools in Sabah and the transformation of the Malaysian economy.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin who was also present, said the council which was established in 1999, was an opportunity for the Government to hold dialogues with students.

A total of 180 students from 20 public and 26 private higher education institutions attended the meeting.

Tukar surcaj 30 peratus jadi tambang
SEREMBAN - Pengenalan surcaj minyak sebanyak 30 peratus bagi perkhidmatan bas yang dilaksanakan sejak musim perayaan tahun lepas, akan dikekalkan dalam bentuk kenaikan tambang.

Ia sekali gus bermakna jika kerajaan meluluskan kenaikan tambang bas selepas ini, amaunnya lebih kecil iaitu pada kadar 10 sen atau 20 sen sahaja.

Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz berkata, permintaan pengusaha bas untuk kenaikan tambang lebih tinggi tidak akan dilayan.

"Jika dulu tiket bas dari Seremban ke Kuala Lumpur sebanyak RM4.70 dan kemudian ditambah surcaj RM1.30, selepas ini jika ada kenaikan lagi penumpang tetap membayar harga yang sama iaitu RM6," katanya di sini semalam.

Tambang bas biasa, ekspres naik 10 sen
Oleh Ziauddin Sharuddin
zia@bharian.com.my




Ganti surcaj 30 peratus pada musim perayaan

SEREMBAN: Surcaj 30 peratus bagi bas henti-henti dan ekspres yang dilaksanakan pada musim perayaan tahun lalu akan ditukarkan kepada kenaikan tambang, kata Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.

Sehubungan itu, katanya, kadar kenaikan tambang bas henti-henti dan ekspres yang akan diumumkan tidak lama lagi hanya menyaksikan kenaikan 10 sen atau tiada sebarang perbezaan.



Sebagai contoh, katanya, kadar tambang bas dari Seremban dan Kuala Lumpur sebelum musim perayaan tahun lalu adalah RM4.70 dan selepas dikenakan surcaj RM1.30, kadar tambang yang dikenakan terhadap penumpang ialah RM6.

"Oleh itu, jika kenaikan tambang baru diumumkan, pengguna tetap membayar kadar tambang sebanyak RM6," katanya selepas menyampaikan 83 Surat Tawaran Kelulusan (STK) lesen teksi dan kereta sewa individu, di sini, semalam.

Kali terakhir kenaikan tambang bas dibuat pada 2005 menyebabkan Persatuan Pengusaha-Pengusaha Bas SeMalaysia meminta kerajaan menaikkan kadar tambang pengangkutan itu.

Walaupun harga minyak diturunkan, pengusaha syarikat bas memberi alasan kenaikan perlu berikutan peningkatan kos operasi, terutama kos penyelenggaraan, alat ganti dan upah pemandu.

Kerajaan sebelum ini dilaporkan bersetuju memberi kenaikan tambang 30 peratus bagi meringankan beban pengusaha pengangkutan awam itu termasuk surcaj 30 peratus tambang bas ekspres yang dikekalkan hingga hari ini.

Nazri berkata, Lembaga Pelesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan (LPKP) kini pada peringkat akhir untuk mendapatkan maklum balas kementerian berkaitan kenaikan kadar tambang.

"Saya juga berpendapat sudah tiba masanya kadar tambang diubah dan berharap semua pihak bersabar sebelum kata putus dibuat," katanya.

Sementara itu, katanya, kerajaan tidak teragak-agak membatalkan permit pemilik teksi yang mahu mengaut keuntungan mudah dengan membenarkan warga asing memandu teksi mereka.

Beliau berkata, LPKP mengesan beberapa pemilik teksi melakukan perbuatan itu dan kini dalam proses mengambil tindakan terhadap mereka.

Bagaimanapun, katanya, tindakan membatalkan lesen hanya diambil jika mereka melakukan kesalahan buat kali ketiga, manakala kesalahan pertama dan kedua, masing-masing dikenakan kompaun RM300.

"Kerajaan memandang serius perbuatan itu kerana permit teksi hanya untuk rakyat Malaysia supaya mereka dapat mencari rezeki dan bukan untuk warga Indonesia, Nepal dan Pakistan," katanya.

SKS Invests RM8.4 Million To Buy 14 NGV Buses


SEREMBAN, June 18 (Bernama) -- Sistem Kenderaan Seremban- Kuala Lumpur Sdn Bhd (SKS) will invest RM8.4 million to buy 14 buses using natural gas for vehicles (NGV) this year.

Its manager, Rosli Ramlan, said eight NGV buses started operating this month and the other six were under assembly and would be ready in stages.

"Before this, 11 NGV buses were in operation since May last year. In addition to being environment-friendly, the buses would help reduce operating costs," he told a media briefing here today.

He said the increase in the number of buses would help the company offer better services to passengers.

Rosli said the company aimed to use only NGV buses by 2011.

SKS, a unit of Nadi Corp Holdings Sdn Bhd, operates the Seremban-Kuala Lumpur-Seremban route using the North-South Expressway since 1977.

It also operates the Seremban-Ipoh-Seremban, Seremban-Kuala Pilah-Seremban, Seremban-Tanjung Malim-Ipoh-Seremban, Kuala Lumpur-Tanjung Malim-Kuala Lumpur, Seremban-Muar-Batu Pahat-Seremban and Seremban-Air Hitam-Johor Baharu-Kota Tinggi-Seremban routes.

Currently, the company has 69 buses, including eight double-decker. It has 80 workers.

-- BERNAMA

Sani Express spends RM75m to boost service
Published: 2009/06/19




SANI United Sdn Bhd (SUSB), the owner of the Sani Express bus service network, is injecting RM75 million investment to further equip and strengthen the company for future competition.

Managing director of SUSB, Datuk Sani Salleh, said the big amount would cover the purchase of 25 double-decker luxury buses for the company's existing routes in three states in the east coast and northern region.

He said RM10 million of the amount would be allocated for equipping all the double decker buses of Sani Express with the latest safety features made in Sweden.

"The technology that we will be adopting is capable of early detection of any faults in a bus and warning the driver of it before any unwanted incident takes place.

"Currently, SUSB owns 15 double-decker buses, and although the economic situation looks uncertain at the moment, we are going ahead with the investment to ensure comfort and safety for passengers as well as for our bus drivers," Sani told reporters here today.

Sani said all its 25 Scania double decker buses worth RM40 million will be on the road by end of this July.

All the buses will ply the main routes operated by the company with the destinations in the east coast and northern region.
Operations will start from Shah Alam and Kuala Lumpur to Kuantan, Kuala Terengganu and Kota Bharu.

As for the northern route being planned, he said it will involve Shah Alam-Kuala Lumpur-Sungai Petani-Alor Star-Kangar as well as routes to Butterworth and Penang.

"We also planning to offer services to the southern area which will involve the Shah Alam-Kuala Lumpur-Johor Baharu route by the middle of next year," Sani said.

He said SUSB has also allocated RM7 million to build its new operation centre to be called Sani Express Centre in Klang.
The building will replace its previous headquarters office in Ampang.

"The centre will also offer a training centre which will cater to 100 staff at a given time and also house a management office and other facilities including an area to hold 20 double-decker buses at any given time," Sani said.

The centre is expected to further ease the company''s operations and management of its bus services, he said.

Sani Ekspress is among the major bus operators in the country with its services used by 70,000 people a year. - Bernama

KTB yakin terus catat keuntungan


KONSORTIUM Transnasional Bhd (KTB), pengendali perkhidmatan bas terbesar di negara ini, yakin terus mencatatkan keuntungan tahun ini di sebalik keadaan ekonomi yang mencabar serta peningkatan kos operasi.

Pengerusi dan Pengarah Urusannya, Datuk Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh, berkata kenaikan surcaj tambang bas sebanyak 30 peratus yang diluluskan kerajaan akhir tahun lalu mampu membantu syarikat mencatat keuntungan tahun ini selain pelbagai strategi yang dilaksanakan bagi meningkatkan pendapatan seperti penstrukturan semula serta pengurangan kos operasi.

Beliau menjelaskan, kenaikan surcaj diluluskan kerajaan September tahun lalu itu menjadi antara penyumbang utama keuntungan KTB tahun lalu walaupun ia hanya dinikmati dalam tempoh tiga bulan terakhir.

“Kami menjangkakan kesan penuh daripada kenaikan surcaj itu akan hanya dinikmati sepenuhnya tahun ini,” katanya kepada pemberita selepas mesyuarat agung tahunan KTB di Kuala Lumpur, semalam.

KTB yang meraih keuntungan bersih RM3.5 juta tahun lalu, kini mempunyai kira-kira 1,500 bas merangkumi perkhidmatan Cityliner (bas bandar), Plusliner (ekspres), Transnasional (ekspres) dan Nice (ekspres eksekutif).

Sebahagian besar pendapatan KTB disumbangkan perkhidmatan bas ekspresnya yang menyumbang kira-kira dua pertiga pendapatan, manakala satu pertiga lagi disumbangkan oleh perkhidmatan bas bandar.

Nadzmi berkata, kos operasi dan penyelenggaraan pengangkutan bas awam yang semakin mendesak mendorong KTB sebagai pengendali perkhidmatan bas terbesar di negara ini meminta kerajaan mencari jalan membantu pengusaha industri itu.

Katanya, masalah kenaikan kos operasi yang tinggi sudah bermula sejak tiga tahun lalu yang mana keadaan itu menyebabkan kos komponen seperti bayaran tol, tayar, bateri, alat ganti, casis bas, kos besi termasuk juga kos pemandu yang terikat dengan kesatuan sekerja juga meningkat.

Masalah itu, katanya diburukkan lagi oleh peningkatan harga diesel.

“Justeru, KTB berharap kerajaan mengambil tindakan segera menyemak semula struktur tambang pengangkutan bas awam dan meluluskan kenaikan pada kadar lima hingga tujuh peratus setahun.

“Kami tidak minta kenaikan tinggi kerana ia boleh menjejaskan penumpang, cuma sekadar memadai untuk kami menampung kenaikan kos,” katanya.

Bus operator investing RM75mil to expand ops
By NIK NAIZI HUSIN


KUANTAN: Sani United Sdn Bhd (SUSB), the operator of Sani Express bus services, will invest RM75mil in a nationwide expansion of its passenger transportation services.

Managing director Datuk Sani Salleh said the bulk of the investment would be used to acquire 25 luxury double-decker buses with the latest security features that could detect early breakdown of the vehicles.

Sani said the Scania buses from Sweden were estimated to cost RM40mil and the security gadgets another RM10mil.

“We do not mind the high cost of the technology as it is for the safety of our passengers.

“Our drivers will be forewarned of the vehicle’s technical faults and this would help avoid any untoward incident due to technical breakdown,’’ he told StarBiz in an interview.

Sani said the new buses, which will be ready for use by end-July, would operate on three main routes: Shah Alam-Kuala Lumpur-Kuala Terengganu; Shah Alam-Kuala Lumpur-Kuantan and Shah Alam-Kuala Lumpur-Kota Baru.

He said SUSB would also expand its operations to the northern region next month and planned to start a new service to the southern region by mid-2010.

“With the new buses and routes, we project the company’s annual turnover to reach RM100mil by 2011.

“For this year, we expect the monthly revenue to reach RM1.4mil from RM1mil last year,’’ he said, adding that the new investment would create about 500 jobs.

Sani said SUSB had also invested RM7mil to build its new headquarters on 0.4ha in Klang.

RM75m more to expand Sani Express network
By M. Hamzah JamaludinPublished: 2009/06/20



Sani United Sdn Bhd (SUSB), the operator of the Sani Express double-deck bus network, is investing another RM75 million to expand its services nationwide.

The company will spend most of the amount to buy 25 luxury double-deck buses and the latest security features from Sweden that can detect early breakdown on each vehicle.

SUSB managing director Datuk Sani Salleh said the Scania buses are estimated to cost about RM40 million, while the security systems are worth about RM10 million.

"The technology will allow our drivers to be forewarned of any untoward incident due to technical breakdown," he told reporters in Kuantan.

Sani on Thursday received the Darjah Indera Mahkota Pahang, which carries the title "Datuk", from Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang in Pekan.

The new buses will operate on three main routes namely Shah Alam-Kuala Lumpur-Kuala Terengganu; Shah Alam-Kuala Lumpur-Kuantan and Shah Alam-Kuala Lumpur-Kota Baru.

All of them will be ready for use by the end of next month.

Sani said the company will also expand its operation to the northern region next month with new services involving Shah Alam-Kuala Lumpur-Sungai Petani-Alor Star-Kangar besides a new trip to Butterworth.

"We also plan to start a new service to the southern region by the middle of next year," he said.

With the new buses and routes, he projected the company's turnover to reach RM100 million annually by 2011.

For this year, monthly revenue is expected to reach RM2 million from RM1.2 million monthly last year.

SUSB has also invested RM7 million to build its new headquarters on a 0.4ha site in Klang.

"It will have a training centre and can handle up to 20 buses simultaneously," he said.

Sani Ekspres started operations in 2006 with only six single-deck buses but within three years, the company has successfully dominated the main routes between Kuala Lumpur and the main towns in the East Coast.

Kuching to KK by express bus
By : Desmond Davidson






KUCHING: The first express bus service to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, could start before the year is out.

The route through Brunei from one end of Borneo to the other, could take over 24 hours, Biaramas Express Sdn Bhd executive director Henry Lai said yesterday.

Lai told a news conference on the shuttle service for the Rainforest World Music Festival, which his other company Insight Holidays is providing, said Biaramas is working out the details, particularly "how to make passengers as comfortable as possible" on the long trip.

He said the service will start once the administrative and logistical details have been worked out and the delivery of new buses is completed. He said passengers will require a passport because the route passes through Brunei.

The company also plans to start a long distance service between Kuching and Limbang, which will also pass through Brunei.

Biaramas is also one of three companies given licences to operate the new stage bus services in Kuching city. The other two are City Public Link and Jepak Holdings.

On the shuttle service for the RWMF, Lai said Insight Holiday will use 45 coaches and vans this year.

Sarawak Tourism Board said festival goers will have to use the shuttle service as only police and emergency vehicles will be allowed past the road-block about three kilometres from the Sarawak Cultural Village, the venue of the fest.

Bumpy year for Konsortium Transnasional
By Zaidi Isham IsmailPublished: 2009/07/07

http://www.btimes.com.my/articles/BUSCHAL/pix_topright


KONSORTIUM Transnasional Bhd (4847), Malaysia's largest bus owner and operator, said business will be challenging this year due to the influenza A (H1N1) and a slower economy.

KTB chairman and managing director Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh cited as an example the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore route, which has so far seen a 40 per cent drop in ridership compared with the same period last year.

"The global economic slowdown and the pandemic flu has affected bus ridership and we want to hold talks with the government on how we can stagger the fare hikes," Nadzmi told reporters in Putrajaya yesterday.

He had earlier accompanied Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, who launched the company's new fleet of buses.
In the year ended December 31 2008, the bus company made a lower net profit of RM3.4 million compared with RM9.3 million in 2007.

Nadzmi said to cushion the impact and to save cost, the bus company will halve the number of buses plying certain routes.

It will also increase bus fares gradually so that it will not hurt customer demand.

The new Plusliner Xtreme double decker is the biggest bus in the country with a capacity of 72 passengers, priced at RM1.3 million apiece.

The buses are manufactured by Swedish bus company Scania and will start operations in 2010. KTB has ordered 16 units.

KTB operates more than 1,600 stage and express buses under the Plusliner, Cityliner, Nice and Transnasional brands.

Cabinet approves new bus, taxi fares


KUALA LUMPUR: The Cabinet has approved an increase for taxi fares, from RM2 to RM3 for the first three minutes, after which it is 10sen for every 115 metres.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abd Aziz announced the new fares on Thursday.

The fares are expected to come into affect next month, but no date has been specified.

The 50% surcharge after midnight still applies, but is now applicable at the time the passenger is left off and not when he or she is picked up.

Syed Nazri said a database on taxi drivers would also be set up to aid enforcement against errant drivers.

Express bus fares will also go up by 2sen per kilometre, while stage bus fares in Kuala Lumpur will increase by between 25sen and 70sen accoridng to zones.

Bus, taxi fares up 30%, service to improve, says Nazri


Table on the new fares
http://thestar.com.my/archives/2009/7/17/nation/n_newfare.pdf

KUALA LUMPUR: Public transport fares will cost 30% more from next month.

The new flag-off fare for taxis will be RM3, up from RM2, while passengers will be charged 10 sen for every 115m, instead of 150m currently.

For taxis caught in a traffic jam, the fare will be RM3 for the first three minutes and 10 sen for every subsequent 21 seconds, instead of 45 seconds previously. Taxis will also have to issue receipts.

Express bus fares will go up by two sen per kilometre, while for stage buses in Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding areas, the increase will be between 25 and 70 sen, according to the zones.


Nazri (third, left) with some of the taxi drivers after announcing the new fares for public transport.

Schoolbus fares in urban areas will also increase from RM21.10 to RM27.43 for the first kilometre and from RM1.55 to RM2.02 for every subsequent kilometre.

For rural areas, the increase will be from RM15.85 to RM20.61 for every kilometre.

Announcing the increase yesterday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abd Aziz said public transport companies were, however, also expected to improve their level of service in line with the fare hike.

“I don’t think the public will be shocked by the increase as they have been conditioned for it. The proposed increase has been reported for some time.

“The increase is reasonable, taking into consideration the various initiatives and subsidies given by the Government to the public transport sector,” he told reporters after giving permits to 831 taxi drivers here yesterday.

He said the Cabinet had, on June 17, agreed to the proposal to increase the fares. The fare structure will be reviewed every year, he added.

The last fare increase for taxis, and express and stage buses was in 2005, while for schoolbuses, it was in 2006.

Nazri said among the measures to enhance their service, public transport firms were expected to adhere to Government’s guidelines for efficient management of their fleet, display the fare schedule in all their vehicles and ensure training for all their drivers.

They were also expected to cooperate with the authorities to set up a databank of drivers’ records to aid enforcement against those blacklisted.

Other measures included a 25% discount to the disabled and senior citizens, streamlining of fares for Sabah and Sarawak, installation of global positioning systems and phasing out non-air conditioned buses by 2010.

Puspakom, added Nazri, has also agreed to reduce its fees to re-calibrate taxi meter fare from RM50 to RM10.

Hikes are ‘sad’, say bus operators


PETALING JAYA: The 30% fare increase for express buses and Kuala Lumpur stage coaches will not do much for the industry.

Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association president Datuk Mohd Ashfar Ali said that a 30% interim surcharge had already been implemented since Sept 15 last year, and this was just making it permanent.

“As far as we are concerned, it’s nothing new,” he said yesterday.

He said the hikes were “sad” as it meant that passengers could not enjoy better service, and workers would not be able to get their bonuses and salary increases.

He added that despite numerous memoranda to the Economic Planning Unit and the National Economic Action Council, the Government appeared not to grasp the real problems affecting bus operators.

“It is the operators servicing the rural people outside the Klang Valley that need the bus services to be subsidised.

“Raising the fares only for buses plying urban routes was not effective as their passenger loads were consistently high and profitable, unlike those servicing rural roads,” Ashfar said.

Meanwhile, National Collaborative Council of Parent-Teacher Associations chairman Datuk Mohd Ali Hasan said the schoolbus price hike should not have exceeded 10%.

He said the increase did not take into account the hardships faced by the people.

“The bus drivers’ associations must also consider the general welfare of the people, who will feel the pinch of this hike,” Mohd Ali said.

Ariff Kassim, a parent in Johor Baru, said the hike came at a bad time.

“I’m paying RM80 a month for my son in Form Three. I will probably need to pay more than RM100 now.

“As a parent, I cannot support any increase,” Ariff said.

Business owner Jamilah Adom, who said she would need to fork out more than RM300 with the fare increase, called it “unreasonable.”

Despite the announced rise in fares, some taxi drivers currently operating without meters said they did not feel the need to change.

“I can still earn more operating without the meter,” said a taxi driver who did not wish to be identified.

Most taxi drivers interviewed, however, said they were happy with the new rates as it was better than nothing.

Meanwhile, the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board will conduct random checks to ensure that all public transport firms adhered to regulations to improve their services.

Board chairman Datuk Halimah Sadique said it would also make it compulsory for all taxi drivers to be members of associations so that they could be traced if they flouted regulations.

She added that public transport firms had four months from Aug 1 to calibrate their taxi meters and ensure that all the policies were in place.

Beli tiket bas ekspres melalui ALLtickets.my

http://www.utusan.com.my/pix/2009/0729/Utusan_Malaysia/Kota/wk_07.1.jpg
Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz menandatangani replika tiket sewaktu melancarkan ALLtickets.my sambil diperhatikan oleh Zarul Ahmad Zulkifli (kiri) di Kuala Lumpur, semalam.

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KUALA LUMPUR 28 Julai - Pengguna kini tidak perlu lagi bersesak-sesak dan beratur panjang untuk membeli tiket bas menjelang Hari Raya Aidilfitri ini apabila sistem pembelian tiket secara dalam talian iaitu ALLtickets.my dilancarkan hari ini.

Mereka boleh memilih syarikat bas, jadual perjalanan dan tempat duduk yang diingini, seterusnya membeli tiket dan membuat pembayaran menerusi kad kredit atau perbankan online, syarikat insurans dan pengiklan yang mempunyai rangkaian dengan sistem itu.

Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz berkata, langkah itu selaras dengan hasrat untuk mengurangkan kesesakan di terminal bas selain membantu membanteras ulat tiket.

Menurut beliau, melalui perkhidmatan ALLtickets.my, orang ramai boleh menempah atau membeli tiket sama ada di pejabat pos, bank-bank, kedai-kedai yang mempunyai rangkaian dengannya, kios-kios di tempat awam atau di mana sahaja melalui talian Internet.

"Pembelian tiket ini juga boleh dibuat di luar negara di mana orang ramai dan pelancong boleh membuat pembelian sebelum berlepas dan melancong ke Malaysia,'' ujarnya pada sidang akhbar pelancaran ALLtickets.my di sini hari ini.

Hadir sama Pengerusi Syarikat Pegasus Solutions Sdn. Bhd., Zarul Ahmad Zulkifli iaitu syarikat pengendali penjualan tiket secara online itu.

Jelas Mohamed Nazri, kerajaan tidak memaksa lebih 400 pengusaha bas ekspres di negara ini untuk menyertai perkhidmatan itu.

Bagaimanapun, menurutnya, pengusaha bas ekspres digalakkan untuk mengambil manfaat hasil penggunaan sistem jualan tiket bas secara online itu.

''Semua pengusaha bas di negara ini dapat menambah baik perkhidmatan mereka kepada pelanggan jika menyertai sistem penjualan tiket ini,'' ujarnya.

Katanya, melalui sistem tersebut, pengusaha bas boleh mengumpul dan menyimpan maklumat pelanggan bagi tujuan pemasaran seperti promosi harga atau program kesetiaan pelanggan.

"Pengusaha bas ekspres juga boleh bekerjasama dengan pengusaha bas yang lain bagi perkongsian bas yang mampu memaksimumkan penjualan tempat duduk bas masing-masing," ujarnya.

Katanya lagi, maklumat pengguna dan pengusaha bas dijamin selamat kerana operasi Pegasus Solutions Sdn. Bhd. adalah tertakluk kepada peraturan kawalan rahsia pelanggan oleh Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).

Selain itu, jelasnya, sistem tersebut adalah langkah penambahbaikan yang diinginkan oleh Lembaga Pelesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan (LPKP) yang meliputi penyediaan insurans perlindungan kemalangan kepada pengguna.

"Keselamatan penumpang dapat dipertingkatkan kerana sistem ini boleh disambungkan secara online dengan Puspakom, Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan (JPJ) dan pihak polis bagi memudahkan pengawalseliaan dan pengurusan," katanya.

Harga tiket bas ekspres ikut kadar baru raya ini


KUALA LUMPUR: Harga tiket bas ekspres pada musim perayaan Aidilfitri ini adalah mengikut kadar tambang baru iaitu 8.5 sen bagi setiap kilometer seperti yang diluluskan kerajaan 1 Ogos lalu.

Pengerusi Lembaga Pelesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan (LPKP), Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique, berkata caj tambahan RM3 turut dibenarkan bagi setiap tiket bas ekspres tambahan.

Beliau berkata LPKP akan mengeluarkan Lesen Perubahan Sementara (LPS) bagi memastikan bas ekspres mencukupi untuk menampung keperluan orang ramai.

"Permohonan LPS dibuka mulai 22 Ogos hingga 18 September depan dan sah tujuh hari sebelum dan tujuh hari selepas Hari Raya Puasa iaitu dari 13 hingga 28 September," katanya dalam satu kenyataan di sini hari ini.

Beliau berkata, hanya bas berusia tidak melebihi 15 tahun dibenarkan untuk dijadikan bas ekspres tambahan.

"Tiada had jarak perjalanan dikenakan bagi bas berusia di bawah 12 tahun, tetapi bagi bas berusia 12 hingga 15 tahun, hanya dibenar melakukan perjalanan tidak melebihi 300 kilometer sehala," katanya

Halimah berkata, LPKP membenarkan bas ekspres biasa dan bas ekspres tambahan untuk beroperasi berdasarkan laluan terbuka bagi memudahkan pihak syarikat mengatur laluan bas mengikut keperluan pengguna.

Bagaimanapun, beliau mengingatkan syarikat bas ekspres supaya tidak bersekongkol dengan "ulat" dan menguruskan sendiri penjualan tiket serta perjalanan bas.

"LPKP akan mengambil tindakan terhadap syarikat bas ekspres yang gagal menyediakan bas pada saat-saat akhir dan menjual tiket melebihi kadar tambang semasa," katanya.

Di samping itu, Halimah berkata RapidKL dibenarkan menyediakan bas pengantara dari Hentian Puduraya ke Hentian Duta dan dari Hentian Puduraya ke Kompleks Sukan Negara, Bukit Jalil dengan kadar tambang RM2 sehala.

Orang ramai yang ingin membuat pertanyaan atau aduan kepada LPKP bolehlah menghubungi ibu pejabat LPKP di Putrajaya di talian 03-88805883, e-mel ke aduan@lpkp.gov.my atau menerusi laman web www.lpkp.gov.my

Pengguna juga boleh menghubungi 04-4485111 bagi LPKP Wilayah Utara (Sungai Petani), 06-9556035 Wilayah Selatan, (Ledang) dan 09-6241111, Wilayah Timur (Kuala Terengganu). - Bernama

RM3 extra for express bus tickets



PUTRAJAYA: Companies providing additional express bus services during the Hari Raya period are allowed to charge an additional RM3 for their tickets.

Commercial Vehicle Licencing Board (CVLB) board chairman Datuk Halimah Mohd Sadique also said express bus fares would be charged according to the new rates approved by the Government effective Aug 1.

She said CVLB officers would be on the ground to monitor companies that failed to provide the additional services as promised and also to nab those who sell tickets higher than the approved fares.

Halimah added that temporary licences would be issued soon to ensure sufficient public transport for those who want to go back to their hometowns for the festivities.

Companies could start applying for the temporary licences from Aug 22 to Sept 18 to provide the additional services between Sept 13 and Sept 28.

The companies, which could only use buses which are not older than 15 years, would be allowed to determine the routes for the additional express bus services so they could organise trips according to the public’s needs.

“Express bus companies must manage the sale of tickets themselves and not engage the services of touts.

“Strict action will be taken against those who are in cohorts with these parties,” Halimah said in a statement yesterday.

She said companies providing services to the east coast would use the Putra and Pekeliling bus terminals, north-bound buses would be stationed at the Puduraya and Duta terminals while south-bound buses would operate from the National Sports Complex terminal in Bukit Jalil.

Express buses could also operate from temporary terminals in Gombak, Kajang, Putrajaya and Damansara Utama from Sept 12 to Sept 27.

RapidKL would provide feeder bus services from Puduraya to the Duta terminal and from Puduraya to the National Sports Complex at a one-way fare of RM2.

Halimah advised passengers to ensure that tickets displayed the correct fare, company name and travel date and time.

Raya buses will charge new rates
2009/08/12

By Regina Lee

PUTRAJAYA: Fares for express buses for the coming Hari Raya season will be at the new rate approved by the government on Aug 1, which is 8.5 sen per km.

A surcharge of RM3 is allowed for tickets of additional express buses, said Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) chairman Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique.

She said applications for the temporary licences would be accepted from Aug 22 until Sept 18.

"They will be valid seven days before Hari Raya and seven days after (Sept 13-28)," she said yesterday.

Halimah said only buses less than 15 years old would be allowed to serve as additional buses.

"Buses between 12 and 15 years are limited to a one-way travelling distance of not more than 300km."

CVLB is allowing buses to operate in the open route system as they did last year to make it easier for companies to organise routes for passengers.

Halimah, however reminded bus companies not to conspire with ticket touts, but instead to manage ticket sales and bus routes themselves.

"The board will take action against bus companies which overcharge and fail to provide buses at the last minute."

Halimah also said RapidKL would be allowed to provide feeder buses from Puduraya bus terminal to Jalan Duta bus terminal and from Puduraya bus terminal to the National Sports Complex in Bukit Jalil with a one-way fare of RM2.

Those with enquiries or complaints can contact the board at 03-88805883, 03-88805540, 03-88805872, 03-88805531 and 03-88805538.

They can also email the board at aduan@lpkp.gov.my.

KTB To Replace Between 200-300 Buses Annually


SEREMBAN, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- Konsortium Transnasional Bhd (KTB), the country's largest public bus operator, will replace between 200-300 buses annually to meet the latest safety and international standards.

Its executive director Tengku Hasmadi Tengku Hashim said the move was also to introduce natural gas (NGV) powered buses which are more economical and environment friendly.

"We now have 1,500 stage and express covering all the cities and towns on the Peninsular as well as Singapore," he told reporters after officiating the opening of the KTM bus depot, at Terminal 2, Era Square here on Monday.

At present, KTB through "Transnasional", is the leader in the express bus industry in Peninsular Malaysia.

Besides "Transnasional", KTB also operates the "Cityliner" stage buses, "Plusliner" economy express buses and a luxury bus service under the "Nice" brand.

Meanwhile, Tengku Hasmadi said the company had ordered 465 air-conditioned NGV buses since 2005 and of this number, 110 had been allocated to Negeri Sembilan.

KTB made its debut on Bursa Malaysia on June 15, 2007 and engages primarily in bus transportation. The company ferries about 60 million passengers annually.

-- BERNAMA

Sabah & Sarawak: Tambang baru mulai 8 September
Oleh Mohd Izham Unnip Abdullah
bhnews@bharian.com.my




21 pengusaha bas diminta kena kadar serentak

KOTA KINABALU: Mulai 8 September ini, penumpang bas ekspres di Sabah termasuk mereka yang menempah tiket untuk balik kampung sempena Aidilfitri akan dikenakan tambang baru mengikut kenaikan 30 peratus kadar tambang yang diluluskan kerajaan berkuat kuasa 1 Ogos lalu.

Presiden Majlis Pengusaha Bas Ekspres Sabah (Seboc), Donald Hanafi, berkata pihaknya sudah memaklumkan pelaksanaan tambang baru itu kepada 21 pengusaha bas ekspres dan meminta mereka menggunakan kadar berkenaan secara serentak bagi mengelak kekeliruan pengguna.



Beliau berkata, pengusaha bas ekspres di Sabah khususnya yang beroperasi antara ibu negeri dan destinasi di Pantai Timur sepakat menggunakan kadar baru itu pada musim perayaan bulan ini kerana menjangka ramai penumpang akan menggunakan perkhidmatan mereka.

Katanya, walaupun kerajaan sudah memberi lampu hijau kepada syarikat bas ekspres menaikkan tambang mengikut kadar baru yang ditetapkan bermula 1 Ogos lalu, pihaknya menangguhkan pelaksanannya bagi mengelak kejutan mendadak di kalangan pengguna.

"Jika terus menaikkan tambang mengikut tarikh berkuat kuasa yang diluluskan kerajaan, kami bimbang pengguna akan terkejut dan marah kepada kami. Sekarang lebih sebulan kadar baru itu diperkenalkan, barulah kami menggunakannya.

"Kalau pengguna marah, kami akan menerangkan kepada mereka bahawa ia adalah kadar baru ditetapkan kerajaan yang sepatutnya dilaksanakan sejak 1 Ogos lalu lagi," katanya kepada Berita Harian di sini, semalam.

Berdasarkan kenaikan itu, katanya, kadar tambang baru bagi destinasi Kota Kinabalu-Tawau ialah RM71 seorang, naik RM6 berbanding RM65 seorang sebelum ini, manakala kadar baru bagi destinasi Kota Kinabalu-Semporna ialah RM75 seorang, naik RM10 berbanding RM65 sebelum ini.

Bagi destinasi Kota Kinabalu-Lahad Datu, katanya, tambang baru ialah RM52 berbanding RM45 sebelum ini, manakala kadar tambang bagi destinasi Kota Kinabalu-Kunak dan dan Kota Kinabalu-Sandakan masing-masing ialah RM58 dan RM42 seorang berbanding RM50 dan RM35 sebelum ini.

Pertengahan Julai lalu, Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz, mengumumkan kadar tambang bas ekspres di Sabah naik tiga sen kepada 13 sen sekilometer berbanding 10 sen sekilometer sebelum ini.

Dengan kenaikan itu, Donald berkata pihaknya yakin syarikat bas ekspres di Sabah mampu memperolehi pendapatan lebih baik berbanding sebelum ini, khususnya untuk menampung kos penyelenggaraan kenderaan, bahan api dan gaji pekerja.

"Kutipan tambang pengusaha bas ekspres sepanjang musim perayaan ini boleh digunakan untuk memberi bonus kepada pekerja mereka. Jadi, tekanan mengendalikan penumpang yang ramai pada musim perayaan dapat juga dikurangkan.

"Bukannya kita mahu mengambil kesempatan menaikkan tambang pada musim perayaan, sebaliknya pengguna juga perlu faham kami memerlukan keuntungan untuk memastikan perkhidmatan disediakan lebih berkualiti dan memuaskan mereka," katanya.

Mengenai bilangan bas ekspres untuk menampung penumpang yang dijangka meningkat sempena sambutan Aidilfitri tidak lama lagi, Donald berkata, jumlah sedia ada didapati mencukupi.

Beliau berkata, ada 200 bas ekspres beroperasi di Sabah khususnya bagi destinasi antara ibu negeri dan Pantai Timur.

"Bilangan bas memang mencukupi. Apa yang kami perlu lakukan cuma menambah jadual perjalanan bas daripada lima perjalanan sehari pada hari biasa kepada 10 perjalanan sehari pada musim perayaan ini.

"Saya yakin langkah ini dapat menampung jumlah penumpang yang ada. Tahun lalu juga kami buat seperti ini dan ia tidak mendatangkan masalah kepada penumpang yang ingin balik kampung," katanya.

Bagaimanapun, katanya jika keadaan penumpang terlalu ramai pada tahun ini, pihaknya bersedia menggunakan pendekatan lain seperti menyewa bas pelancong dan bas sekolah untuk dijadikan bas ekspres dan mendapatkan permit perjalanan sementara daripada Lembaga Pelesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan (LPKP).

Tickets selling like hot cakes

2009/09/08
By Dawn Chan and Sheila Sri Priya

KTMB staff Nurul Hasliza Muhamad showing the train schedule to Tumpat, Kelantan, where tickets from Sept 16 to 20 have been sold out.

KUALA LUMPUR:If you have not got your bus ticket to balik kampung, you better rush to Puduraya as tickets for the Hari Raya festive period is fast selling out.

Although there were no long queues during our visit to the Puduraya bus terminal yesterday, several bus companies said tickets to the East Coast were sold out.

Tickets, however, are still available for those travelling to the north and south.

Satria Express ticketing assistant Robiah Ismail said tickets to destinations such as Malacca, Muar, Singapore, Sungai Petani, Bukit Kayu Hitam, Haadyai and Tanjung Bidor were still available.


"However, tickets are selling fast. As we are expecting a last-minute rush, we have on standby five more buses for all of our routes. We will use the extra buses if there is a demand during the last few days before Hari Raya," she said.

Unlike Satria Express, Wonrey Travel and Tours Konsortium and AB Express said they would not be providing extra buses.

Wonrey counter assistant Rony Zunn said tickets to destinations such as Alor Star, Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kuala Kangsar, Changloon and several other northern destinations on Sept 18 were sold out.

"There are tickets available to Johor but it is for the early morning and late evening travels," he said.

AB Express ticketing assistant Roslina Rosmali said the north- and south-bound tickets for the Hari Raya period had been selling like hot cakes since they were first made available at the end of last month.

The East Coast tickets had since sold out, said Roslina, adding that only a small number of north- and south-bound tickets were still available.

A Transnasional officer said bus tickets to the East Coast from Sept 16 until Hari Raya were sold out. However, tickets to other destinations on Sept 16, 17, and 18 are still available.

"We will decide maybe a week before Hari Raya whether to increase the number of buses," he said.

A ticket operator, however, said that many smaller bus companies still had tickets available to most destinations.

"We usually don't sell the tickets for additional buses now because when we sell tickets too early, some people who changed their travelling plans will return their tickets and ask for refunds," he said.

"Sometimes, they become a nuisance and beg us for a refund. To avoid the hassle, we only sell the tickets for the extra bus services at the last minute," he said.

Meanwhile, Puduraya-based Ah Boon Travel ticketing officer Iswandy Hamsawi said AirAsia flight tickets allocated to the company for Kuching, Kelantan, Terengganu, Medan and Surabaya from Sept 17 to 19 have been sold out.

"Flights for Sept 20 onwards are available but the tickets for last-minute buyers will be more expensive," he said.

Train tickets are also fast selling out. Our checks revealed that tickets to Kelantan between Sept 13 and 20 are sold out but tickets to Butterworth and Johor are still available.

"This year, customers are better prepared. They are not waiting until the eve of Hari Raya to buy their tickets. Instead, they buy tickets online and also through phone reservation.

"Many bought their tickets on the day we released them which is 60 days before Hari Raya," said ticketing supervisor Suriah Sumaria, 32, at the KTMB station in KL Sentral.

Those travelling north and Kelantan usually prefer to travel by train as it is considered safer and more comfortable.

"Passengers prefer to travel in comfort and they want to travel safely. Trains in general have lower accident rates and we have comfortable coaches.

"Our toilet facilities are of a high standard and our cafe in the train is convenient for passengers," Suriah said.

Additional train trips to all destinations would be decided based on demand.

The Hari Raya rush is expected to begin from Sept 17 onwards.

Konsortium Transnasional Providing 85 Extra Buses This Raya Season


SERDANG, Sept 10 (Bernama) -- Konsortium Transnasional Berhad will provide 85 additional express buses from this coming Monday to meet the demand from passengers this Raya season.

Its executive director Tengku Hasmadi Tengku Hashim said this was an increase of 10 per cent to the 615 buses already available, especially for those wanting to return to their hometowns on Thursday or Friday.

However, he said, tickets for long-distance trips that took more than five hours like to the East Coast on the two days had been sold out.

"The additional express buses were for trips one week before and after Hari Raya," he told Bernama after attending the launching of the prime ministers' personal Hari Raya message by Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin at the Universiti Putra Malaysia's Medical Faculty, here, on Thursday.

Tengku Hasmadi said there were still 12,000 tickets for long-distance trips on the coming Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and he urged those without tickets to get them fast from legitimate ticket counters.

"Since Hari Raya falls on Sunday, many passengers will want to return to their hometowns on Thursday and Friday, so the tickets for earlier days are still available."

Meanwhile, there are still about 10,000 bus tickets available for trips that take less than five hours like KL-Melaka and KL-Ipoh.

Passengers to these destinations, Tengku Hasmadi said, would usually buy the tickets at the last moment as they knew that tickets would be available.

He said for this Raya season, the consortium was providing 34,000 seats on 900 trips (excluding the additional buses) using the Tansnasional, Nice and Plusliner buses.

-- BERNAMA

Transnasional sediakan 85 bas tambahan

SERDANG 10 Sept. - Konsortium Transnasional Berhad menyediakan 85 bas tambahan mulai Isnin ini bagi menampung keperluan penumpang yang dijangka bertambah menjelang sambutan Aidilfitri nanti.

Pengarah Eksekutifnya Tengku Hasmadi Tengku Hashim berkata, jumlah itu adalah tambahan 10 peratus daripada 615 bas yang disediakan syarikat itu terutama bagi penumpang yang ingin balik kampung pada hari Khamis dan Jumaat.

Beliau berkata, tiket-tiket bagi perjalanan yang melebihi tempoh masa lima jam seperti ke destinasi di pantai timur untuk kedua-dua hari itu sudah habis dijual.

Tengku Hasmani berkata, bas tambahan yang disediakan adalah untuk perjalanan seminggu sebelum dan selepas Hari Raya.

"Kami berharap dengan adanya bas tambahan itu, penumpang yang ingin balik kampung pada hari Khamis dan Jumaat masih boleh berbuat demikian," katanya selepas menghadiri pelancaran Program Mesej Peribadi Perdana Menteri Sempena Hari Raya oleh Menteri Pengajian Tinggi Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin di Fakulti Perubatan, Universiti Putra Malaysia di sini, hari ini.

Tengku Hasmadi berkata, kira-kira 12,000 tiket untuk perjalanan jarak jauh bagi perjalanan pada hari Isnin, Selasa dan Rabu masih ada dan beliau meminta penumpang yang masih belum mempunyai tiket supaya segera mendapatkannya di kaunter tiket bas yang sah.''

Sementara itu katanya, kira-kira 10,000 tiket bagi perjalanan yang kurang daripada lima jam seperti Melaka dan Ipoh masih belum dijual. - BERNAMA

Firm first to have GPS, seat belt on bus in Sarawak
Friday, September 25th, 2009

MIRI: Miri Transport Company (MTC) Sdn Bhd created history when it became the first public transport in Sarawak to install the radio navigation system or global positioning system (GPS) and seat belt on its express buses.

MTC general manager Yeo Yow Shun said yesterday the company was going all this distance because it believed in passenger safety.

He said with the system in place the company would be able to keep track of its express buses as regards to their location and speed.

He said in that way the company’s administrative office would be able to keep drivers on the right side of the law “at all times”.

“Through GPS we are able to know the location of the bus and the speed it is travelling.

“These details are being made available to our office every two minutes and will be kept in our record,” Yeo told reporters yesterday.

According to Yeo, the company now has the system in four of its express buses for a trial run.

He said all 17 company buses would have the system installed if it proves successful.

According to Yeo, the system costs RM1,400 per unit.

On the fixing of seat belts, he said the company would ensure that passengers fasten up like those flying in planes.

“We want our passengers to be safe and feel safe,” he said.

On another development, MTC, he said, would soon introduce the VIP express bus concept to their customers in the state.

He said the VIP feature would include a TV screen for every seat and personal selection of movies for the passenger.

Yeo said once the company had found the suppliers of the equipment, the

VIP express should be running.

Bus Malaysia Singapore : Aeroline : Coach Malaysia Singapore
www.aeroline.com.my/
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