Rapid KL City Shuttle

[forrestcat]

First the trains, now it’s buses
BADROLHISHAM BIDIN

LEFT to rot! That’s what is happening to more than 1,000 buses that served Klang Valley residents - worth RM500 million when purchased 14 years ago.
Considering the continuing saga of thousands of people who wait daily for buses that are always late, one wonders how this situation could have come about.

These RapidKL vehicles have been dumped in Batang Kali and in Sungai Buaya, Rawang.

The Malay Mail investigation into this wasteful affair was prompted by complaints from city commuters on shortage of buses, or having to wait very long for a bus.

These buses were inherited from Intrakota and Parkmay by Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd, which owns commuter service provider RapidKL.

The reason for the buses, bought from Italy at RM500,000 each, to be “stored” in the two places by SPNB could not be ascertained.

It is learnt that the buses were sent there about two years ago. They could not be “cannibalised for spare parts” because the buses RapidKL now uses are of a different make.

But to say that all the buses could no longer be used does not make sense.

“The lifespan of a bus can be more than 15 years, depending on its maintenance. Since Intrakota was established in 1994, the buses could well have been roadworthy when they were dumped at the two sites two years ago,” said a source familiar with the issue.

The Intrakota buses were built by Iveco of Italy, while the present batch in use are mostly Mercedes-Benz, priced at RM350,000 or even lower as they were purchased in bulk.

RapidKL was set up in 2004 as a merger of Putra LRT, Star LRT, Intrakota and City Liner in an effort to give the Klang Valley an integrated transport system.

The company then decided to purchase brand new buses for easy maintenance.

A check at the Sungai Buaya site revealed there were about 800 buses parked on what used to be a football field.

Located close to a housing area, the buses are watched over by a lone guard, who stations himself in a cabin, and is aided by several stray dogs.

The buses, many of them showing signs of decay inside and outside, are parked on a hilltop and hidden by trees and shrubs.

At Antara Gapi in Batang Kali, the 200-odd buses are parked in an open space by the main road, also guarded by a lone security guard.

It is learnt that the buses will be disposed of by tender, a process that is expected to take several months. The buses will either be sold as scrap or to Third World countries that can “rehabilitate” them.

Both RapidKL and SPNB were not available for comment.

Early this month, Malay Mail highlighted the shortage of commuter trains, which caused the service to suffer daily disruptions.

This probe led us to the Sentul depot, where commuter trains were dumped and cannibalised for spare parts.

Following our report, Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad introduced a revised schedule.

[nazrey]

RapidKL explains the bus delays
Saturday May 24, 2008
TheStar

RAPIDKL has issued a statement explaining the causes of bus delays in the Klang Valley.

According to the company, the major cause of bus delays is the worsening traffic condition arising from the rapid increase in the number vehicles entering Kuala Lum-pur.

RapidKL said road diversions and closures, haphazard parking by vehicle owners, adverse weather conditions as well as traffic accidents had also aggravated the problem.

The company said despite such problems, it had sought to improve its services.

“RapidKL has increased bus service coverage by as much as 53% and increased the number of buses by 30% since its inception four years ago,” the company read.

“RapidKL now covers 980 housing estates, compared with 638 when it started operations in 2005. The 53% increase in the coverage of the housing estates does not include the increased coverage to other commercial areas in Kuala Lumpur through the Bas Bandar service,” it said.

“Currently, the peak hour despatch is 650 buses, compared with 470 at the start, an increase of about 30%,” it said.

RapidKL urged other local autho-rities to emulate the Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s initiative to extend and enforce bus lanes in the city to ease the movement of public transportation.

On the issue of the lack of discipline among bus drivers, RapidKL said it would undertake an intensive customer service education programme for its bus drivers to enhance their competency, inculcate customer friendly values and heighten their motivation.

“Although the drivers are given basic customer service training, there are still cases when the behaviour of some of the drivers is not acceptable,” the company said.

RapidKL said the impending training programme would seek to rectify the shortcoming in its customer services.

The company urges commuters who file complaints with it to include details pertaining problematic drivers such as the date, time, bus registration number and route number.

It said it could take positive and corrective action only if such information were provided by the commuters. The company said commuters could give their feedback through its corporate website www.rapidkl.com. my or call its helpline at 03-7625-6999 during office hours on weekdays.

[rizalhakim]

makin lama makin teruk huh!!! stupid xcuse!!!

[dengilo]

Bring back the mini buses!!!

[TWK90]

These buses should have been NGV earlier and Petronas should provide more NGV stations drastically, because buses that waiting at bus hubs sometimes always keep running idle and producing black fumes.....

[allurban]

Originally Posted by nazrey

KTM crisis and RapidKL graveyards

.

this is another factor...how can RapidKL complain about traffic jams when they dont have all their buses on the road and some of these buses are running the Cyberjaya DTS service at RM250 per person per month!

Cheers, m

[allurban]

Originally Posted by dengilo

Bring back the mini buses!!!

Originally Posted by project aliciel

i wonder KL have minibuses like before 1998, that pink color 1...

actually KL should run mini bus in city center, and regional lines (tempatan). There is too much of big buses in city center... ><

the minibuses routes and schedules should be designated by Ministry of Transport, then open tender the minibus license to whoever qualified. All the minibus fare are fixed and capable of using TnG system. err... *><* new minibuses should run by NGV engines~, to reduce the air pollution in KL. (Modelled after Hong Kong Green Public Light Bus Service?)

this is KL pink minibus... i only ride it for once when i am still a child.


actually too much of bus stop city center is quite an eyesore... sometimes it is longer than a train. making traffic congestion more terrible only. especially metrobus and sj bus.

KL could bring in the same minibuses used in Penang.

by eastglam

image hosted on flickr


They could be used as minibuses (government-owned routes and buses) following the model of the HK Green minibus.


They could also be used as maxicabs (government-owned routes of limited distances, with some flexibility, and the buses are still owned by the government) following the example of the HK Red minibus.


Only the Government minibuses and government owned bus companies should be allowed into the city centre of KL. Other buses should be made to wait outside the MRRI.

Cheers, m

[rizalhakim]

no...no minibus....rapidkl is ok but need to improve the service...dats all!!!

[forrestcat]

Originally Posted by forrestcat

First the trains, now it’s buses
BADROLHISHAM BIDIN

LEFT to rot! That’s what is happening to more than 1,000 buses that served Klang Valley residents - worth RM500 million when purchased 14 years ago.
Considering the continuing saga of thousands of people who wait daily for buses that are always late, one wonders how this situation could have come about.

These RapidKL vehicles have been dumped in Batang Kali and in Sungai Buaya, Rawang.

The Malay Mail investigation into this wasteful affair was prompted by complaints from city commuters on shortage of buses, or having to wait very long for a bus.

These buses were inherited from Intrakota and Parkmay by Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd, which owns commuter service provider RapidKL.

The reason for the buses, bought from Italy at RM500,000 each, to be “stored” in the two places by SPNB could not be ascertained.

It is learnt that the buses were sent there about two years ago. They could not be “cannibalised for spare parts” because the buses RapidKL now uses are of a different make.

But to say that all the buses could no longer be used does not make sense.

“The lifespan of a bus can be more than 15 years, depending on its maintenance. Since Intrakota was established in 1994, the buses could well have been roadworthy when they were dumped at the two sites two years ago,” said a source familiar with the issue.

The Intrakota buses were built by Iveco of Italy, while the present batch in use are mostly Mercedes-Benz, priced at RM350,000 or even lower as they were purchased in bulk.

RapidKL was set up in 2004 as a merger of Putra LRT, Star LRT, Intrakota and City Liner in an effort to give the Klang Valley an integrated transport system.

The company then decided to purchase brand new buses for easy maintenance.

A check at the Sungai Buaya site revealed there were about 800 buses parked on what used to be a football field.

Located close to a housing area, the buses are watched over by a lone guard, who stations himself in a cabin, and is aided by several stray dogs.

The buses, many of them showing signs of decay inside and outside, are parked on a hilltop and hidden by trees and shrubs.

At Antara Gapi in Batang Kali, the 200-odd buses are parked in an open space by the main road, also guarded by a lone security guard.

It is learnt that the buses will be disposed of by tender, a process that is expected to take several months. The buses will either be sold as scrap or to Third World countries that can “rehabilitate” them.

Both RapidKL and SPNB were not available for comment.

Early this month, Malay Mail highlighted the shortage of commuter trains, which caused the service to suffer daily disruptions.

This probe led us to the Sentul depot, where commuter trains were dumped and cannibalised for spare parts.

Following our report, Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad introduced a revised schedule.

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

It's really bad that RapidKL is abandoning these buses. These 1000 buses could be used in other Malaysian cities or towns.

[rizalhakim]

Problems of public transport on agenda


KUALA LUMPUR: A cabinet committee meeting will be held tomorrow to discuss the public transport sector, which is beset with complaints from users and whose jurisdiction is split between numerous departments and ministries.

Transport Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat said the ministry had identified all the outstanding issues and would be bringing it up at the meeting.

"An overall public transport policy is on the agenda," said Ong, adding that this would be his first cabinet committee meeting as transport minister.

"I would like to focus on the effectiveness of multi-modal transportation.

"City folk travel by various means to get to their destination. They take buses, trains and the LRT. We want to ensure that they are all as seamless as possible," he said after a dialogue with RapidKL at its headquarters in Subang yesterday.

Present were RapidKL chairman Datuk Abdul Rahim Mokti, RapidKL chief executive officer Suffian Baharuddin and Department of Railways director-general Anuar Kassim.

"I told RapidKL that we need better co-ordination between them and other transport operators."

Ong said he wanted to see an improvement in the quality of service, especially in punctuality.

"I understand that the punctuality of the LRT is good. In 99 per cent of cases, it is on time. But the buses have plenty of space to improve."

Ong was also asked to comment on Konsortium Transnasional Bhd chairman Datuk Nadzmi Salleh's urging of the government to privatise RapidKL as its status as a government-linked company created an unfair playing field in the industry.

Ong said: "What is more important is tackling the issue of connectivity. Whoever handles it, whether it is the private or public sector, does not matter."

[Skyprince]

Bring back the minibus ? Wanna paint a bad image to malaysia further ?

[jansej]

walao.. those abandoned buses can be really useful to johor bahru bus services like causeway link, city bus and maju..

[rizalhakim]

Streets Mail: RapidKL calls for more bus lanes 2004
Chellam Vasudevan, For RapidKL

THERE is a marked improvement in the Klang Valley public transport system since RapidKL commenced operation as a key transport service provider with the most extensive bus coverage in Klang Valley.

RapidKL has increased bus service coverage by as much as 53 percent and increased the number of buses by 30 percent since its inception four years ago.

RapidKL now covers 980 housing estates compared to 638 housing estates when it commenced operations in 2005. The 53 per cent increase in housing estates does not include the increased coverage to other commercial areas in Kuala Lumpur through the "Bas Bandar" service.

Currently, the peak hour despatch of 650 buses as compared to 470 buses when RapidKL started operations in 2004, is an increase of about 30 percent.


Despite the increase in the number of buses, delays faced by commuters in Klang Valley are mainly due to worsening traffic conditions arising from the rapid growth of private vehicles entering Kuala Lumpur.

Delays are also caused by other factors beyond RapidKL's control, including road diversion and closures, haphazard parking by private vehicle owners, adverse weather conditions as well as traffic accidents.

RapidKL welcomes the initiative recently announced by Kuala Lumpur City Hall to extend and enforce bus lanes in the city to ease the movement of public transportation.

We urge other local authorities to also embark on a similar initiative. This reinforces RapidKL's view on the need for a comprehensive approach to resolve the traffic congestion in Klang Valley.

RapidKL is committed to provide a comprehensive public transport system to the residents of Klang Valley and this includes encouraging commuters to use both the rail and bus as an integrated transport network.

If they can get a bus that takes them to a nearby LRT or rail station, they should take this option as it will take them to their destination faster as the LRT service is not subject to road traffic conditions.

On the issue of the lack of discipline among bus drivers, although bus drivers are given basic customer service training, there are still cases when the behaviour of some of the drivers is not acceptable.

RapidKL will undertake an intensive customer service programmes for its drivers with the view to enhancing their competency, inculcating customer friendly values and to heighten their motivation towards a sense of pride in their jobs and the company.

We urge all customers with complaints on our drivers to furnish us with details such as date, time, bus registration and the route number. This information is critical for us to investigate and identify the driver. We will take appropriate disciplinary action accordingly.

[allurban]

Originally Posted by Skyprince

Bring back the minibus ? Wanna paint a bad image to malaysia further ?

Bas Mini Baru for the local shuttles

Cheers, m

[OshHisham]

Originally Posted by TWK90

These buses should have been NGV earlier and Petronas should provide more NGV stations drastically, because buses that waiting at bus hubs sometimes always keep running idle and producing black fumes.....

oh yeah....i hate that black fume!! as you can see, some very old buses of Leng Seng and Selangor Omnibus running on KL city street like we are a very 3rd world country!

seriously government seems doesn't interested solving those....don't this Ketua Pengarah ever heard of green buses?

[Skyprince]

We don't need Bas Mini, Bas Mini baru, Asia Media entertainment ,whatever

Why can't we have something like this !? This is what we call BUS ! Not tongkang pecah or Moving Cinema


Sao Paulo bus (Brazil )
( no stupid mini theatre, well-maintained bus & bus stops, great map, very understandable pricing etc )



The fare system is controlled by magnetic tickets, like this:





Some pictures:

Bonfim Stop



Bangu Stop (Santo André downtown in the background)



Santo André Terminal



Santa Tereza Stop



São Bernardo Terminal



Inside a bendy bus



System map inside the bus



Inside a low floor trolleybus
[/QUOTE]

[allurban]

Latest news:

Government to create national public transportation commission to streamline the organization, regulation, and oversight of public transportation in Malaysia.

Also in the news...subsidies given to RapidKL will be withdrawn immediately

Cheers, m

[TWK90]

Source : http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/ne....php?id=335897

Public Transport Commission Proposed


KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 (Bernama) -- The Cabinet Committee on Public Transportation (JKMPA) Wednesday suggested the setting up of a national level Public Transport Commission to ensure more effective supervision and monitoring of the country's public transportation service.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak who chaired the committee meeting Wednesday, said the proposal would be fine-tuned further in all aspects at the next JKMPA meeting scheduled to be held in two months.

The single commission is being proposed as currently there are 13 ministries and agencies involved in the issuance of licenses, planning, supervision and enforcement, he said.

"The JKMPA feels that under such a fragmented situation, it is only proper that we focus on a single authority so that the supervision and development of the public transportation system can be carried out in a more coordinated and effective manner throughout the country," Najib said after chairing the meeting at the Parliament here Wednesday.

Najib said the proposal of JKMPA will be taken to the Cabinet level for approval after all aspects of the proposal is looked into at the next JKMPA meeting.

Najib said the meeting also decided to make some adjustments on the price of ticket for the Rapid KL (Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd).

He said the move on Rapid KL was taken as the price of the ticket was subsidised by the government.

JKMPA has also taken into consideration the problems faced by bus companies, especially in the Federal Territory in connection with Rapid KL, he said.

"Therefore JKMPA has decided that Rapid KL will not charge the subsidised rate, in short they will not be competing with other private bus companies on an unequal footing.

"This measure will be taken immediately and at the same time we will be studying Rapid KL's role on whether it can complement the other local transportation companies," he said.

Asked on whether there will be a rise in the price of the Rapid KL ticket following the government's move, Najib said: "There will be slight adjustment, it will not be fair for us to use the money from tax payers to subsidise Rapid KL....We will make an announcement soon."

He said the measure was also part of the government's move to streamline its subsidy policy.

Najib said the government will study the matter carefully so that it does not burden consumers.

"The principle we will use is if the transportation system is used by those from the higher and middle income category, we may not control but we will liberalise it and fix a minimum price for the ticket.

"For those from the lower income group using the transport system, we will control directly," he said.

RapidKL is the operator of the main public transportation system in the Klang Valley, providing its services through an integrated network of railway and bus systems.

Besides operating a network of 161 bus routes, the company also operates the Kelana Jaya Monorail (previously known as PUTRA) and the Ampang Monorail (previously known as STAR).

A total of four million commuters use the company's integrated transportation system weekly, travelling via its network of 908 buses and 48 railway stations everyday.

-- BERNAMA

Personally, i hope the all day pass on their bus still prevails after this...

[Skyprince]

Allurban, pleaseeeeee force the government to introduce the same bus system as in Sao Paolo in all cities in Malaysia.. plzzzzz

Everybody is frustrated !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[allurban]

Originally Posted by Skyprince

Allurban, pleaseeeeee force the government to introduce the same bus system as in Sao Paolo in all cities in Malaysia.. plzzzzz

Everybody is frustrated !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry to say this Skyprince but I have no way of forcing anything. If you really want to see a change, get transport into the hands of parliament, not the cabinet. Ask your MP to vote in favour of a Parliamentary Committee for public transport.

As for Sao Paolo's system, it is a nice one and BRT would apply nicely in many Malaysian cities...we can only hope that it would work well.

As for the frustration...Im sorry to say but things are only going to get worse from here. It seems that things have to get to a crisis point before the government recognizes a problem and takes steps to find the solution.

Cheers, m