RapidKL to introduce electric buses
By VEENA BABULAL|KUALA LUMPUR| 01 June 2012 | Last updated at 01:58AM
http://www.nst.com.my/streets/central/rapidkl-to-introduce-electric-buses-1.89972
RapidKL’s electric buses will look just like the diesel-powered ones.
Pic by Chan Wai Yew
GREEN RIDE:In two years, commuters can hop on to these buses which are more environment-friendly
COMMUTERS in the city can expect to ride on more environment-friendly buses when RapidKL introduces its fleet of 15 to 20 electric buses within the next two years.
This is in line with the company's bid to go green and reduce the levels of harmful gases emitted by diesel-powered buses.
The buses are expected to cost 50 per cent more than the diesel-powered buses imported from China and Europe.
Diesel-powered buses cost between RM400,000 and RM500,000 while electric buses are priced between RM700,000 and RM800,000.
"A bus from Europe can cost up to RM1.2 million while a bus from China can cost up to RM750,000," said Prasarana group director (bus) Zohari Sulaiman at a Ride For Green campaign launch by RapidKL here yesterday.
He said while the initial investment was big it was more economical compared to the maintenance of diesel-powered buses that require overhaul of engines every two-and-a-half years and complete overhaul of engines every five years.
"When you compare the 10-year life cycle of both buses, the electric bus is slightly cheaper and helps eliminate a lot of these maintenance and invisible costs such as breakdowns. Plus it emits no gas at all," he said.
He also said that bus depots would be revamped to accommodate the new buses so that the batteries and their capacitors can be housed and charged in the facility.
When asked whether RapidKL would gradually phase off all its diesel-powered buses to electrical ones, he said that that it would depend on public acceptance and policy shifts to the environment-friendly engine.
"Buses also play an important role as one bus can ferry people who can fit into 40 cars and as such eliminate the harmful gases 40 cars emit into the air we breathe. As such, people would surely ride buses when policy shifts are made."
He said the idea to use electric buses came about when the RapidKL team visited Shenzen in China and found electric buses were well-received by the locals.
On complaints on badly behaving RapidKL bus drivers, Zohari said he had set up a team of 60 enforcement officers to check on its drivers.
These officers would ride the buses in plainclothes to observe the bus drivers.
"These officers would be on the move checking on our bus drivers on all our routes daily. They would also be video recording the tardy or rude behaviour of drivers who break the rules," he said, adding that a bus driver who had cheated passengers of their change was caught on tape recently and was terminated of his job.
"We also got his confession on tape," he said, while calling on passengers to report instances of bus drivers behaving badly on their hotline or by emailing them.
"You can also email video recordings of such instances to us."
Zohari said the contact numbers of depot heads have been put up in the buses for passengers to forward their complaints.
At the launch Prasarana group director (rail) Khairani Mohamed said the campaign was to commemorate World Environment Day on June 5. Prasarana will be selling T-shirts at its stations for RM20 each.
RapidKL will then lookout for those wearing the green themed T-shirts on June 5 and select 20 people to receive a free RM100 MyRapid pass.
"As a perk, those who buy the card will also receive a MyRapid card with a stored value of RM5," he said, adding that RM1 of every T-shirt sold would be donated to a charity home.