Rapid KL City Shuttle

RapidKL, IRM lancar tabung Gaza

Oleh DG KU MAHIRAH AG BINTING

KUALA LUMPUR 20 Jan. - Orang ramai yang menggunakan perkhidmatan transit aliran ringan (LRT) kini boleh menghulurkan sumbangan untuk tabung Palestin yang diletakkan di tiga stesen utama bermula hari ini.

Stesen-stesen yang terpilih ialah stesen Masjid Jamek, KL Sentral dan Pasar Seni hasil kerjasama Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn. Bhd. (RapidKL) dan Islamic Relief Malaysia (IRM) untuk membantu penduduk Gaza.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif RapidKL, Suffian Baharuddin berkata, tabung itu bertujuan memudahkan pengguna LRT membantu meringankan beban mangsa serangan Israel.

"Setiap sen yang diberikan oleh penderma cukup besar maknanya dan ia menunjukkan kita prihatin dan sedar akan tanggungjawab untuk membantu mereka dalam kesusahan," katanya.

Beliau berkata, tiga stesen itu dipilih kerana mempunyai purata penggunaan yang tinggi setiap hari.

"Tabung-tabung ini akan diletakkan di tempat yang strategik bagi memudahkan orang ramai menyalurkan sumbangan mereka,'' jelasnya selepas melancarkan tabung itu di stesen Masjid Jamek di sini hari ini.

Katanya, kempen itu akan berlangsung selama dua minggu bermula hari ini.

Pada majlis tersebut, RapidKL menyerahkan cek bernilai RM30,000 kepada IRM yang diwakili oleh Pengurus Negaranya, Zawahir Abdullah, hasil kutipan di kalangan petugas RapidKL.

Sementara itu, pekerja RapidKL, Wan Nor Azlina Meor Hamzah, 35, berkata, tabung yang diletakkan di stesen LRT akan memudahkan orang ramai untuk menyumbang.

"Orang ramai tidak perlu memasukkan sumbangan mereka ke mana- mana akaun dan mereka juga tidak melalui proses yang agak rumit,'' katanya.

Seorang penderma, Rosman Ahmad, 31, ketika ditemui berkata, ini merupakan cara yang mudah baginya untuk menyalurkan bantuan kepada mangsa di Gaza.

"Kepada orang ramai, janganlah teragak-agak untuk menghulurkan sedikit bantuan kepada mereka ini,'' jelasnya.

Norhayati Said, 31, berharap orang ramai memberi sokongan dengan menghulurkan bantuan untuk mengurangkan beban mangsa kekejaman Israel di Gaza.

"Walaupun sumbangan yang diberikan adalah sedikit tetapi ia tentunya dapat mengurangkan kesengsaraan mereka,'' tegasnya.

Tarikh pindah operasi RapidKL ditunda
KUALA LUMPUR - Tarikh pemindahan beberapa laluan bas yang beroperasi di Hab Bas KL Sentral ke perhentian bas Jalan Tun Sambanthan ditunda dari Selasa ini ke hari Khamis (5 Februari).

Bagaimanapun, Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn. Bhd. (RapidKL) tidak memberikan alasan penundaan tarikh itu.

Pengurus Besar Komunikasi RapidKL, Ebi Azly Abdullah berkata, laluan bas itu terpaksa dipindahkan ke Jalan Tun Sambanthan berikutan kerja-kerja pembangunan Lot G KL Sentral oleh pemiliknya, Kumpulan MRCB.

Kerja-kerja pembangunan tersebut dijangka memakan masa selama empat tahun.

Menurutnya, laluan bas yang akan dipindahkan ke perhentian Jalan Tun Sambanthan adalah U60, U63, U64, U65, U66, U67, U68, U69, U70, U71, U72, U73, U74, U75, U80, U81, U84, U85, U87, U88, E1 E2 dan E4.

"Laluan yang kekal di Hab Bas KL Sentral adalah U76, U82, U83, T423, B101, B105, B110, B112 dan DTS (Cyberjaya)," katanya dalam satu kenyataan di sini.

Beliau berkata, penumpang dinasihatkan supaya membaca notis yang disediakan dan mengikut panduan yang diberikan untuk kemudahan perjalanan mereka.

Tambah Ebi, penumpang juga diminta menghubungi pengurusan bangunan KL Sentral untuk penjelasan lanjut berhubung penutupan Hab Bas KL Sentral.

Orang ramai yang mempunyai pertanyaan atau maklumat lanjut mengenai perkara ini bolehlah menghubungi talian 03-7625 6999 atau melawati laman web www.rapidkl.com.my

RapidKL sedia 6 bas





KUALA LUMPUR: Masalah kekurangan bas seperti didakwa penduduk Seksyen 17 dan SS2/55 Petaling Jaya tidak seharusnya timbul kerana RapidKL menyediakan enam perkhidmatan bas berbanding empat sejak 20 Mei tahun lalu.

Jurucakap RapidKL berkata, dengan peningkatan operasi laluan juga menjadikan kekerapan perjalanan setiap bas adalah antara 15 hingga 30 minit.

Bagaimanapun, beliau berkata, bagi setiap hujung minggu dan cuti umum termasuk cuti Tahun Baru Cina baru-baru ini, bilangan bas dikurangkan kepada empat.

RapidKL tawar 1,500 peluang pekerjaan

KUALA LUMPUR 6 Feb. - Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn. Bhd. (RapidKL) memerlukan 1,500 kakitangan baru untuk meningkatkan mutu perkhidmatannya.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif RapidKL, Suffian Baharuddin berkata, pengambilan baru itu bagi mengisi kekosongan sama ada dalam perkhidmatan bas mahupun perkhidmatan transit aliran ringan (LRT).

Katanya, ketika ini RapidKL mempunyai kira-kira 4,000 tenaga kerja.

Antara jawatan yang memerlukan pengisian segera ialah pemandu bas dengan 350 kekosongan, mekanik/juruteknik rel dan bas (255), pembantu khidmat pelanggan rel (170), pegawai keselamatan rel dan bas (270), pegawai trafik bas (120) dan jurutera rel dan bas sebanyak 53 kekosongan.

Suffian memberitahu, untuk menyediakan perkhidmatan bas yang lebih cekap, RapidKL memerlukan lebih ramai kakitangan operasi terutama pemandu bas dan jurutera serta mekanik kerana jumlah sedia ada tidak mencukupi.

"Dengan adanya pemandu bas tambahan, RapidKL akan mampu memperbaiki tahap perkhidmatan bas dengan penambahan jumlah bas yang beroperasi. Pengawal trafik juga dapat membantu melicinkan lagi operasi harian bas," katanya.

Suffian berkata, mereka yang berminat untuk menghadiri temuduga perlu membawa kad pengenalan, gambar berukuran pasport, dokumen asal, salinan sijil persekolahan serta sijil-sijil yang berkaitan.

Bagi pemohon yang berminat bagi jawatan pemandu bas, mereka perlu membawa lesen memandu kelas D, E atau PSV.

Untuk pertanyaan dan maklumat lanjut boleh menghubungi 03-7650 7788 atau helpline di talian 03-7625 6999. Orang ramai juga boleh melayari laman web www.rapidkl.com.my.

Rapid KL jobs: Consider needs of the disabled
By : MOAZ YUSUF AHMAD, Subang Jaya





THE recent announcement of 1,500 jobs at RapidKL probably caught many people by surprise and made many happy. Coming at a time when the economic mood is sour and people are talking about retrenchment, 1,500 jobs at RapidKL is a positive thing. Since RapidKL bus drivers and executives receive a base salary of RM2,000 a month (plus daily allowance for drivers), being employed there might be an attractive option.

It is also nice to see RapidKL acknowledging it is understaffed and needs to employ more people to offer the service that the public expects. Conversations with junior and senior management, drivers and supervisors have made this apparent. RapidKL does not have enough drivers and mechanics to operate and maintain its fleet of buses.

One wonders how RapidKL could have survived so long if it were so severely understaffed. It comes as a surprise to the passengers who wait at the terminals for 20-40 minutes while the drivers lepak and joke around but still it is true, RapidKL is understaffed. Besides, after fighting through the traffic congestion, drivers should take a break for safety.

The public expects RapidKL to stick to its promises made in January 2006, when the service was introduced.

Excuses like "traffic is unpredictable so we cannot have bus schedules" are not acceptable when global positioning systems and the ITIS are available. RapidKL must concentrate on picking the "low-hanging fruits" or fixing the problems that are easy to fix -- delayed buses, pilferage from the farebox and fare evasion -- and improve the service for the people.

I note that RapidKL chief executive officer Suffian Baharuddin made it clear that the jobs were open to disabled candidates and RapidKL would not discriminate against them. But there is discrimination.

RapidKL's headquarters is located in Lembah Subang in Petaling Jaya, at the end of the Kelana Jaya line, which is accessible. Unfortunately, passenger service stops at Kelana Jaya, which is about 1km east of Lembah Subang. At that point, a person wishing to get to the RapidKL headquarters would have to get a taxi or wait for the T607 shuttle bus. This service is not an accessible one. There is another depot at the Ampang LRT station but this is on the Ampang line, which is not accessible at all.

I ask Suffian to please demonstrate his commitment to hiring disabled employees by making sure that all buses serving its headquarters and Ampang LRT station are fully accessible and that all new buses purchased by RapidKL are fully accessible.

He could also call for the Kelana Jaya line to be extended to Lembah Subang before year-end and that the Ampang LRT line be made fully accessible by 2012.

I (and I am sure, many others) await a response from RapidKL.

Proper order: The Q-system requires passengers to line up before boarding the bus.

Cops to ride buses to deter criminals
By RASHITHA A. HAMID


PETALING JAYA: Policemen will soon hop on RapidKL buses and other forms of public transportation to make rides safer.

Those up to no good had better keep their hands to themselves because the intended victim might just be a policeman in plainclothes.

Petaling Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Arjunaidi Mohamed said the policemen would be taking the bus from time to time.


Cops aboard: In a move to protect users of public transport from pickpockets and robbers, policemen will soon be deployed in RapidKL buses. Petaling Jaya OCPD ACP Arjunaidi Mohamed says the policemen can be in uniform or plainclothes. Policemen may also board the LRT and trains on their crime prevention rounds.

The policemen, he added, might be in uniform and sometimes in plainclothes.

If need be, they might even conduct checks on passengers.

“We do not want the public to feel uneasy with the presence of a policeman in the bus,” he said.

ACP Arjunaidi said the police were now working hand in hand with RapidKL and hoped to eventually work with other bus companies and train service providers.

He said the number of thefts and pick-pocketing incidents had decreased since police arrested six men when they tried to rob a tailor on a KL-bound RapidKL bus last year.

RapidKL safety and health officer Ahmad Samsuri Ahmad Mukri said they were cooperating with police as they did not want the public to be fearful when using public transport.

RapidKL berkempen Beli Barangan Malaysia






KUALA LUMPUR 6 April- Lebih 800 buah bas RapidKL dan Rapid Penang yang mengangkut kira-kira 458,000 penumpang setiap hari akan dilekatkan sebanyak 1,200 pelekat 'Beli Barangan Malaysia - Pilihan Bijak' bagi membantu kempen 'Beli Barangan Malaysia'.

Selain itu, pelekat tersebut juga akan ditampal di semua kaunter tiket stesen transit aliran ringan (LRT) dan bas RapidKL.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif RapidKL, Suffian Baharuddin berkata, kempen itu dilakukan sebagai langkah menyokong kempen yang telah dianjurkan oleh Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna yang bermula pada bulan Januari lalu.

"Pihak RapidKL akan menampal sebanyak 1,200 pelekat di stesen-stesen LRT aliran Ampang dan Kelana Jaya.

"Pelekat tersebut juga akan ditampal di dalam bas RapidKL dan juga bas Rapid Penang," katanya pada majlis pelancaran promosi Kempen Beli Barangan Malaysia di Stesen LRT Masjid Jamek di sini hari ini.

Majlis pelancaran kempen tersebut telah disempurnakan oleh Menteri Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna, Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad.

Katanya, perkhidmatan RapidKL enyediakan platform terbaik untuk menjayakan kempen tersebut kerana ia menjadi pilihan 320,000 penumpang LRT untuk aliran Kelana Jaya dan Ampang dalam sehari.

"Jumlah penumpang bas RapidKL pula ialah sebanyak 400,000 orang sehari manakala Rapid Penang mengangkut sebanyak 58,000 penumpang," ujarnya.

Beliau percaya usaha yang dilakukan oleh RapidKL itu dapat memberi dan meningkatkan kesedaran kepada pengguna di Lembah Klang dan Pulau Pinang untuk membeli barangan tempatan.

"Kami yakin pelekat yang ditampal di kaunter tiket stesen LRT dan di dalam bas ini dapat membantu meningkatkan kesedaran pengguna di Lembah Klang dan Pulau Pinang untuk menyokong dan membeli barangan Malaysia," katanya.

Suffian juga memaklumkan bahawa RapidKL sedang membuat perancangan untuk bekerjasama dengan agensi yang terlibat dalam industri produk tempatan untuk mengadakan promosi barangan Malaysia di stesen-stesen LRT terpilih.

Suffian berharap usaha yang dilakukan oleh kerajaan dan pihak RapidKL itu akan membuahkan hasil yang memberangsangkan daripada orang ramai khususnya pengguna RapidKL dan juga Rapid Penang.

"Sebagai warga Malaysia, kita seharusnya menyokong kempen Beli Barangan Malaysia ini," tegasnya.

Sementara itu, pekerja RapidKL, Wan Nor Azlina Meor Hamzah, 35, berkata, kempen yang dilakukan itu dapat memberi kesedaran kepada pengguna untuk membeli barangan tempatan.

"Selain itu, melalui kempen itu juga sedikit sebanyak dapat mempromosikan barangan tempatan.

Seorang pelajar, Muhamad Din Hasanuddin, 22, ketika ditemui berkata, kempen itu diharap dapat membantu negara menghadapi masalah ekonomi semasa.

Tambahnya, kempen itu akan mengingatkan orang ramai terutamanya pengguna RapidKL dan juga Rapid Penang supaya membeli barangan buatan Malaysia.

RapidKL changes E1 bus route

2009/05/28


PETALING JAYA: There will be some changes on the E1 bus route of RapidKL (Putrajaya Sentral -- Pasar Seni via North-South Highway) starting June 8.

Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd communication general manager, Ebi Azly Abdullah, said that the changes to the route were to reduce the travelling time and to give efficient service to E1 commuters.

"The new E1 route is via the Maju Expressway (MEX) and it will reduce the travelling time to 40 minutes compared to the current travelling time which takes 60 minutes," he said.

The new route will be as follows:


- Route (to):

Sultan Mohamed Terminal (Pasar Seni) - Jalan Cheng Lock - Jalan Tun Sambanthan (KL Sentral) - Jalan Syed Putra (Mid Valley) - Lebuhraya Timur Barat - Maju Expressway (MEX) - Precinct 9 - Putrajaya Sentral.

- Route (return):

Putrajaya Sentral - Precinct 9 - Maju Expressway (MEX) - Lebuhraya Timur Barat - Jalan Syed Putra (Mid Valley) - Jalan Tun Sambanthan (KL Sentral) - Jalan Cheng Lock - Sultan Mohamed Terminal (Pasar Seni).

The E1 route will operate with a frequency of 20 minutes every day. For details, visit www.rapidkl.com.my or call 03-7625 6999 or e-mail [email protected].

KOTA
Kembalikan khidmat bas

Oleh roslah othman
[email protected]






KUALA LUMPUR 24 Jun - Hendak ke mana-mana pun senang. Menunggu pun kira-kira 10 minit sahaja.

Itulah gambaran terhadap perkhidmatan bas awam di Jalan Peel di sini apabila Rangkaian Pengangkutan Intergrasi Deras Sdn. Bhd (RapidKL) memulakan operasi di laluan Taman Maluri Cheras-Jalan Peel-Kota Raya kira-kira dua tahun lalu.

Hari ini, situasinya berbeza sama sekali. Jika mahu ke bandar raya, mereka terpaksa berjalan kaki sejauh kira-kira setengah kilometer untuk ke perhentian bas terdekat.

Walaupun kelihatan dekat tetapi ia mendedahkan mereka dengan pelbagai risiko termasuk kemalangan jalan raya berikutan Jalan Cheras yang sentiasa sibuk.

"Kalau boleh kembalikan semula perkhidmatan bas 111 yang sebelum ini pernah melalui Jalan Peel,'' begitu kata Mohd. Noor Mohammed, 69, ketika ditemui Utusan Malaysia baru-baru ini.

Mohd. Noor adalah antara warga emas yang tinggal di Blok D, Projek Perumahan Rakyat (PPR) Laksamana, Jalan Peel di sini yang terpaksa berhadapan dengan kesulitan gara-gara perkhidmatan bas RapidKL yang disediakan sebelum ini telah ditamatkan secara tiba-tiba sejak dua tahun lalu.

Tindakan tanpa notis itu benar-benar menyusahkan penduduk di situ kerana selama ini hampir 90 peratus penduduk di kawasan berkenaan bergantung kepada pengangkutan awam tersebut.

Penduduk mendakwa sudah beberapa kali memohon perkhidmatan bas dikembalikan di laluan berkenaan, namun sehingga kini belum ada sebarang perkembangan mengenainya.

Ketiadaan perkhidmatan bas di kawasan perumahan yang mempunyai kapasiti penduduk kira-kira 3,000 orang penduduk itu benar-benar menyulitkan.

Utusan Malaysia difahamkan, pada awal perkhidmatan bas di laluan tersebut dimulakan, kekerapannya adalah setiap 10 minit.

Bagaimanapun, pada saat-saat akhir perkhidmatannya dan kemungkinan bertujuan untuk menamatkan perkhidmatan di laluan itu, penduduk mendakwa jadual perjalanannya semakin tidak teratur termasuk pernah sehingga sejam sekali.

Difahamkan, semenjak perkhidmatan bas bernombor 111 di laluan tersebut ditamatkan, penduduk terpaksa mengggunakan bas lain iaitu dari laluan Taman Maluri, Cheras-Jalan Chocrane atau Taman Maluri melalui jalan besar berhadapan Pejabat Kesihatan Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL).

Dakwa penduduk, selain terdedah risiko kemalangan, keadaan cuaca yang tidak menentu terutama hujan menimbulkan kesulitan terutama ketika mereka pergi atau pulang dari tempat kerja dan warga tua.

Tinjauan Utusan Malaysia di kawasan berkenaan mendapati perkhidmatan bas amat diperlukan di laluan berkenaan kerana pengguna bukan sahaja kalangan penduduk tetapi juga pelajar-pelajar dari tiga buah sekolah berhampiran iaitu Sekolah Menengah Convent, Sekolah Pendidikan Khas, dan Sekolah Kebangsaan Yaacob Latif, masing-masing terletak di Jalan Peel.

Kata penduduk, perkhidmatan tersebut dihentikan dengan alasan tidak mendatangkan keuntungan kepada syarikat kerana kekurangan pelanggan di laluan berkenaan.

Bagaimanapun, alasan tersebut tidak dapat diterima para penduduk yang rata-rata berpendapat siasatan tidak dijalankan secara menyeluruh dan langsung tidak mengambil kira pandangan penduduk di kawasan itu.

Lebih menimbulkan tanda tanya ialah mengapa sebuah pondok menunggu bas yang baru dibina di laluan berkenaan sejak empat bulan lalu sedangkan perkhidmatan bas tiada.

Harapan penduduk ialah agar RapidKL dapat mengembalikan semula perkhidmatan bas di laluan tersebut demi keselesaan dan kemudahan pengguna.

Sebagai sebuah syarikat pengangkutan bas yang dipertanggungjawabkan menyediakan sistem pengangkutan bersepadu di Lembah Klang, seharusnya RapidKL perlu lebih peka dengan kehendak pengguna.

Usaha RapidKL menyusun semula laluan bas sedikit masa dahulu antara satu langkah yang baik bagi menyediakan rangkaian perkhidmatan lebih cekap, namun pada masa sama kesan baik buruk kepada pengguna perlu difikirkan.

Difahamkan, langkah penyusunan semula laluan bas yang dilakukan termasuklah di laluan Taman Maluri-Jalan Peel-Kota Raya itu banyak membawa masalah kepada pengguna daripada memberi kebaikan.

Dalam hal ini, sikap mementingkan keuntungan semata-mata terutama syarikat-syarikat besar tidak harus ada kerana tanggungjawab sosial kepada masyarakat perlu juga diutamakan.

Walaupun kadar penggunaan pengangkutan awam di ibu negara terlalu rendah, malah yang paling rendah di Asia, tetapi itu bukan alasan untuk tidak menyediakan perkhidmatan bas yang menyeluruh.

Masih ramai yang menggunakan pengangkutan awam seperti bas, sistem transit aliran ringan (LRT), monorel mahupun komuter.

Meskipun ada pilihan untuk menaiki teksi, namun kadar tambang yang jauh lebih tinggi antara faktor utama mengapa bas masih menjadi pilihan pengguna.

RapidKL pertimbang rayuan penduduk PPR Laksamana

KUALA LUMPUR 3 Julai - Rangkaian Pengangkutan Intergrasi Deras Sdn. Bhd (RapidKL) akan mempertimbangkan permintaan penduduk Blok D Projek Perumahan Rakyat (PPR) Laksamana di sini agar mengembalikan semula perkhidmatan bas B111 dan akan merombak semula laluan sekiranya dirasakan perlu.

Pengurus Besar Komunikasi RapidKL, Ebi Azly Abdullah berkata, RapidKL sentiasa mengkaji laluan-laluan bas daripada semasa ke semasa demi kemudahan dan keselesaan pengguna.

Bagaimanapun, katanya, dengan masalah kekurangan pemandu yang dihadapi ketika ini, RapidKL terpaksa memastikan liputan rangkaian bas yang memadai untuk penduduk Lembah Klang.

Keadaan ini, jelasnya, menyebabkan jumlah bas bagi laluan tertentu sedikit terjejas ataupun memerlukan kajian semula.

"Di dalam kes laluan B111, ia dirombak dengan bas-bas di laluan berkenaan dipindahkan ke Jalan Cheras yang berhampiran.

"Bagaimanapun penduduk di kawasan sekitar Jalan Peel boleh menaiki bas yang melalui Jalan Peel iaitu T326 (Pandan Indah - Maluri) dan T329 (Taman Dagang - Maluri), untuk ke pusat bandar," ujarnya dalam kenyataan yang dikeluarkan di sini hari ini.

Kenyataan itu sebagai maklum balas terhadap rayuan penduduk yang disiarkan Utusan Malaysia pada 25 Jun lalu, mengenai kesulitan yang terpaksa dihadapi penduduk terutama warga emas serta pelajar-pelajar sekolah berhampiran.

Selain tidak dimaklumkan tentang penamatan perkhidmatan bas laluan tersebut, mereka yang ingin ke bandar terpaksa berjalan kaki sejauh kira-kira setengah kilometer untuk ke perhentian bas terdekat.

Walaupun kelihatan dekat tetapi ia mendedahkan mereka dengan pelbagai risiko termasuk kemalangan jalan raya berikutan Jalan Cheras yang sentiasa sibuk.

Ebi Azly menambah, kedua-dua perkhidmatan bas ini juga menghubungkan penduduk dengan hab bas Maluri dan Stesen LRT Maluri di mana mereka boleh menaiki bas lain seperti B111, B112, B114 dan laluan bas utama yang lain atau menaiki LRT untuk ke pusat bandar.

Touch 'n Go card for RapidKL bus T529



PETALING JAYA: Starting yesterday, only the Touch 'n Go card is accepted for payment of bus fares on RapidKL bus T529.

However, a statement from RapidKL said the electronic payment system was still on a trial basis and had not been implemented in all its buses.

The trial on bus T529, which operates from the Shah Alam terminal to the Section 19 Komuter Station in Shah Alam, is for a month.

RapidKL said the electronic payment system would not burden passengers who did not have the Touch 'n Go card as they could buy the card or top up the amount in their existing cards on the bus.


It said the system was aimed at making it more convenient for passengers to board the bus as each transaction would be faster compared with payments by cash.

The statement also said that passengers who wished to buy a Touch 'n Go card or top up the value could only use RM5, RM10 and RM50 for each transaction as no change would be given. Passengers are advised to have their cards ready before boarding.

RapidKL also urged parents to buy Touch 'n Go cards for their children.

Touch 'n Go Sdn Bhd officers will also be on board the T529 buses to help passengers during the trial period.

For more details, call 03-7625 6999 on Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 8pm, or go to rapidkl.com.my or send your feedback to [email protected].

Boon to knowledge workers
By CHARLES FERNANDEZ


EMPLOYEES of banking institution HSBC are the heaviest users of the 24-hour Dedicated Transport System (DTS) since it started operations in 2007 to provide a link between Cyberjaya and areas located within an 80km radius.

Cyberview Sdn Bhd (CSB) managing director Datuk Redza Rafiq said efforts were being made to encourage more knowledge workers to use the system as only slightly more than 10% of the 20,000 working population in Cyberjaya were using it.

“HSBC is by far the largest user with 2,000, followed by MDec and OCBC Bank with a total of 140 users. We are conducting outreach programmes at companies to brief them on the benefits of using the DTS system,” Redza said.

All DTS buses serviced by RapidKL are equipped with the Mobile Tracking Unit (MTU) that is capable of monitoring the buses via the Global Positioning System (GPS).


Waiting for passengers: RapidKL DTS buses waiting in line in front of the HSBC bus shelter in Cyberjaya; it is the biggest bus shelter as the company is the largest user of the DTS system.

The unit contains a GPS chipset that can track locations and a GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) telecommunications unit for sending location information to a Web Server.

Redza said besides tracking the bus’s location, the MTU could alert the system when a bus departed from its base and warn the administrators should the bus experience a breakdown.

“On the rare occasion when a bus stalls, a replacement will be immediately despatched from a fleet of 10 reserve buses.

“The MTU also confirms a passenger’s presence on any particular bus through the i-Button, a Radio Frequency Identification chip in the system.

“This will allow companies in Cyberjaya to track employees and ensure they are safe from the time they leave their office until they reach their final destination in near real-time,” he said.

HSBC is the only company in Cyberjaya that provides all its workers using the DTS with the i-Button and CSB is working with other companies to adopt a similar system for their employees.

The MTU-installed DTS is reputed to be the first in the world to use the GPS and GPRS and this could be one of the answers to solving the parking and congestion problems in the cybercity in the years to come.

The DTS charges RM213 per passenger per month. The buses leave from seven locations daily – KL Sentral, Gombak, Kepong, Bangi, Klang, Banting and Seremban.

“The system is gaining steam with a total of 31 companies having signed up for the service. The DTS is an affordable, reliable and efficient mode of transportation for any knowledge worker based in Cyberjaya,” Redza said.

Bus schedules are designed to suit the working hours of the companies operating in Cyberjaya, especially the shared services and outsourcing companies, with the pick-up times customised to individual company needs.

Atosorigin Sdn Bhd employee Harjinder Singh is keen to try the DTS because it is a convenient way of commuting to his workplace from his home in Port Dickson.


Keeping track: DTS stakeholder relations unit executives Norhafizah Saharin and Abdul Latif Yasin monitoring the MTU system in the control unit in Cyberjaya.

“I’d heard that the DTS buses were specially modified and had reclinable seats.

“This service is perfect for me; the only hassle I face is that I have to make my way to the Seremban pick-up point on my own,” said Harjinder, who recently started work as an IT engineer at his new workplace.

Regular passenger Khatijah Abdul Sidek from Shah Alam said she had been using the DTS for more than a year and found it very convenient as it provided a direct service from Wisma Masalam.

“I use a monthly pass but it will be good for the workers if all companies followed the HSBC i-Button system for safety reasons, as many of us work at odd times, sometimes leaving for home in the wee hours of the morning,” she said.

There are now 53 buses operating 24 hours, seven days a week. The pick-up and drop-off points are at KL Sentral; Bukit Jalil; Puchong; Melawati; Ampang Point; Gombak; Bandar Tasik Selatan; KTM Serdang; Shell Section 1, Bandar Baru Bangi; Sg Ramal Luar Kajang; Putrajaya Sentral; Komplek Desa Kepong; 1 Utama Damansara; LRT Kelana Jaya; Summit USJ, Subang Jaya; Klang Parade; Lotus Restaurant, Jalan Gasing, PJ; Wisma Masalam, Shah Alam; Terminal 1, Seremban; Courts Mammoth, Nilai; Pasaraya Dengkil and Narsco Plantation, Banting.

28 hurt as bus dives onto bike lane
By STEVEN DANIEL


KUALA LUMPUR: A RapidKL bus went out of control and plunged off the Kampung Kerinchi ramp onto the motorcycle lane, leaving 28 passengers hurt, six of them seriously.

Brickfields OCPD Asst Comm Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid said the bus was travelling from Shah Alam to the capital when the incident happened at 1pm near the Jalan Pantai Baru junction.

“The driver lost control when trying to avoid a car and crashed through the steel barricade. It plunged 4m onto the motorcycle lane, completely blocking the lane,” he said yesterday.

Three ambulances from Universiti Malaya Medical Centre and St John’s Ambulance took the injured passengers to the hospital. Twenty-two of the passengers were given outpatient treatment.


Road block: An aerial view of the site of the accident at the Kampung Kerinchi ramp Tuesday.

The other passengers had fractured hands and legs. Of the injured passengers, 16 were men.

Passenger Juriah Salleh, 37, said several passengers sitting at the back were flung forward during the incident.

She heard shouts and screams before losing consciousness.

“It was a really terrifying experience. When I came to, I was being helped by the rescuers out of the bus,” said the housewife who was not hurt.

Meanwhile, the bus driver, in his late 30s, said a blue Satria car was driven “very aggressively” just before the incident occurred.

The car tried to overtake the bus and forced the big vehicle to the side of the road.

“I tried to avoid crashing into him, but when I braked, I lost control,” said the driver who suffered minor cuts to his head.

The accident led to a massive traffic jam along the Federal Highway for several hours, caused mainly by motorists slowing down to have a look.

Streets mail: Provide bus service as new highway has ample lanes

2009/07/15
MOAZ YUSUF AHMAD, Petaling Jaya

I REFER to your report "Resolve issues before opening link road" (Streets, July 8).

As a former resident of SS12, Subang Jaya, I have been watching the progress of the Subang-Kelana Highway Link very closely since the project began in early 2005.

The construction had turned Persiaran Kewajipan upside down. What was once a street lined with trees from the Federal Highway to the Metropolitan Roundabout was widened by two lanes to accommodate the construction. It became very hard for pedestrians to cross the road and at night there were no streetlights, making it unsafe to walk.

Today, the highway is complete. I have walked along the highway from Subang Airport road to the 3K Complex in SS13. Persiaran Kewajipan now has 10 lanes in each direction, six on the ground and four elevated.


You would think that with six lanes, there would be additional space for buses. In fact, Persiaran Kewajipan and the Subang Airport road (up to the airport) are extremely wide and would be ideal roads to implement a rapid transit bus service in special lanes without taking away other lanes meant for the public.

A rapid transit bus service along Persiaran Kewajipan using the Subang-Kelana Highway Link would provide a quick and comfortable connection between the communities of Putra Heights, USJ and Subang Jaya to the Kelana Jaya LRT station.

If Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd plans to extend the LRT service from Kelana Jaya to the Lembah Subang Depot next to the NKVE, then it could become a hub for public transport serving Subang, Shah Alam and Kota Damansara.

At the very least, I hope RapidKL will consider providing a bus service from Kelana Jaya to USJ. That will help to get more people interested in using public transport without waiting for the LRT extension to be completed.

Lucky escape for 29 on bus
2009/07/15


KUALA LUMPUR: A RapidKL bus driver and his 28 passengers cheated death yesterday when the vehicle crashed through a barrier at the Kerinchi interchange of the Federal Highway and plunged 5m to the motorcycle lane below.


The RapidKL bus which ploughed through the safety barrier along the Federal Highway yesterday and landed on the motorcycle lane below.
Four women passengers and two men were seriously injured while the others, including the driver, escaped with minor injuries in the 1.25pm incident.

All were sent to the University Malaya Medical Centre, where the six injured were warded while the others received outpatient treatment.

Pantai Fire and Rescue Department station chief Norizan Abu Bakar said 10 fire engines were despatched to the scene.

Witnesses said the bus driver had tried to avoid a car which had cut into its path. The bus was heading from Shah Alam to the city centre at the time.




Brickfields police chief Assistant Commissioner Wan Abdul Bari Wan Khalid, however, said police were still investigating the cause of the accident.

He said the bus driver had been detained.

RapidKL chief executive officer Suffian Baharuddin said the company would cooperate with police to determine the cause of the accident.

He said RapidKL would also conduct an internal investigation.

"We pray for the injured passengers to recover as soon as possible. We also found some of the passengers' belongings in the bus."

Suffian said passengers and family members can call the RapidKL Helpline -- 03-76256999 -- from Monday to Friday, between 8.30am and 8pm, for further assistance.

They can also visit www.rapidkl.com.my.

Bas RapidKL dihantar ke Puspakom

KUALA LUMPUR 16 Julai - Bas RapidKL yang terhumban dan memasuki laluan motosikal berdekatan susur keluar ke Jalan Pantai Baru di sini kelmarin, dihantar ke Pusat Pemeriksaan Kenderaan Berkomputer (Puspakom) hari ini untuk pemeriksaan.

Pegawai Turus Penguat Kuasa dan Operasi Trafik Kuala Lumpur, Deputi Supritendan Ng Fook Loong berkata, turut dihantar sebuah kereta jenis Proton Satria yang juga terlibat dalam kemalangan itu.

Beliau berkata, langkah itu bagi membantu siasatan pihaknya untuk mengenal pasti punca kemalangan tersebut.

"Kita telah hantar kenderaan itu ke Puspakom untuk mengenal pasti punca kemalangan yang mungkin disebabkan oleh kenderaan tersebut atau kecuaian manusia," katanya ketika dihubungi di sini hari ini.

Beliau berkata, kes itu disiasat di bawah Seksyen 42 Akta Pengangkutan Jalan 1987.

Dalam kejadian pada pukul 1.20 petang itu, sebuah bas RapidKL yang membawa seramai 27 penumpang terbabas dan memasuki laluan motosikal berdekatan susur keluar ke Jalan Pantai Baru.

Kejadian itu mengakibatkan enam penumpang cedera parah manakala 22 lagi cedera ringan dan diberikan rawatan di Pusat Perubatan Universiti Malaya (PPUM).

Sementara itu, Fook Loong berkata, kesemua mangsa yang cedera dalam kejadian tersebut telah dibenarkan keluar dari PPUM.

RapidKL umum kadar tambang baru bas
30/07/2009 4:07pm


PETALING JAYA 30 Julai — Rangkaian Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd (RapidKL) hari ini mengumumkan tambang baru bagi perkhidmatan bas mengikut zon yang akan berkuatkuasa mulai 1 Sept depan.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya Suffian Baharuddin berkata RapidKL akan memperkenalkan struktur tambang mengikut zon bagi kesemua 165 laluan bas sekaligus menggantikan tambang pas harian yang dilaksanakan RapidKL ketika ini.

“Kadar tambang baru itu membabitkan perubahan daripada konsep pas harian kepada tambang bagi setiap perjalanan mengikut zon yang direntasi, seperti yang diamalkan pengusaha bas henti-henti lain di Lembah Klang,” katanya pada sidang media di sini, hari ini.

Suffian berkata penumpang bas Tempatan kini membayar RM1 secara pas harian, namun untuk kadar baru, RM1 hanya untuk sekali perjalanan sahaja.

“Struktur tambang baru bagi bas Bandar pula adalah RM1 untuk sekali perjalanan berbanding RM2 bagi pas harian sebelum ini,” katanya.

Katanya bagi bas Utama, penumpang akan dikenakan bayaran mengikut zon, iaitu RM1 bagi perjalanan satu zon, RM1.90 merentasi dua zon, RM2.50 merentasi tiga zon dan RM3 merentasi empat zon.

“Struktur tambang baru bagi bas Ekspres pula adalah RM3.80 untuk sekali perjalanan,” katanya.

Suffian berkata RapidKL juga akan menawarkan kadar diskaun 50 peratus melalui tiket konsesi bagi pelajar sekolah berpakaian seragam, warga emas dan golongan orang kurang upaya bagi semua perkhidmatan bas Tempatan, Utama, Bandar dan Ekspres.

Selaras dengan pelaksanaan struktur tambang bas mengikut zon itu, RapidKL memperkenalkan pas perjalanan Bulanan Bas yang boleh dinikmati penumpang dengan penjimatan sehingga 50 peratus.

“Penumpang yang kerap menggunakan perkhidmatan bas RapidKL digalakkan membeli pas bulanan yang memberikan penjimatan kos perjalanan berbanding dengan membeli tiket setiap kali menaiki bas RapidKL,” katanya.

Pas bulanan perkhidmatan bas Tempatan dijual pada harga RM40, pas bulanan bas untuk semua laluan bas Tempatan, Bandar dan Utama RM100, Pas Bulanan Integrasi untuk semua laluan bas Tempatan, Bandar dan Utama serta perkhidmatan LRT aliran Kelana Jaya dan Ampang berharga RM150.
“Bagi pas Bulanan Konsesi untuk semua laluan bas Tempatan, Utama dan Bandar pula berharga RM50,” katanya sambil menambah pas-pas bulanan tersebut akan mula dijual pada 20 Ogos.

— BERNAMA

hno:hno:hno:hno:hno:
bukan idea yang baguslah....stick dengan cara sekaranglah!!!