GEORGE TOWN, Sept 9 — Penang’s key bus service Rapid Penang received a major boost today with 80 new sets of wheels added to its existing fleet of 320 buses.
The delivery of the new buses, which comes just five days after the petrol price hike, coupled with a promise not to increase ticket fares for now, offers Penangites the promise of a more efficient public transportation system.
“The new buses from Scania is one of Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd’s efforts to transform and improve the efficiency of RapidPenang services here,” Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad (SPNB) group chairman Tan Sri Ismail Adam said today.
He said despite the addition of the new buses, there were no immediate plans to increase bus fares as yet.
Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd operates major public transportation services such as RapidPenang, RapidKL and RapidKuantan and it is a wholly owned subsidiary of SPNB.
Ismail added that another 120 new buses would be delivered to RapidPenang by August next year.
“The 120 new buses, which will include 40 double-decker 12 metre buses, will replace the 120 China-made buses currently in use,” he said.
“Our commitment is to supply a total 200 new buses to RapidPenang, most of which is to replace the China-made buses that have been in use since RapidPenang first started in 2007,” Ismail said in his speech at the handing over ceremony of the new buses at RapidPenang here today.
SPNB invested a total of RM48 million for the purchase of the 80 new buses, among which 39 have been delivered, while the remaining 41 will arrive by the month’s end.
Ismail said if possible, it would be better to have a dedicated bus lane to improve the efficiency of the bus transport service, not merely in Penang, but in other states as well.
“Another alternative is to create zoning where certain areas only allow buses to enter during certain hours of the day to ease the movement of public buses,” he said in a press conference later.
On the growing traffic congestion in Penang, Ismail suggested that the state consider looking into adding monorail and light rail transit (LRT) systems to its traffic management master plan.
“SPNB do provide advisory services on monorail and LRT as we also provide these services,” he said.
SPNB group managing director Datuk Shahril Mokhtar said the Penang state government’s plan to re-introduce a tram system for the state is also among one of the options available.
“The state should also look into working together with the federal government for a better solution to the traffic management of the state,” he said.
He proposed that the state also consider introducing both monorail and LRT systems to cover both the island and the mainland.
“The state should not just look at a 10 or 15 year plan but look ahead to 50 years,” he said.
The state’s current main public transportation service is RapidPenang with most Penangites relying on their personal vehicles.
The current Pakatan Rakyat state government is planning to introduce the tram system, particularly around the George Town Heritage zone, to reduce traffic congestion around the city centre.
