GEORGE TOWN, May 8 ― Rapid Penang resumed full operations of its fleet of 242 buses in Penang today as the state entered phase two of the Penang Gradual Recovery Strategy.
Almost all businesses and companies are allowed to re-open in Penang today.
Traffic conditions along major roads, while heavier than during the movement control order (MCO), continue to be smooth with minimal congestion.
Over at the Rapid Penang Weld Quay station, a handful of people were spotted waiting for buses.
Rapid Penang Operations chief Ahmad Shabuddin Abdullah said today was the first day public buses have resumed full operations after 50 days of limited operation hours during the MCO.
He said the low ridership was to be expected as it was the Wesak public holiday yesterday.
“We don’t expect a crowd these first few days of businesses re-opening today,” he said.
Rapid Penang buses will now resume normal operating hours from 5.30am to 11pm daily.
During the MCO, Rapid Penang buses were only in operations between 6am and 10am as well as from 4pm to 10pm.
Ahmad Shabuddin said they will adhere to the standard operating procedures (SOP) in ensuring social distancing of passengers in buses.
“We have marked the seats so that passengers sit far apart, this means a 10-metre bus can only accommodate 19 passengers while 12-metre buses can accommodate 23 passengers,” he said.
He added that the buses will be sanitised each night.
However, he said they will not be able to conduct temperate checks on all passengers prior to boarding.
“We will make it compulsory for passengers to wear face masks in the buses,” he said.
He also clarified that the state’s Central Area Transit (CAT) and Congestion Alleviation Transport (CAT) feeder buses are still not in operations.
The CAT buses are state-commissioned buses as feeder at various neighbourhoods in the state.
