SOP to address speeding in buses already in place since 2015
KUALA LUMPUR: Despite a circular issued nearly a decade ago mandating strict measures against speeding by express and chartered buses, deadly crashes continue to plague Malaysian roads.
The latest incident in Gerik, involving a chartered bus, tragically claimed the lives of 15 students from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI).
The accident has sparked public outrage and renewed scrutiny over the enforcement and compliance with safety protocols, one of which is a 2015 circular issued by the now-defunct Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD).
SPAD was decommissioned in 2018 and taken over by the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad).
On Feb 27, 2015, SPAD, under the leadership of then chief executive officer Mohd Nur Ismal Mohamad Kamal, issued a circular (effective April 27, 205) requiring all licensed express, charter, and tour bus operators to take immediate action upon receiving complaints of speeding.
Among the key mandates was that all public service buses must be equipped with GPS tracking systems and operators are responsible for continuous real-time monitoring of their vehicles.
"If a vehicle is found speeding, whether through passenger complaints, public reports, or GPS detection, operators must immediately contact the driver to reduce speed.
"Operators must then report actions taken to both the complainant and SPAD, and submit GPS records and incident logs to the regulator within 24 hours," the circular reads.
Failure to adhere to these requirements would constitute a breach of licensing conditions.
The 2015 circular also required operators to submit and update key contact information — including complaint hotlines, management contacts, and email/fax details — within five working days of any changes.
The tragedy has reignited calls for better oversight and for better enforcement of safety regulations.
Police said the investigation into the bus crash is still in its early stages, and urged the public to allow the investigation to run its course.
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