20-05-2025
Boosting commutes with RM1 rides in Penang
PUBLIC transport is not really an attractive option for most people if the nearest bus stop is a 30-minute walk away.
But what if you could get to your destination for just RM1 through Rapid Penang On-Demand (ROD), a first-mile-last-mile transport solution.
Jelutong resident Lucia Lai is one Penangite who decided to give it a go.
She took an ROD ride from her neighbourhood with booking made through the Kummute app.
A passenger using the Kummute app to book her ROD van ride.
'Booking was simple. The app tells you how long it will take for the van to arrive, along with the number plate and driver's name,' she said.
For her first ride, Lai was picked up from the bus stop in front of her apartment in Jelutong and dropped off at the St Giles Wembley Hotel in George Town.
'There were only two passengers in the van. I paid by swiping my debit card on the machine and received a receipt right away,' she said, adding that the van was comfortable and the air-conditioning worked.
Lai took her first ride from her apartment in Jelutong to a George Town hotel.
She said there were 11 seats, three rows with three seats each and a final row with two seats.
She was told that one seat in the second row was left empty to make it easier for passengers to get in and out.
On the second leg of her journey from St Giles Wembley Hotel to City Bayview Hotel, Lai was the only passenger and sat in the front row behind the driver.
'Overall, I'm satisfied with the service. Some say the wait times can be long during peak hours.
'But I wasn't in a rush, so I didn't mind,' she added.
An ROD driver receiving payment from a passenger using her debit card. Receipts are issued.
Pharmacist Jusrizal Azeem Jamaludin, also from Jelutong, uses the ROD service a few times a week to commute to Penang Hospital.
Usually, he takes a bus from the Sunshine Jelutong stop to Komtar, and then books an ROD ride to the hospital.
'The vans are clean, the seats comfortable and the air-conditioning works well,' he said.
'The drivers are polite and friendly. I have even had nice chats with a few,' said Jusrizal, adding that he appreciated the inclusivity of the service, including accessibility for people with disabilities (OKU).
'The app is user-friendly, and the flexible payment options are a plus.
'One can use the Pas Mutiara My50, Pas OKU Smile, debit or credit card, DuitNow QR or an e-wallet.
'It's a great initiative that offers a reliable alternative to driving, especially in areas not well served by buses,.'
ROD vans also have special equipment to cater to people with disabilities.
Bridging the gap
When the service was first launched on Aug 1, 2024, it featured only two vans operating on the T210B route between Farlim (Bandar Baru Air Itam) and Air Itam.
It was then known as Demand Responsive Transit (DRT).
Rapid Bus acting chief executive officer Ku Jamil Zakaria said two additional vans were introduced on the T210B route to meet demand and reduce wait times from 17 minutes to 10 minutes.
'With the two extra vans, the average daily ridership has reached 137 passengers, surpassing our initial target of 100.
'In just seven months of operation until February, the total number of passengers on this route has exceeded 26,000,' he said.
Ku Jamil said adding vans to serve the route had significantly improved connectivity between the ROD service and existing Rapid Penang buses, while offering passengers more direct access to their chosen destinations.
THE ROD can accommodate 10 passengers, with one seat left empty.
Today, the ROD service has a fleet of 31 vans covering six key zones, including one on the mainland.
The zones are: Gurney and Tanjung Bungah (six vans), Sunway and Butterworth (six vans), Bandar Baru Air Itam and Paya Terubong (five vans), George Town (six vans), Jelutong (four vans) and Bayan Lepas (four vans).
Ku Jamil said he hoped the service would encourage more people to shift to public transport instead of using private vehicles.
'Indirectly, this effort can help reduce traffic congestion and address the issue of limited parking space, especially in the George Town city centre,' he added.
Ku Jamil emphasised the company's commitment to expanding the ROD service to areas previously underserved by Rapid Penang buses.
'To support the next phase of expansion, we will gradually introduce 21 additional vans, starting next month,' he said.
'The expansion is part of our ongoing efforts to enhance access to ROD services, particularly in regions with limited Rapid Penang bus coverage.'
Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) president Mohideen Abdul Kadeer welcomed the expansion of the ROD service, especially with the addition of several new routes.
'Feeder vans like these are essential for residents in areas without regular bus access.
'We have long advocated for services like ROD to boost public transport usage, reduce reliance on private vehicles, ease traffic congestion and shorten commute times,' he said while emphasising the importance of keeping fares affordable to ensure the service remains accessible.
The ROD service operates daily from 6am to 11pm.
Rides can only be booked through the Kummute app.
Once the app is open, click 'book a ride' then choose which type of service.
The van service will appear automatically from the commuter's location.
Choose the pick-up point and scroll through the list of drop-off points (usually the pick-up and drop-off points are designated Rapid Penang bus stops or landmarks like hotels, malls and apartments).
Once booking is made, the app will show how long it will take the van to arrive.
The app will show the van's plate number and driver's name.
During the ongoing promotion period, fares are RM1.
