Latest news with #RapidBus
New Straits Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Penang Rapid On-Demand expands van-bus service in seven zones
GEORGE TOWN: Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd (Rapid Bus) will expand its Rapid Penang On-Demand service through a three-month Proof of Concept (POC) phase starting May 31, involving seven zones. Prasarana Malaysia Bhd group chief operating officer (operations) Amir Hamdan said his party identified the seven zones based on local demand, population density and the need to improve connectivity with existing bus route service coverage. He said the first zone, the Alma zone, will be equipped with four vans to connect passengers with existing bus routes such as (No.) 708 (Bukit Mertajam – Junjung), 801 (Penang Sentral – Nibong Tebal) and 802 (Bukit Mertajam – Nibong Tebal). "Next, the BM (Bukit Mertajam) City zone will operate with three vans in the Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT) town centre, which provides a solution for first and last mile access as well as through better interconnection with the existing bus network. "This involves routes 606 (Bukit Mertajam – Kepala Batas), 701 (Bukit Mertajam – Penang Sentral), 702 (Bukit Mertajam – Penang Sentral), 707 (Bukit Mertajam – Taman Pelangi), 708 (Bukit Mertajam – Junjung), 709 (Penang Sentral – Machang Bubuk), 802 (Bukit Mertajam – Nibong Tebal) and CT14 (Bukit Mertajam – Komtar)," he said in a statement today. Amir said the Bayan Baru zone would involve three vans to provide access to existing bus services including routes 301 (Weld Quay – Relau), 302 (Weld Quay – Batu Maung), 303 (Weld Quay – Bukit Gedung), 304 (Gurney Promenade – Bukit Gedung), 306 (Hospital – Penang International Airport), 308 (Sungai Nibong – Gertak Sanggul), 401 (Weld Quay – Teluk Kumbar), 401E (Weld Quay – Balik Pulau) and CT13 (Bayan Baru – Seberang Jaya). In addition, he said two vans for the Bertam zone would connect commuters with routes 601 (Penang Sentral – Kepala Batas), 606 (Bukit Mertajam – Kepala Batas) and 610 (Kepala Batas – Tasek Gelugor) to reduce waiting times for these routes. "The Balik Pulau zone will also have two vans for the first and last mile access with existing bus routes, namely routes 401E (Balik Pulau – Weld Quay), 403 (Balik Pulau – Pulau Betong), 404 (Balik Pulau – Pantai Acheh) and 502 (Genting Town, Balik Pulau – Weld Quay). "The Transkrian or Nibong Tebal zone also involves two vans that will operate specifically in the Transkrian area to connect communities with the Rapid Penang bus service network, while three vans will be for the Batu Kawan zone, which is an industrial, commercial and new residential hub that does not yet have a public transport network around it," he said. Amir said throughout the POC period, Rapid Bus will monitor demand and usage patterns to ensure that the service is relevant to meet needs while implementing improvements based on evaluation results and passenger feedback. As of mid-May, the service had been operating in six zones involving 31 vans with an average daily rate of 1,828 people, thus showing good acceptance among commuters. – Bernama
Barnama
27-05-2025
- Business
- Barnama
Penang Rapid On-Demand Expands Van-bus Service in Seven Zones From May 31
GEORGE TOWN, May 27 (Bernama) -- Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd (Rapid Bus) will expand its Rapid Penang On-Demand service through a three-month Proof of Concept (POC) phase starting May 31, involving seven zones. Prasarana Malaysia Berhad group chief operating officer (operations) Amir Hamdan said his party identified the seven zones based on local demand, population density and the need to improve connectivity with existing bus route service coverage. He stated that the first zone, the Alma zone, will be equipped with four vans to connect passengers with existing bus routes such as (No.) 708 (Bukit Mertajam – Junjung), 801 (Penang Sentral – Nibong Tebal) and 802 (Bukit Mertajam – Nibong Tebal). 'Next, the BM (Bukit Mertajam) City zone will operate with three vans in the Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT) town centre, which provides a solution for first and last mile access as well as through better interconnection with the existing bus network. 'This involves routes 606 (Bukit Mertajam – Kepala Batas), 701 (Bukit Mertajam – Penang Sentral), 702 (Bukit Mertajam – Penang Sentral), 707 (Bukit Mertajam – Taman Pelangi), 708 (Bukit Mertajam – Junjung), 709 (Penang Sentral – Machang Bubuk), 802 (Bukit Mertajam – Nibong Tebal) and CT14 (Bukit Mertajam – Komtar),' he said in a statement today. Amir said the Bayan Baru zone would involve three vans to provide access to existing bus services including routes 301 (Weld Quay – Relau), 302 (Weld Quay – Batu Maung), 303 (Weld Quay – Bukit Gedung), 304 (Gurney Promenade – Bukit Gedung), 306 (Hospital – Penang International Airport), 308 (Sungai Nibong – Gertak Sanggul), 401 (Weld Quay – Teluk Kumbar), 401E (Weld Quay – Balik Pulau) and CT13 (Bayan Baru – Seberang Jaya). In addition, he said two vans for the Bertam zone would connect commuters with routes 601 (Penang Sentral – Kepala Batas), 606 (Bukit Mertajam – Kepala Batas) and 610 (Kepala Batas – Tasek Gelugor) to reduce waiting times for these routes. "The Balik Pulau zone will also have two vans for the first and last mile access with existing bus routes, namely routes 401E (Balik Pulau – Weld Quay), 403 (Balik Pulau – Pulau Betong), 404 (Balik Pulau – Pantai Acheh) and 502 (Genting Town, Balik Pulau – Weld Quay). 'The Transkrian or Nibong Tebal zone also involves two vans that will operate specifically in the Transkrian area to connect communities with the Rapid Penang bus service network, while three vans will be for the Batu Kawan zone, which is an industrial, commercial and new residential hub that does not yet have a public transport network around it," he said.
CBC
22-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
TransLink ridership grew in 2024, but advocates warn service gaps remain
Social Sharing TransLink says Metro Vancouver saw strong transit ridership growth last year, especially in fast-growing communities south of the Fraser River, but a transit advocacy group says the data reveals widening service gaps across the region. According to TransLink's 2024 Transit Service Performance Review, the region saw nearly 241 million journeys last year, up three per cent from 2023. The highest growth in ridership was recorded in Surrey and Langley, where bus boardings increased by more than 11 per cent. That growth was driven by strong population increases and targeted transit investments, including the launch of the R6 RapidBus route along Scott Road, the report says. "Transit demand is growing throughout much of Metro Vancouver," TransLink spokesperson Dan Mountain said. "It's a testament to how reliable our system is for people to move around." WATCH | Metro Vancouver transit ridership grew in 2024, says TransLink: Transit ridership grew more than 3% year-over-year in 2024: TransLink 41 minutes ago Duration 2:07 Mountain said RapidBus services, which offer fewer stops and faster service than local buses, accounted for 15 per cent of system-wide bus ridership in 2024. "Despite having only six routes throughout our system with over 200 routes … RapidBus was a backbone to our bus system," he told CBC News. According to the report, Metro Vancouver now has the second-highest per capita transit ridership in Canada, surpassing the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area and ranking just behind Greater Montreal. While ridership rose sharply in areas with increased service, it dropped in regions that saw cuts, including Vancouver, the University of British Columbia (UBC), Burnaby, New Westminster and the North Shore. Bus boardings in the Vancouver/UBC area fell by two per cent compared to 2023. That shift in service is drawing concern from the transit advocacy group Movement: Metro Vancouver Transit Riders, which said ridership trends now clearly follow changes in service frequency. "What we saw is transit ridership is up a lot in places where service is up," said Denis Agar, executive director of Movement. "And ridership is down significantly in places where service is down. It sounds kind of obvious, but the numbers are really significant." Agar says ridership on the 323 route along 128 Street in Surrey has jumped more than 60 per cent since 2019 amid service increases, while the area saw little new housing construction. In contrast, Vancouver's 8 Fraser route saw the steepest drop in ridership of any corridor — now at just 47 per cent of pre-pandemic levels — after service reductions. "These are routes that used to be the backbones of the system, and now they're kind of an afterthought," said Agar. TransLink acknowledges that service reallocations were a stop-gap measure to address overcrowding in high-growth areas like Surrey. "Coming out of the pandemic, we were faced with difficult choices," Mountain said. "We didn't have enough operating funding to keep ridership levels the same throughout the region… to increase services [in high-growth areas], we had to reallocate ridership from some places for a few years." TransLink was facing a structural deficit of more than $600 million annually because of an operating funding shortage. But the transit authority says its 2025 Investment Plan will significantly reduce the structural funding deficit, keeping operations fully funded through 2027. The plan includes funding increases through fares, property taxes, and provincial contributions. "Luckily, what we now have is a new investment plan, which allows us to increase service throughout the region," Mountain said. Still, Agar says the consequences of past service cuts are already being felt. "What I'm worried about are the people that don't have an alternative," he said. "They end up staying home, bumming rides off friends, or spending way too much on Uber. Their freedom and mobility are just less than what it used to be." TransLink says it's committed to improving access and equity in transit but both the transit authority and advocates agree that stable, long-term funding is essential to meet growing demand. "If we continue to invest in transit, we can incentivize people to take transit over driving," Mountain said.
Barnama
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- Barnama
Jalan Ampang Bus Lane Hours Extended To Evenings Starting May 19
GENERAL KUALA LUMPUR, May 16 (Bernama) -- The dedicated bus lane along Jalan Ampang will be extended to cover the evening peak hours starting May 19, operating from 4.30pm to 7pm on weekdays (Monday to Friday). Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd (Rapid Bus), in a statement today, said the extension is being carried out in collaboration with the Selangor Public Works Department (JKR). It will cover a 0.62-kilometre stretch from the Jalan Memanda 1 junction to Jalan Memanda 9, and from the Jalan Cengal junction to the Jalan Wawasan Ampang traffic light junction. 'The move will benefit passengers on route 300 (Pandan Indah – Lebuh Ampang Hub) and route 303 (Mulia Jaya Terminal – Lebuh Ampang), as well as feeder bus services from Pandan Indah, Bukit Indah, Mulia Jaya and Lembah Jaya,' the statement said. Since the bus lane was introduced on July 3, 2023, the average daily number of passengers along Jalan Ampang has increased by 12.52 per cent — from 12,819 to 14,424. The lane has also helped reduce travel time by 10 to 15 minutes. Rapid Bus acting chief executive officer Ku Jamil Zakaria said the improved travel time and smoother journeys are expected to attract even more commuters to use public transport. He also reminded all road users to follow traffic rules and not misuse the bus lanes, as they are meant to benefit everyone. A three-month evaluation will be carried out together with JKR, the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) and the Ministry of Transport (MOT) to monitor travel times, bus speeds, road safety, and traffic conditions in the affected area. The public is encouraged to plan their journeys using the PULSE app, which can be downloaded from Google Play and the App Store. Real-time bus locations can also be tracked via Google Maps. For any enquiries or feedback, the public can contact Rapid KL through its official social media channels.
Malay Mail
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- Malay Mail
Jalan Ampang bus lane extended to evenings from May 19 as passenger numbers surge
KUALA LUMPUR, May 16 — The dedicated bus lane along Jalan Ampang will be extended to cover the evening peak hours starting May 19, operating from 4.30pm to 7pm on weekdays (Monday to Friday). Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd (Rapid Bus), in a statement today, said the extension is being carried out in collaboration with the Selangor Public Works Department (JKR). It will cover a 0.62-kilometre stretch from the Jalan Memanda 1 junction to Jalan Memanda 9, and from the Jalan Cengal junction to the Jalan Wawasan Ampang traffic light junction. 'The move will benefit passengers on route 300 (Pandan Indah - Lebuh Ampang Hub) and route 303 (Mulia Jaya Terminal - Lebuh Ampang), as well as feeder bus services from Pandan Indah, Bukit Indah, Mulia Jaya and Lembah Jaya,' the statement said. Since the bus lane was introduced on July 3, 2023, the average daily number of passengers along Jalan Ampang has increased by 12.52 per cent — from 12,819 to 14,424. The lane has also helped reduce travel time by 10 to 15 minutes. Rapid Bus acting chief executive officer Ku Jamil Zakaria said the improved travel time and smoother journeys are expected to attract even more commuters to use public transport. He also reminded all road users to follow traffic rules and not misuse the bus lanes, as they are meant to benefit everyone. A three-month evaluation will be carried out together with JKR, the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) and the Ministry of Transport (MOT) to monitor travel times, bus speeds, road safety, and traffic conditions in the affected area. The public is encouraged to plan their journeys using the Pulse app, which can be downloaded from Google Play and the App Store. Real-time bus locations can also be tracked via Google Maps. For any enquiries or feedback, the public can contact Rapid KL through its official social media channels. — Bernama
