BY MANJIT KAUR

Perak Transit Managing Director Datuk Seri Cheong Kong Fitt (seated second from left) speaking with Syed Hamid (standing right) on board the MyBas.

THE problem of inadequate public transportation for travellers during festive seasons is now a thing of the past, said Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) Chairman Tan Sri Dr Syed Hamid Albar.

Syed Hamid said, with the better system, especially with the introduction of the Electric Train Services (ETS), the issue should not occur anymore.

He added that for passengers travelling north, public transportation is the preferred choice, although it would be wise to book train or bus tickets earlier prior to the travel period to avoid disappointments.

He also warned people not to buy bus tickets from touts.

“Malaysians have a habit of buying tickets at the last minute, and based on that fact, bus companies usually will have to apply for temporary licences for extra buses.

“However, very few applications to run extra buses have been put forward.

“So there are more than enough buses, and it should not be a problem,” he told reporters after inspecting the effectiveness of the myBAS Ipoh services on Monday.

After Kangar and Seremban, Ipoh was the third location to introduce the service on June 1.

The myBAS service in Ipoh will cover 312km in routes.

The myBAS services is aimed at improving public bus services nationwide.

It will be introduced in Iskandar Johor and Kuala Terengganu next.

Syed Hamid said the service would offer commuters better integration, expanded routes, and a wider bus network resulting in more reliable bus services across Ipoh.

He said the full roll-out of myBAS Ipoh, offering 12 trunk roads and seven feeder routes, will cover a total distance of 312km compared to 132km previously.

“The commission has set new service standards for stage buses with the introduction of this service, and we will continue to monitor the operators’ performance closely.

“Under this model, SPAD as the planning authority, will be responsible for the network, the operating cost, and will receive the fare box revenue.

“In return the operators will be paid a vehicle-per-km rate, and are required to deliver on the agreed service-level performance to ensure commuters enjoy better service and connectivity,” he added.