‘Mini’ bus service to start next year, says minister

Regular ‘mini’ bus services will start in Kuala Lumpur next year.

KUALA LUMPUR: Prasarana Malaysia Berhad (Prasarana) and Rapid KL will have a strategic alliance with bus companies to expand and improve a “mini” bus service using shorter buses which went on trial last month.

Transport Minister  Loke Siew Fook said the service had been well received by the public, with an average of 1,200 passengers, rising to 1,800 passengers per day on the T304 (Ampang Point to Bukit Indah) route.

“The advantage of a smaller bus is that it is easier to get into the residential areas and this makes it easier for the bus driver to make the duration of the trip shorter and to operate at a frequency of 15 minutes during peak hours.

“Rapid KL has done research and most of the passengers are satisfied with the mini bus service and are supportive, so this has given us an indication that the mini bus is popular because it is faster and saves time,” he told reporters after trying out the mini bus service here today.

Loke said he hoped the mini bus service would be introduced by next year, especially in the residential areas and hoped more private bus operators would invest to improve the bus service.

On Aug 28, Rapid KL ran a trial mini bus service from Bukit Indah hub to Ampang Point, via Jalan Rasmi from Sept 1 to Nov 29.

Mini-bus services using van-sized vehicles were popular in the capital in the 1990s. They were stopped 21 years ago. - FMT