Updates #17

Updates #17

1. TRANSIT is going to Malacca this weekend with the intention of submitting comments about the proposed Malacca Aerorail. If you are a resident of Malacca or you just care about real investment in public transport, please submit your comments about the Aerorail.

2. Malacca Monorail (Skyscrapercity.com) – Aside from the Aerorail there is also a 2-station mini-monorail (theme park monorail) being planned for Malacca city, to reach from Taman Rampah to the Malacca Eye.

The monorail track is 1.6 km long and will connect two stations namely Jebat Station at Taman Rempah and Tuah Station near the Melaka Eye. Each station is about 2,500 sq. ft in area and will be built at about 7.2 meters above the ground.

The monorail train can also accommodate 80 passengers at any one time and it will travel at a ground speed of about 12km per hour only.

A tourist monorail for a overwhelmingly tourist city.

3. TRANSPORT COSTS: Johor needs an LRT system (NST) – a letter commenting on the issues of public transport fare increases, the general state of public transport service in Johor, and the need for an LRT.

4. More photos and videos of the new Vancouver SkyTrain (the Buzzer Blog)  – Curious about the other cities using the Bombardier ART Technology?  Vancouver, British Columbia (in Canada) purchased the Mark II design after Kuala Lumpur. They are expanding service on the Millenium Line by purchasing more Mark II carriages. The link has many images and videos that you will find interesting.

5. Travelers in Malaysia ditch buses for planes (Malaysian Insider) – this article discusses a shift in markets from intercity buses to planes following the expansion of flights in South East Asia from the Open Skies Agreement.  It also goes to show you that competition can reduce prices and make service more available to the consumer.  At the same time, competition can drive companies to skimp on quality and maintenance to cut costs – one of the very problems that is driving people away from using intercity buses.

6. Letter: Set up central authority to boost public transport (The Star) – this letter questions the decline in public transport use despite construction of more LR T lines and advocates a central authority to understand the reasons for the decline and to help reverse it.

7. State govt plans to rescue ailing bus companies (The Star) – The Perak State government is looking for solutions to help bus companies.

8. Bus service to Ipoh resumes (NST) – the bus service from Tebing Tinggi to Ipoh will resume after 8 years.