Updates #71
1. Article: Lucky escape for 40 passengers (The Star) – Forty passengers of an express bus had a close shave after the bus they were in had the front tire burst, skidded, crashed through the road divider and came to a stop in the opposite lane at the 245th kilometre of the North-South Expressway near the Pedas-Linggi toll plaza.
TRANSIT Says: It could have been worse. We have a lot to learn from near-misses! Imagine if the Transnasional was a double-deck instead of a single deck, and if the bus brushed instead of blasted through the metal guardrail median barrier, the Sani Express incident would repeat by itself. Worse, imagine if there are vehicles coming from the opposite site, and the bus happened to trip over the median, then we would have seen another Simpang Ampat tragedy. Why actions on safety measures are only being considered after fatal accidents occurred – and even then, we only hear news on prosecution of drivers, but not on bus reality check and on safe median barriers.
Tengku Hasmadi said there were pre-trip instructions that drivers had to adhere to under the code. “This includes checking the brake lights, headlights, wipers, and air pressure in bus tyres.” (article on Transnasional buses the safest, thanks to SHE)
Transnasional used to pride itself on being the ‘safest’ operator, but this incident should raise the eyebrows of many on the biggest bus consortium’s credibility.
2. Article: Ipoh-bound ETS commuters get special send-off (The Star) – HUNDREDS of Electric Train Service (ETS) passengers bound for Ipoh were given a special Chinese New Year send-off recently with goodie bags and a lion dance.
Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTM) president Dr Aminuddin Adnan and ETS chief executive officer Azizullah Kinayatullah bade goodbye to commuters at KL Sentral after presenting 250 gift bags full of oranges, ang pow and lion decorations.
3. Letter: Make it easier to use Rapid Penang buses (The Star) – Tim Morton of London comments on the user-friendliness of RapidPenang bus services.
4. Article: Intercity train service restored (The Star) – The Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB)train services in the south and east coast sectors, disrupted by floods since Jan 30, were restored on 5 February 2011.
5. Article: Work on LRT extensions to start next month (Malay Mail) – Work on the first phase of the extension to the Kelana Jaya Light Rail Transit (LRT) line will start next month according to Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd (Prasarana) group managing director Shahril Mokhtar, who said that “The rail extension project will begin next month from Kelana Jaya to Lembah Subang to Glomac Business Centre. It’s a 4km stretch for a start.”
6. Article: Electronic ticketing at all bus terminals soon (The Star) – The Land Public Transport Commission aims to introduce electronic ticketing system at all bus terminals nationwide as well as implement proper arrival and departure bays.
7. Article: Here come the busing bride and groom (The Star) – Instead of arriving in a decorated car, newly-weds Mohamed Khairudin Mohamed and his bride Norhaini Ahmad Ali made a grand appearance for their wedding reception – in a gaily-decorated Rapid Penang bus.
8. Letter: Arbitrary fare increase by bus company (The Star) – FAIR FARE! of Rawang comments that one bus company conductors demanded double fare on the eve of Chinese New Year and during the holiday.
Transit Malaysia 