Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd (Rapid Bus) is set to expand its Rapid Penang On-Demand service, introducing a three-month Proof of Concept (POC) phase commencing on 31 May and covering seven zones. Prasarana Malaysia Berhad group chief operating officer (operations), Amir Hamdan, stated that the selection of the seven zones was based on local demand, population density, and the requirement to enhance connectivity with the existing bus route service coverage.
According to Amir, the first zone, the Alma zone, will be provisioned with four vans, linking passengers to current routes including 708 (Bukit Mertajam – Junjung), 801 (Penang Sentral – Nibong Tebal) and 802 (Bukit Mertajam – Nibong Tebal).
He further detailed that the BM (Bukit Mertajam) City zone will utilise three vans within the Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT) town centre to address first and last mile connectivity and to improve interconnection with the existing bus network. This will cover 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).
Amir also clarified that the Bayan Baru zone is to have three vans providing access to established services, namely 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 the Bertam zone, two vans will connect commuters to routes 601 (Penang Sentral – Kepala Batas), 606 (Bukit Mertajam – Kepala Batas) and 610 (Kepala Batas – Tasek Gelugor), intended to reduce waiting times for these routes.
He added, “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).”
“For the Transkrian or Nibong Tebal zone, two vans 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 confirmed that throughout the POC period, Rapid Bus would monitor demand and usage patterns, ensuring that the service remains pertinent and making improvements derived from assessment results and passenger feedback.
By mid-May, this service had been operating in six zones, utilising 31 vans with an average daily ridership of 1,828 individuals, indicating positive acceptance among commuters.
