BY JACINTHA JOLENE & LILIANA SHERYN
KUCHING: There is a need to build a dedicated lane for public transportation, according to the Transport Minister Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin.
According to Lee, the ministry is finalising the road infrastructure plan in more detail.
“For Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART), it has a dedicated lane to ensure seamless travel, punctuality, and no obstruction on the road.
“To ensure punctuality, we must have a dedicated route for public transportation. If public transportation shares the same lanes with other vehicles, it may get stuck in traffic during peak hours, which can make the buses unreliable.
“Therefore, the ministry is proposing a dedicated lane for public transportation to improve punctuality and reliability,” he told reporters during his visit to the Kenyalang Traffic Garden today (March 30).
Lee also dismissed claims that the buses used in the RM1 Flat Rate Bus Fare Programme are rarely seen and never full. He mentioned that the ministry’s data shows an increase in ridership using the stage buses services.
“The buses’ performance depends on the time of the day. I do not have the actual figures on that, and these claims are hearsay. However, we have to look at the figures. The numbers indicate an increase in ridership and we will continue with that program,” he said.
The Transport Ministry implemented the programme in 2020.
