KUALA LUMPUR: Out of about 330,000 express bus tickets available at Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) for the upcoming Hari Raya holiday, 220,000 have been sold, while tickets to the east coast are already sold out, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke (pix).
He said that this leaves only about 100,000 express bus tickets remaining, solely for trips to the north and south.
“The Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) has approved 218 additional buses as of March 29 through applications for a temporary change of licence (LPS) to meet the surge in demand for tickets for Aidilfitri.
“The number of additional buses is expected to increase until the LPS application deadline at 4 pm today. Last year, a total of 256 additional buses were approved by APAD,“ said Loke during a press conference after checking on the operations at TBS here.
Also present were APAD director general Datuk Azlan Shah Al Bakri and Maju Holdings Group chief executive officer Datuk Roslan Sharif.
Loke stressed that the safety of express bus passengers remains the Ministry of Transport’s (MOT) priority, and APAD will ensure that the approved additional buses meet the criteria set, including passing vehicle safety inspections and being equipped with GPS.
As for the bus drivers, he said they must undergo screening tests to ensure they are not under the influence of drugs, in addition to not exceeding their trip limits to ensure they get enough rest.
According to Loke, regular integrated operations involving the Road Transport Department (JPJ) and the police, as well as spot checks at bus terminals nationwide, will be conducted to ensure driver availability and that the buses are in good condition and safe to use.
He said this is because of the expected rise in the number of passengers at bus terminals, especially during the upcoming weekend, with TBS anticipated to receive 30,000 passengers daily and accommodate 1,000 express bus trips within a 24-hour period.
Loke said that in the last 14 years, TBS has served about 100 million passengers, with ticket sales totaling RM1 billion.
To reduce congestion at ticket counters and the main entrance of the Departure Hall, he said TBS has introduced QR codes for online purchases, allowing passengers to print their tickets and scan the QR code at Automatic Control Gate (ACG).
He added that online ticket purchases are currently the preferred method among consumers, representing 70 per cent of total transactions, with the remaining 30 per cent conducted through physical counters.
Meanwhile, Loke refuted the claim circulating on social media that MOT had set a key performance indicator (KPI) target for JPJ to issue 1,500 ordinary summonses and 13,000 notices for vehicles to be confiscated from road users.
“Our KPI is to reduce road accidents; there is no KPI from MOT for JPJ to issue how many summonses; that is a fake statement,“ he said.
In another development, Loke said Terminal Bersepadu Gombak is expected to begin operations in June, and he would visit the terminal after Aidilfitri.-Bernama
