SPAD suspends permits of 27 express buses

KUALA LUMPUR: The Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) is suspending the permits of 27 Transnasional express buses plying the East-North Sector effective Wednesday following accidents involving buses of the company.
SPAD chief executive officer Mohd Nur Ismal Mohamed Kamal in a statement here today said the decision was taken after audits found the company did not monitor speed limits,and found that Global Positioning System (GPS) for the buses were not functioning.
He said SPAD would also be taking stern action against the bus companies whose buses were involved in accidents in Temerloh and Pekan, Pahang if they were found to have violated their licensing conditions.
"It was made compulsory in 2010 that all express and tour buses must be equipped with GPS. This was part of their licensing condition. Thus, each of the bus operator must ensure the GPS functions properly.
"The circular on the implementation of SPAD's Safety-Industry Code of Practice (ICOP) for bus operators issued last year makes it incumbent on them to ensure all aspects of driver management and vehicle maintenance are done properly and on schedule," he said.
He said the circular also stressed on adhering to speed limits which was one of the critical elements that had to be monitored by bus operators at all times.
He added that SPAD would not compromise with any bus operator who disregarded this (adherence to speed limits).
"SPAD is also looking into the suitability of making it compulsory for commercial vehicles to install black boxes," he said.
In the Pekan incident yesterday, a tourist was killed while 39 other passengers were injured after their tour bus was involved in an accident at KM70 of the Kuantan-Segamat Highway.
On Monday, three passengers, including an 11-month old baby were seriously injured when an express bus carrying 27 passengers was involved in an accident at KM116 of the East Coast Highway near Temerloh.
On April 13, a double-decker Transnasional express bus from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Bharu, Kelantan crashed at KM11, Jalan Bentong-Raub, killing three passengers and injuring 10 others. – Bernama