New bus service connecting Kuala Lumpur-Klang will be in operation by 2018

PETALING JAYA: The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service connecting Kuala Lumpur-Klang is expected to be in operation by end of 2018.
Targeted to be constructed along the Federal Highway by the third quarter of next year, Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Aziz Kaprawi said the government is finalising the financial model for the 34km exclusive bus lane.
"We hope with the BRT project, we can increase the overall daily ridership for public transport in the Klang Valley to 500,000 compared to the current 430,000," he said, after taking a tour of Sunway BRT service here this afternoon.
Aziz said a consortium would be established to ensure smooth delivery of the project and level of service for the BRT operator.
It is learned that the government is also considering the possibility of providing naming rights for particular stretches and several stations of the BRT route to private companies to maximise their investments for the construction of the project under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative.
Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) BRT division manager Norlela Osman said there would be 25 stations along the route with five integration stations connecting to LRT and KTM stations along the Federal Highway.
She also said there's a possibility that a small portion of the 34km lane may consist of elevated structures.
When asked on the proposed fare structure for KL-Klang BRT, Aziz said: "The government will try to ensure it will be affordable for the rakyat."
Currently, the daily ridership for the 5.4km Sunway BRT with seven stations averages 6,000 people per day, a stark contrast from the commuter response during the 2-month free ride on the electric buses after its official opening in June which recorded 12,000 passengers per day.