It is nice to see that the efforts to bring better public transit to Penang are finally coming closer to reality. There has been evidence of progress since the state government decided last year to adopt a government-run service similar to Rapid KL. Now the state government authorities are looking at buying buses, and hopefully soon public transit users in Penang will receive a major boost.

I do hope the Penang government will consider the needs of the public first and foremost when choosing buses for their new system. Because regular public input is vital for the success of any public transit system, the authorities should encourage the public and NGOs to submit suggestions for the features of the new buses.

The authorities should also make it a goal to have regular dialogue with NGOs like Cepat and the Bus Users Group. With the experience of Rapid KL in mind, I hope that I can make the following suggestions for the authorities to consider.

1.It is sad that senior citizens and those in wheelchairs are still marginalised by the public transit system. Therefore, the authorities should purchase low-floor buses, preferably with retractable ramps, so that senior citizens and the disabled can make use of the public transit service. If the authorities cannot have a fully-accessible fleet due to costs, at least purchase some and have them operating right away when the new service starts.

2. Traffic congestion is a major problem in Malaysian cities. The Rapid KL City Shuttle service has made a huge improvement to the transit service in the city centre of Kuala Lumpur, and should be expanded. The authorities should implement a similar City Shuttle service in Georgetown and Butterworth.

However, the authorities should also consider strong steps to reduce congestion in the major cities. Since the city centres are small, it might be easier to build 'car-free zones' that would be serviced by public transit and trishaws only.

3. The' Touch N Go' system is a very useful tool for public transit use. Unfortunately, it is not being utilised by enough people. Even Rapid KL buses don't seem to have the service operating. The authorities should have the Touch N Go service on the new system, and put card readers on every bus.

4. To encourage people to use public transit, the 'Day Pass' system introduced in the Klang Valley should be implemented in Penang. However, there should also be a cheaper, single trip-ticket option.

5. Protecting the environment and reducing air pollution is one reason to use public transit. Unfortunately, diesel buses are major polluters. The federal government should take the initiative to reduce pollution and purchase natural gas fueled buses for use throughout Malaysia.

I look forward to a day when the public and the authorities will work together regularly to improve public transit in Malaysia. With a lot of hard work, hopefully public transit in Penang (and Malaysia) will see major improvements very soon.