The Bus Users Group (Bugs), a Penang NGO, remains unconvinced with the state government's optimism that RapidPenang buses will be the rapid answer to end Penang's dismal public transport system, especially on the island.

Bugs spokesperson Ong Boon Keong claimed the Penang government had put up a `fictitious' brave front thus far to convince the voters that RapidPenang would overcome the state's public transport woes.

However, doubts remain on whether RapidPenang buses can reach out to all groups of commuters including school children, senior citizens, pregnant women and the disabled.

Firstly, since RapidPenang buses cannot cater to the needs of wheel-chair bound commuters, although it can cater for other disabled people, Ong said this defeats the `cater for all' objective of public transport.

Design not commuter-friendly

He said the design of RapidPenang stage buses was not commuter-friendly as most of them have a 30cm high platform in the front part while the platform height will gradually increase by at least seven steps in the back portion of the buses.

About 120 of the buses will have 30cm-high platform, which are being designed to cater to the needs of the disabled, senior citizens and children.

"One's head could hit the ceiling while sitting at the end of the buses. It's puzzling why the buses were designed in such a manner," Ong said.

At the recent Local Government Consultative Forum, both state executive councillor Dr Teng Hock Nan, who oversees local government, traffic management, information and community relations, and RapidPenang CEO Douglas David could not allude to any reasons behind the aberrant design of the China-made buses..

RapidPenang is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rangkaian Pengangkutan Intergrasi Deras Sdn Bhd or RapidKL, which is the Finance Ministry Incorporated (Mof Inc.) - wholly owned public transport company.

On Aug 1, 150 RapidPenang buses, imported for RM31 million from China, will ply five main corridor routes on the island and three more in Seberang Perai.

The company will operate 35 high and low-density routes, including 28 on the island and seven on the mainland, and deploy 135 buses, comprising of stage, medium-range and minibuses, to ply the routes at any one time.

Some routes not covered

The island's main routes will link Weld Quay in George Town with Teluk Bahang, Air Itam, Bayan Baru and Balik Pulau, and between Teluk Bahang and Balik Pulau, while the mainland's corridor routes will link Butterworth with Kepala Batas, Bukit Mertajam and Nibong Tebal.

A link bus service will also be operational via Penang Bridge between Bayan Baru on the island and Megamall Pinang on the mainland.

Although the state government promised that the RapidPenang buses would ply all profitable and non-profitable routes, Bugs was curious as to why the company missed out on several important routes such as the direct links between Paya Terubong and Balik Pulau, Bukit Bendera and Tanjung Bunga to cater to the needs of tourists, Balik Pulau and Kuala Sungai Pinang and, Balik Pulau and Pantai Aceh.

RapidPenang buses will not ply routes to important destinations such as the Caring Society Complex on the island, which houses most of Penang-based NGO offices, and the vibrant Bandar Baru Perda on the mainland, which has become an administrative centre for virtually all government departments and agencies.

RapidPenang has assured to ply all routes during the second phase of its implementation with the arrival of another 100 new stage buses.

However, Ong said neither the federal nor state governments have promised to fund the purchase of the new buses.

RapidPenang's operational hours, between 6am and 11.30pm, is being criticised "as being too short and not purposeful." Ong suggested the hours should be extended from 5am and 1am the next day as it was before the 1990s.

He added that since RapidPenang would not be able to deliver several types of essential services in their operations, it surely would not be able provide "an effective, affordable and reliable bus network to all" as promised by the state government.