By MALIK RIDHWAN ZAIHAN
BANDAR SUNWAY: Residents, office workers and students here and in Subang Jaya will enjoy a two-month free ride on the newly launched Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, the BRT-Sunway Line service, starting 2nd June 2015.
Dubbed as the nation’s newest initiative in enhancing mobility against the community and reducing traffic congestion in the Klang Valley, it is also the first fully elevated public transportation system in Malaysia using green technology.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak said, the BRT-Sunway Line developed by the Prasarana Malaysia Berhad and the Sunway Berhad, was a public transportation project of international standard and a pride of the nation.
"This project fulfills the desire of the government to develop an efficient, reliable and convenient public transportation system," he said when launching the line earlier this month at the BRT-Sunway Complex here.
Implemented under the innovative Public-Private Partnership (PPP) programme via the collaboration of both Prasarana and Sunway, the landmark project was also officially penned as the first BRT project in Malaysia in the Malaysia Book of Records (MBOR).
To be operating with environmentally-friendly buses and having to be completed three weeks ahead of schedule, the project, which is the first fully elevated BRT service in Malaysia, was also recorded as the nation’s first electric bus public transportation system by MBOR.
Najib also took a 30-minute ride in the electric bus. Also present at the event were Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, Prasarana Group chairman Tan Sri Ismail Adam and Sunway Group chairman Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah.
The BRT Sunway Line is the first bus service to use an elevated track, thus ensuring up-to-the-minute planned travel.
It is also a stage bus service that makes use of electric buses, with the cost of infrastructure and public transportation system which runs into RM634 million.
The fully elevated BRT-Sunway Line of 5.4 kilometres has 7 stations, from Sunway- Setia Jaya to USJ7 in Subang Jaya, and is linked to the Setia Jaya KTM Komuter station as well as the LRT system under construction in USJ7. The seventh station will be opened next year.
Meanwhile, Ismail, in his speech, said the BRT-Sunway Line will operate at four to eight-minute intervals and serve the seven stations, namely Sunway-Setia Jaya, Mentari, Sunway Lagoon, SunMed, SunU-Monash, South Quay and USJ7, with the availability of a 'Park N Ride' facility at the BRT-Sunway Complex.
He said 15 environmentally-friendly electric buses would be put into service, with each vehicle able to accommodate 67 passengers with 25 seated down.
With a top speed of 80km/hour, the buses are fully equipped with Wi-Fi for the convenience of commuters, especially with majority of them being students.
The BRT-Sunway Line would serve 500,000 people in Bandar Sunway and Subang Jaya, said Ismail, anticipating that the service will transport 2,400 passengers per hour this year.
The capacity is expected to rise to 5,200 passengers per hour by 2035.
Taylor’s University (TU) students using the BRT can expect to use the 800-meter pedestrian bridge connecting the university and the SunMed station once it is completed by end of the month.
Once the bridge is in place, this ease of access to public transportation could potentially lead to less traffic congestion and parking problems at the university.
Subang Jaya assemblyman Hannah Yeoh urged the student population in the surrounding area to use the BRT line and reduce cars on the road.
“I have tried it out and the bus ride is very comfortable, scenic and calming because there is no jam,” she added.
Yeoh said there were some 6,000 students at the Monash University, 10,000 students at Sunway University and another 17,000 from the TU Lakeside Campus where the BRT SunU-Monash station was located.
Foundation in Business student Fatin Nadia, 20, from PJS7 said she and her friends were keen to explore Bandar Sunway using the BRT.
“We usually drive to Sunway Pyramid. With the BRT in place, we will definitely opt for the bus since it is much more convenient,” said Nadia.
She said getting to the mall was a hassle due to traffic congestion but the dedicated elevated track made travelling smoother.
The student also praised the use of environmentally friendly buses.
Dubbed as the nation’s newest initiative in enhancing mobility against the community and reducing traffic congestion in the Klang Valley, it is also the first fully elevated public transportation system in Malaysia using green technology.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak said, the BRT-Sunway Line developed by the Prasarana Malaysia Berhad and the Sunway Berhad, was a public transportation project of international standard and a pride of the nation.
"This project fulfills the desire of the government to develop an efficient, reliable and convenient public transportation system," he said when launching the line earlier this month at the BRT-Sunway Complex here.
Implemented under the innovative Public-Private Partnership (PPP) programme via the collaboration of both Prasarana and Sunway, the landmark project was also officially penned as the first BRT project in Malaysia in the Malaysia Book of Records (MBOR).
To be operating with environmentally-friendly buses and having to be completed three weeks ahead of schedule, the project, which is the first fully elevated BRT service in Malaysia, was also recorded as the nation’s first electric bus public transportation system by MBOR.
Najib also took a 30-minute ride in the electric bus. Also present at the event were Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, Prasarana Group chairman Tan Sri Ismail Adam and Sunway Group chairman Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah.
The BRT Sunway Line is the first bus service to use an elevated track, thus ensuring up-to-the-minute planned travel.
It is also a stage bus service that makes use of electric buses, with the cost of infrastructure and public transportation system which runs into RM634 million.
The fully elevated BRT-Sunway Line of 5.4 kilometres has 7 stations, from Sunway- Setia Jaya to USJ7 in Subang Jaya, and is linked to the Setia Jaya KTM Komuter station as well as the LRT system under construction in USJ7. The seventh station will be opened next year.
Meanwhile, Ismail, in his speech, said the BRT-Sunway Line will operate at four to eight-minute intervals and serve the seven stations, namely Sunway-Setia Jaya, Mentari, Sunway Lagoon, SunMed, SunU-Monash, South Quay and USJ7, with the availability of a 'Park N Ride' facility at the BRT-Sunway Complex.
He said 15 environmentally-friendly electric buses would be put into service, with each vehicle able to accommodate 67 passengers with 25 seated down.
With a top speed of 80km/hour, the buses are fully equipped with Wi-Fi for the convenience of commuters, especially with majority of them being students.
The BRT-Sunway Line would serve 500,000 people in Bandar Sunway and Subang Jaya, said Ismail, anticipating that the service will transport 2,400 passengers per hour this year.
The capacity is expected to rise to 5,200 passengers per hour by 2035.
Taylor’s University (TU) students using the BRT can expect to use the 800-meter pedestrian bridge connecting the university and the SunMed station once it is completed by end of the month.
Once the bridge is in place, this ease of access to public transportation could potentially lead to less traffic congestion and parking problems at the university.
Subang Jaya assemblyman Hannah Yeoh urged the student population in the surrounding area to use the BRT line and reduce cars on the road.
“I have tried it out and the bus ride is very comfortable, scenic and calming because there is no jam,” she added.
Yeoh said there were some 6,000 students at the Monash University, 10,000 students at Sunway University and another 17,000 from the TU Lakeside Campus where the BRT SunU-Monash station was located.
Foundation in Business student Fatin Nadia, 20, from PJS7 said she and her friends were keen to explore Bandar Sunway using the BRT.
“We usually drive to Sunway Pyramid. With the BRT in place, we will definitely opt for the bus since it is much more convenient,” said Nadia.
She said getting to the mall was a hassle due to traffic congestion but the dedicated elevated track made travelling smoother.
The student also praised the use of environmentally friendly buses.