Penang’s public transport system is set for a major upgrade as Prasarana Malaysia Bhd, through Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd, begins replacing ageing Rapid Penang buses with electric vehicles starting this year. Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the move marks a new phase for public transport in the state, with a focus on sustainability and service quality.
Under the first phase, Prasarana expects to receive 250 electric buses in stages from March this year until March 2027. Of that total, 75 units are allocated to Rapid Penang and are expected to enter service from May, while the remaining 175 buses will go to Rapid KL. To support the rollout, Prasarana has already begun developing EV charging infrastructure at Rapid Penang depots.
Separately, Rapid Penang’s on-demand service has seen encouraging uptake, with 50 vans currently operating across the state. Following a request from the Penang state government, Prasarana plans to add another 170 vans to expand coverage and capacity, with procurement expected to begin in the second half of this year.
Meanwhile, Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd also recently revealed plans to restructure selected bus routes in the Klang Valley to improve efficiency. In a statement shared yesterday, the company announced that 16 MRT feeder routes and three standard Rapid KL routes will transition fully to the Rapid KL On-Demand service due to consistently low passenger numbers.
Acting CEO Ku Jamil Zakaria said the decision followed a data-driven review under a demand-led bus network study launched in mid-2024. He added that while routes will change, passenger access will remain uninterrupted through the Rapid KL On-Demand service, which users can book via the Rapid On-Demand app on Android and iOS.
(Source: Bernama / Anthony Loke [Facebook])
