The Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) is to introduce the operator licence next month for all operators of land public transport and goods vehicles.
SPAD chairman Syed Hamid Albar said today the operator licence is a replacement of the current vehicle licensing based on the need for each vehicle to be licensed.
“Up to now, there have been many licences (a licence for each vehicle), but now (starting January) only one licence is required for many vehicles, even if it is 100 cars, 100 buses or 100 lorries.
This is the operator licence,” he told Bernama after a meeting with operators of commercial vehicles.
Syed Hamid said the new measure would benefit the operators in that they can use any vehicle for all the determined routes, besides the insurance benefit. He also said that it would make law enforcement more efficient and effective as action will be taken against the licencee and not the vehicle.
On the RM400 million provided by the government to rescue stage bus services facing financial difficulty, Syed Hamid said the relevant operators can apply for the funds beginning next month.
He said the commission would advertise in the local newspapers on Sunday and Monday the relevant information and eligibility requirements pertaining to the application for funds.
Prime Minister Najib Razak announced on Dec 19 the RM400 million allocation to help cash-strapped stage bus operators nationwide in the effort to protect the interests of public transport commuters.
– Bernama
CJMY
Jimmy Tan
