Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) will announce the government’s move to assist the ailing stage bus industry before the end of this month, said its chief executive officer Mohd Nur Kamal.
In a statement issued today, SPAD said it has submitted a “Bus Transformation Proposal” to the federal government and its content will be discussed by the cabinet next week.
“The proposal includes a study of bus service models in foreign countries. It also touches on the kind of aid which could be given to the operators based on a pay-per-kilometre formula,” Nur Kamal said.
“SPAD is concerned with the current critical situation where private enterprises are no longer able to fulfill the needs of the people in terms of providing public transportation services,” he added.
The commission also stated that a meeting with Konsortium Transnasional Bhd (KTB) would be held today to discuss the interim measure after the company suspended its stage bus services, Cityliner, in Selangor.
He said that relief measures can be provided by other bus operators, such as school or factory buses, as long as the compliance to safety, legal and service standards are fulfilled.
“In this regard, SPAD will assist to issue temporary licences to any of the operators with the capacity to provide safe, efficient and sustainable public transportation,” he said.
Meanwhile, SPAD was asked by the Selangor government to present a solution to the stage bus suspension deadlock by next Friday.
The suspension, which started on Tuesday, has left more than 80,000 passengers in the remote parts of Selangor with no transportation.
CJMY
Jimmy Tan
