Prasarana eyes code-sharing deal with competitors

Malaysia’s largest stage bus operator, Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd, would spearhead a strategic collaboration exercise with its competitors in a move similar to the code-sharing concept in the airline business and the ‘blue ocean strategy’ collaboration between
Malaysian Police and the Armed Forces.

In a statement today, its group managing director, Shahril Mokhtar, said the move was not only in the best interest of all the bus companies for business sustainability but more importantly, would further improve the standard of public bus services in the Klang Valley.

“Prasarana has already initiated discussions at both top and working levels with Setara Jaya Sdn Bhd and Syarikat Len Seng Sdn Bhd and it hopes to extend this collaboration with other bus companies in the Klang Valley,” he said.

Shahril said although the parties involved had yet to work on the specifics and mechanisms of the strategic collaboration, the scope would include both operational and business aspects.

“On the operational aspect, we are looking at common scheduling and timetable, sharing of infrastructure and manpower, common operating hours for high- and low-density routes, standard fare structure, standard operating procedures and exchange of industrial knowledge,” he said.

In terms of business collaboration, the parties aimed to work closely in areas of bus leasing, integration of ticketing system, route sharing, bus maintenance and shared engagement with the public, he said.

He said the collaboration of major bus operators in the Klang Valley would increase efficiency in the service and was in line with the government’s aspiration to encourage utilisation of public transportation.

Such collaboration, he said, would result in economies of scale in operations, including reduction in costs.

“In terms of social benefit, there would be enhanced punctuality, trip frequency and reliability,” he said.

Currently, there are 14 stage bus operators in the Klang Valley including Prasarana’s RapidKL, which is the largest operator in terms of fleet size and operational coverage.

With a total of 1,488 buses, RapidKL’s network covers 166 routes and 980 housing areas.

– Bernama