Report reckless bus drivers, urges JPJ

Attention to detail: Terminal Bersepadu Selatan officers inspecting a bus during Ops Hari Raya.

KUALA LUMPUR: Travellers can contact the Road Transport Department (JPJ) via WhatsApp [phone]) if they see their bus drivers breaking traffic rules this festive season.

Such acts include exceeding 90kph (speed limit for buses), smoking, using cellphones while driving, and hogging the right lane.

“The best is if passengers can include a picture, location and time of the offence,” said JPJ enforcement director Datuk V. Valluvan Veloo after conducting checks on express buses at Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) at Bandar Tasik Selatan here yesterday.

However, he said that should these fail to be provided, the vehicle plate number would suffice for JPJ to take action immediately.

Valluvan said since the launch of Ops Hari Raya on June 18, 2,531 buses had been examined by JPJ nationwide before beginning their journeys.

More than 3,000 JPJ officers have been deployed throughout the country, working together with the police, the Malaysia Civil Defence Force, highway concessionaires, the Land Public Transport Commission, and the Fire and Rescue Department.

Beside technical checks, Valluvan said enforcement officers would also examine the drivers’ licences and journey plans to ensure they observe rules such as changing drivers for every four hours of continuous driving.

“So far, we have taken action against 85 bus drivers for various offences which endangered passengers. This is disappointing given the education campaign we have carried out,” said Valluvan.

He revealed that two express bus drivers, one in Shah Alam and another in Nibong Tebal, had their licences seized after testing positive for syabu (methamphetamine) and morphine.

In addition, JPJ will be instituting a ban on the movements of some heavy commercial vehicles on June 23 and 24, and on July 1 and 2, to minimise congestion and accidents during the festive season (see graphic).

“We have always had restrictions for heavy commercial vehicles, but the vehicle operators have ignored this in the past.

“This year, we have been given the directive to seize the vehicles on the spot if we catch them on the roads during the restricted period,” said Valluvan.