Both DRT providers under Selangor Mobility have ceased services, one on March 14 and the other on June 30. — Filepic
Selangor government is fine-tuning the next phase of its mobility initiative and hopes to resume the demand-responsive transit (DRT) service by the end of this year.
“Fewer than five companies responded during the request for proposal (RFP) stage as they are required to have permits from Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) to operate, and we are still evaluating them,” state investment, trade and mobility committee chairman Ng Sze Han said about the Selangor Mobility initiative.
“One of the reasons why there is a slight delay is because Rapid KL is still expanding its DRT network.
“We are working closely with Rapid KL to ensure there is no overlap in areas of coverage when Selangor Mobility resumes, while also maximising both parties’ limited resources.”
Ng: State working closely with Rapid KL to ensure there is no coverage area overlap.He said the state government was also determining the best business model for Selangor Mobility during the evaluation stage.
It has to decide whether to continue offering subsidies, which was done during the pilot phase, or use a different method altogether.
“I am hoping the DRT service under Selangor Mobility will resume by year end, but it will definitely be included as part of allocations under Selangor’s Budget 2026.”
Ng acknowledged complaints and requests for resumption of the DRT service.
“The pilot phase allowed us to run the project and collect data, then conduct an analysis to determine how to best maximise resources and ensure we get maximum returns from every sen spent,” he said.
“Areas where there had been very good response to the DRT are those with universities and colleges.”
He lauded Prasarana Malaysia’s plans to acquire and deploy 300 new vans to enhance Rapid KL’s DRT service in the Klang Valley.
Prasarana had announced that the vans would arrive in stages between December 2025 and July 2026, and the number of routes would gradually increase to cover areas without existing rail or bus services such as Kuala Kubu Baru.
Ng was speaking on the sidelines of a press conference on an upcoming youth festival at Taman Wawasan Recreational Park in Puchong.
It was previously reported that Selangor government, through Menteri Besar Selangor Incorporated, had called for a RFP to operate the DRT service under Selangor Mobility. The submission deadline was April 7.
The Selangor Mobility DRT service trial ran from Nov 21, 2023, to July 31, 2024, in eight zones across Selangor.
Provider Mobi ceased services on March 14, and Trek Rides on June 30.
Puchong Hartamas resident Mike Chong said his daughter used to take the DRT service daily for her 10-minute commute to school but stopped when Trek Rides ceased operations.
“It was very convenient and it gave her some independence,” said Chong, an IT manager.
He now has to drive his daughter daily, scheduling drop-offs around his work.
Although Rapid KL On-Demand now covers Chong’s housing area, he said his daughter is unable to use it because the route does not include her school.
“I’ve written to Rapid KL to suggest it expand the route to cover more schools, housing areas and condominiums, rather than primarily serving bus stops.
“The DRT service would be more effective if it covered more residential areas and schools in Bandar Puteri Puchong and Kampung Batu 14,” he added.
Bandar Puteri Puchong 8 resident Wallace Lim said he and many others had stopped using DRT services because of limitations such as lack of direct drop-off.
“I don’t mind paying more to use e-hailing because I prefer point-to-point service, such as getting from Puchong to Gombak directly rather than having to take different public transport,” he said.
“It’s more a cost-versus-benefit matter, whether a person wants to pay more for point-to-point service or save and walk a bit further.
“There are also weather and convenience factors,” he said.
