CONCERN over a shortage of Rapid Penang buses has prompted a local non-governmental organisation to call out the state government for using the public fleet for special programmes, saying the practice is disrupting daily commuters.
Penang Public Transport Passengers Association (Petua) said Rapid Penang was already operating with a limited number of buses and any diversion for non‑routine purposes adversely affected thousands who rely on the service.
“When buses are reassigned for special programmes, the impact is felt immediately by people who depend on them every day,” Petua secretary Zulfikar Abdul Aziz said in a media statement.
One example highlighted was the use of the buses as free shuttle services between Komtar and Penang Hill during festive periods.
While the intention to ease congestion was good, Zulfikar argued that the approach was misguided.
“There are alternatives such as chartered, school or factory buses.
“Public transport should not be sacrificed at the expense of regular commuters,” he said.
The association also criticised the use of chartered buses to ferry state government staff, noting that these vehicles regularly parked at the Komtar bus hub during the evening peak hours.
According to the association, they occupy lanes designated for Rapid Penang services, forcing public buses to use other lanes and causing confusion among passengers.
“The Komtar hub is not for buses to wait there. At peak hours, this disrupts operations and creates unnecessary congestion,” said Zulfikar.
Another long‑standing concern is the annual diversion of Rapid Penang routes in Air Itam during Chinese New Year, when traffic surges as visitors head to Kek Lok Si temple.
Petua said it had observed that public buses were diverted while private vehicles continued to enter the area.
“The problem is the number of cars, not the buses. Every year, bus users are the ones who end up inconvenienced,” he said.
The association has proposed a park‑and‑ride system for visitors, suggesting the unused site of a former supermarket in Air Itam as a suitable location and that shuttle services can operate using non‑Rapid Penang buses.
“We are not against development or tourism.
“We just want public transport to be prioritised, because that is what many people depend on,” Zulfikar said.
In response, Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd acting chief executive Ku Jamil Zakaria said daily operations on all routes continued as normal despite the special charters and Rapid Penang had a sufficient number of buses and manpower to maintain its services.
“In relation to the information from Petua claiming that Rapid Penang bus operations are insufficient following the free charter bus initiative, Rapid Bus would like to point out that the service has been comprehensively planned based on the company’s operational capabilities,” he said in a statement to Bernama.
