KOTA KINABALU: Sabah launches its very first electric bus service offering a route covering the state capital’s downtown areas of between Sepanggar and Menara Kinabalu.
In the free-of-charge six-month pilot project, the eBusKK service is using a 54-passenger RM1.2mil bus.
It is an initiative by Qhazanah Sabah Berhad (QSB), the state government’s strategic investment arm, which hopes to provide the service permanently by 2023.
QSB Group chief executive officer Ahmad Rizal Dahli said they would use the trial run to assess consumer behaviour as well collect input from the public over the service’s feasibility and sustainability.
“This data will be used as part of our evaluation on how we are going to run it permanently, hopefully by next year,” he told reporters after the launching ceremony at the Sabah International Convention Centre here on Friday (June 24).
Community Development and People’s Wellbeing Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya witnessed the flagging-off of the bus.
The eBusKK service is a collaborative effort between QSB and Gemilang Coachwork Sdn Bhd, one of Asia’s leading electric bus and aluminium bus body builders.
Ahmad Rizal said during the trial period, the service would be provided for days a week between 8am and 5pm but reminded the public to check the company’s social media accounts for the latest update.
“QSB would use the trial period to determine the fares.
“Realistically, we are looking at operating anywhere from five to 20 buses as a start next year, depending on the success of the pilot project.
“The bus will ply through the key areas in the city before eventually going beyond the Sepanggar-Menara Kinabalu route, including possibly to the neighbouring Penampang and Putatan districts,” he said.
Ahmad Rizal added that they continuously have engagements with the authorities, especially the Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) to ensure the initiative would be more meaningful.
“This is just one component of a larger integrated system for the whole of Kota Kinabalu before we go further throughout Sabah,” he said.
Since last October, QSB had been working to ensure that technical preparations and safety measures were set in place in the lead up to the pilot run.
These included mechanical-theory studies, reliability of product, vendor support, infrastructure and system efficiency to support existing public transportation services.
In a press release, QSB executive director Mohd Shukor Abdul Mumin said the eBusKK was QSB’s response after being tasked to help address the city’s traffic congestion by incorporating an environmentally sustainable public transport service.
“Through the eBusKK service, we are supporting the government’s drive to improve the city’s public transportation system while introducing the use of emission free vehicles.
“This is also an effort to build awareness among the relevant stakeholders on the importance of having an integrated and robust transportation system,” he said.
