Najib taking a ride in the newly-launched BRT at the BRT Sunway Complex. Photo Credits: Prasarana
Malaysia’s first elevated BRT takes off
By Malik Ridhwan Zaihan
BANDAR SUNWAY: Residents, office workers and students here and in Subang Jaya will enjoy a two-month free ride on the newly launched Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, the BRT-Sunway Line service, starting 2 June.
Dubbed as the nation’s newest initiative in enhancing mobility against the community and reducing traffic congestion in the Klang Valley, it is also the first fully elevated public transportation system in Malaysia using green technology.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak said, the BRT-Sunway Line developed by the Prasarana Malaysia Berhad and Sunway Berhad, was a public transportation project of international standard and a pride of the nation.
"This project fulfills the desire of the government to develop an efficient, reliable and convenient public transportation system," he said when launching the line earlier this month at the BRT-Sunway Complex here.
Implemented under the innovative Public-Private Partnership (PPP) programme via the collaboration of both Prasarana and Sunway, the landmark project was also officially penned as the first BRT project in Malaysia in the Malaysia Book of Records (MBOR).
To be operating with environmentally-friendly buses and having to be completed three weeks ahead of schedule, the project, which is the first fully elevated BRT service in Malaysia, is also recorded as the nation’s first electric bus public transportation system by MBOR.
Najib also took a 30-minute ride in the electric bus. Also present at the launch were Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Liow Tiong Lai, Prasarana Group chairman Tan Sri Ismail Adam and Sunway Group chairman Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah.
The BRT Sunway Line is the first bus service to use an elevated track, thus ensuring up-to-the-minute planned travel.
It is also a stage bus service that makes use of electric buses, with the cost of infrastructure and public transportation system which runs into RM634 million.
The fully elevated BRT-Sunway Line of 5.4 kilometres has 7 stations, from Sunway-Setia Jaya to USJ7 in Subang Jaya, and is linked to the Setia Jaya KTM Komuter station as well as the LRT system under construction in USJ7. The seventh station will be opened next year.
Meanwhile, Ismail, in his speech, said the BRT-Sunway Line will operate at four to eight-minute intervals and serve the seven stations, namely Sunway-Setia Jaya, Mentari, Sunway Lagoon, SunMed, SunU-Monash, South Quay and USJ7, with the availability of a 'Park N Ride' facility at the BRT-Sunway Complex.
He said 15 environmentally-friendly electric buses would be put into service, with each vehicle able to accommodate 67 passengers with 25 seated down, at any one time.
With a top speed of 80km/hour, the buses are fully equipped with Wi-Fi for the convenience of commuters, especially with majority of them being students.
The BRT-Sunway Line would serve 500,000 people in Bandar Sunway and Subang Jaya, said Ismail, anticipating that the service will transport 2,400 passengers per hour this year.
The capacity is expected to rise to 5,200 passengers per hour by 2035.
Taylor’s University (TU) students using the BRT can expect to use the 800-meter pedestrian bridge connecting the university and the SunMed station once it is completed by end of the month.
Once the bridge is in place, this ease of access to public transportation could potentially lead to less traffic congestion and parking problems at the university.
Foundation in Business student Fatin Nadia, 20, who uses public transport to commute daily said, she and her friends were excited to move around Bandar Sunway with the BRT.
“Normally we will take a cab to Sunway Pyramid. With the BRT in place, this will be even more convenient for us as the nearest station is only a 5-minutes walk from my house,” said Nadia who lives at PJS7.
She said during peak hours, traffic surrounding Bandar Sunway can be very bad till the extent that a 5-minute drive to Sunway Pyramid takes up to half an hour. However, with the elevated track and the pedestrian bridge in place, travelling is made even smoother now.