By Karen Bong
KUCHING, March 5: Eligible senior citizens, persons with special needs, and students can apply for a concession card to enjoy free rides on the newly launched BAS.MY Kuching service, which has rolled out six of its striking pink buses as part of an initial fleet of 56.
Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) Sarawak chairman Michael Kong highlighted that commuters can obtain the card at the BAS.MY Kuching office near the Open Air Market, expected to be operational within this month (March).
“The service will also introduce the My50 monthly concession pass, a federal government initiative allowing commuters unlimited rides on all BAS.MY Kuching buses for just RM50 per month.
“This makes public transport a truly affordable and viable option for daily travel,” he said after launching the first route, Q10, from the Open Air Market to Serian today.
Sarawak Minister of Transport Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin was present to witness the roll out of the buses for the first route, Q10, from Open Air Market to Serian.
The 67km one-way Q10 route includes 48 stops at key locations such as Sarawak General Hospital (SGH), tHe Spring Shopping Mall, Sultan Iskandar Building, VivaCity Megamall, eMart Tabuan Jaya, Samarahan Heart Centre, and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas).
“Currently, buses on this route operate every 60 minutes, but we will closely monitor ridership and adjust the frequency as needed to enhance passenger convenience,” Kong added.
BAS.MY Kuching buses are equipped with electronic ticketing machines (ETMs) that accept debit and credit cards, e-wallets, and cash, making city travel more accessible and convenient for both locals and tourists.
“With ETMs accepting credit cards, foreigners won’t need to purchase a separate payment card like Touch ‘n Go, which can be inconvenient. This system is very user-friendly,” he explained.
Kong assured that CVLB Sarawak will strictly enforce service standards, on-time performance, and frequency requirements as stipulated in the operator’s contract.
“If they fail to meet on-time delivery standards, they will face penalties,” he added.
Encouraging Kuching residents to embrace public transport, Kong emphasised its role in reducing traffic congestion and building a more connected and efficient city.
The BAS.MY Kuching service, launched under the federal government’s Stage Bus Service Transformation (SBST) project with an allocation of over RM79.18 million over five years, will introduce 56 brand-new, low-decked city buses in stages.
It will serve10 routes across Kuching, including downtown Kuching, Mile 7, Batu Kawa, Muara Tebas, Malihah, Serian, and Bako. — DayakDaily
