RapidKL begins trial run with Hino Poncho minibuses

RapidKL begins trial run with Hino Poncho minibuses

Hino Motor Sales (Malaysia) has supplied a fleet of Poncho minibuses to RapidKL as a part of an initiative for the development of an effective intra-city bus service to enhance first and last mile connections for commuters.

This comes as RapidKL is currently studying the feasibility of reintroducing a minibus service that was prevalent more than two decades ago, with a three-month trial run already ongoing along the T300 and T304 bus routes.

The Hino Poncho buses will be used in another trial run – handled by Rapid Bus – that caters to the T784 LRT Taman Bahagia and T201 LRT Gombak routes, which will also run for three months from October 20, 2019 to January 20, 2020.

RapidKL begins trial run with Hino Poncho minibuses

In Japan, there are more than 2,000 units of the Hino Poncho operating within busy cities and narrow roads. The low-floor minibus measures seven metres in length, which is significantly less than current buses in operation that are around 10 to 12 metres long, making it more manoeuvrable.

Featuring a vehicle height adjusting system that is capable of vehicle height lowering and raising control, the vehicle’s height can be lowered by as much as 50 mm to make it easier for ingress and egress. Additionally, the system’s raising control allows the chassis to be lifted by up to 30 mm to improve driveability on rougher roads.

The disabled-friendly bus is capable of ferrying up to 31 passengers (including those standing) and is powered by a Euro V-compliant 5.0 litre turbodiesel engine mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. The powertrain also uses the automaker’s Diesel Particulate Reduction (DPR) system, and can operate without additional after-treatments like AdBlue urea fluid to minimise operating and maintenance costs.

Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.

10% discount when you renew your car insurance

Compare prices between different insurer providers and use the promo code 'PAULTAN10' when you make your payment to save the most on your car insurance renewal compared to other competing services.

Car Insurance

Gerard Lye

Originating from the corporate world with a background in finance and economics, Gerard’s strong love for cars led him to take the plunge into the automotive media industry. It was only then did he realise that there are more things to a car than just horsepower count.

 

Comments

  • Avenger on Oct 22, 2019 at 4:44 pm

    Thumbs up!! Gudjob rapid & bajet2020 !

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 24 Thumb down 2
    • 4bini on Oct 22, 2019 at 8:07 pm

      Good governance and a cleaner Government has brought about lots of benefit for the public

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 7
      • Rakyat Malaysia on Oct 23, 2019 at 8:19 am

        Agreed but we’re still waiting for that Good governance and a cleaner Government….

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 2
        • Nasi Ulam laksam on Oct 23, 2019 at 12:42 pm

          Agreed the people must get all the benefits. One important dimension of being a Developed and high-income Malaysia country is having a Good public transport system. This is true both in theory and practice ….

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 0
          • Angry Voters on Oct 23, 2019 at 5:14 pm

            Unfortunately the people kicked out the government that was prioritising good public transportation over flying car pet projects. Guess we know the people don’t really want good governance and being high income or developed after all. That is what the people have chosen.

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
  • PakCik on Oct 22, 2019 at 5:12 pm

    Poncho… Tolong remind kan uncle, baju hujan celoreng mase khidmat dulu2. Hino ni brand toyta kan, confem relibel lettew.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 1
    • Not Toyota Fan on Oct 23, 2019 at 2:59 pm

      Pakai poncho waktu hujan pun sama basah, sebab peluh gila inside poncho tu.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • LRT User on Oct 22, 2019 at 5:12 pm

    Current buses already overcrowded, smaller buses meant more jam packed like sardines. And didn’t they say getting more bus drivers is a challenge? Having more smaller buses requires more drivers so it will make this problem worse!!! A big thumbs down to Loke and co.!!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 24 Thumb down 30
    • Abass on Oct 22, 2019 at 6:25 pm

      Smaller bas perfect for busy KL city and narrow roads. Unemployed brudder2 menganggur, shud start bawak smaller bas. then level up, can bawak bigger bas and stesen…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 7
      • Rakyat Malaysia on Oct 23, 2019 at 8:21 am

        We have something called “Bus Lane” in KL lah! Please come to KL once in a while bruder. With bus license, there’s no such thing as start from smaller, the license allows to drive big or small.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 0
    • more job opportunity..no? this is addidtional bus, not to replace current bus..31 pax per bus vs 31 car on the road, which is better?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 2
      • No. Those trained drivers just hop over to Sinkie for the same job at better. Doesn’t mean that just because we have supply there will be demand. There is stronger demand and pull factor across the Causeway and we cannot do anything. We can only ensure supply is more than demand but adding more buses diminishes the supply ratio. So nope. It won’t help us.

        And this is fallacy to think 31 bus riders is replacing 31 cars, most times car users prefer to drive because public transports don’t go their way. Adding more buses won’t help them if it still don’t go their way so there is no reduction on car usage. Understand?

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 0
        • Norlia on Oct 23, 2019 at 12:56 pm

          YB Loke ni… katmane2 jumpe muka dia ni.
          Pasal grab, muka dia…. tinted, muka dia…
          plate kereta, dia.. ni pasal bas pulak. Aik

          Menyampah tengok mamat yg buat2 rajin…

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 3
          • Betul tu. Rajin buat kacau susahkan rakyat nak ambik Grab, rajin cari duit dgn penjualan plat nombor, rajin membantu pesalah apabila JPJ ambik tindakan, rajin dalam promosi dirinya di sana di sini. Tapi last last tak rajin buat keje dia.

            Menyampah tengok mamat yg buat2 rajin…

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 1
          • Ah Liow on Oct 23, 2019 at 5:16 pm

            Mosang king, anybody …?

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
          • Hafiz Hisham on Oct 24, 2019 at 12:48 am

            Tak pernah dengar keje sambilan ke? At least LTL did his job first. Loke didn’t do anything except stirring trouble wherever he meddles.

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
    • 4G63T DSM on Oct 22, 2019 at 7:06 pm

      They are adding busses. Not replacing regular busses lah. More bus service you lagi mau complen??

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 3
      • Rakyat Malaysia on Oct 23, 2019 at 8:22 am

        Adding buses is adding drivers. Like one above said, they have problems getting drivers so how to add more drivers?

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 1
        • Amran on Oct 23, 2019 at 2:17 pm

          Just wait and see.. guys. Minister of transport nak letak ppl dia sendri become bas driver lettew..

          Asyik2 every the time org dia je dapat jobs…

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 1
          • Angry Voters on Oct 23, 2019 at 5:16 pm

            His people will be the ones outsourcing the contracts for finding drivers. Last last you will see Banglas driving buses here. Only in Pakatan Malaysia.

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1
          • Crony on Oct 23, 2019 at 6:32 pm

            Kerja pemandu & konduktor bas for his family, friends & pengikuts. Malaysia Baru maa …

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
    • Verny on Oct 22, 2019 at 7:34 pm

      Hire foreign labourers like Bengal nepali n indon to drive the buses

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 5
      • Not Toyota Fan on Oct 23, 2019 at 3:01 pm

        Obviously you’ve never been to SG & met the PRC bus driver

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
        • Millennium Falcon on Oct 30, 2019 at 9:54 am

          Probably he’s an anti-Singapore person who hasn’t been to the Lion City since forever… XD

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Dale Ismail on Oct 22, 2019 at 5:42 pm

    sibuk lah sgt nak impose mandatory pakai seat belt depan, seat belt belakang, child seat and all; tapi public bus on public road still catering for standing passengers!??

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 9
  • HK Siew Bah driver on Oct 22, 2019 at 5:53 pm

    Should set restriction on minibus, prohibits standing passengers. If all seats are occupied, advice queuing passengers at bus stop wait for next bus.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 15 Thumb down 3
    • PutraJaya Talk on Oct 22, 2019 at 7:28 pm

      Last Mile. Many Stops, from bus station to condo/landed property Guard House/Office Tower.

      RM50/month

      If not enough Poncho, more to be introduced.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 2
  • Euro V on Oct 22, 2019 at 6:22 pm

    Euro V compliance only works if the diesel used is Euro5. I have a feeling they will clog up the filter and our lungs with third world Euro 2 diesel. I hope I’m wrong.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
    • skodamalaysia on Oct 23, 2019 at 3:26 am

      Euro 2m biodiesel b10 bro,rapidkl fleet management. have to sell the palm oil bcoz eu boycott already every year burning to clear the land & haze.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Rimau on Oct 23, 2019 at 6:52 am

      Euro 5 quite clean, asap busuk still got
      Maybe you want fully electric bus
      Zero emissions

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
    • euro5 also got minyak sawit

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • What’s with all the negativity Malaysian?? Its greener, it looks cute, could manoeuvre tighter spots, could cater to off peak hours, and areas with less passengers. If the busy Tokyo could do with it, why not us.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 3
    • Tokyo can get sufficient drivers, we can’t. Buy more smaller buses only mean more buses parking at yard because of driver shortage.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1
  • Ethan on Oct 22, 2019 at 10:15 pm

    Needs to be pink colour

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 1
  • Next time you’ll hear the bus driver yelling “belakang ada banyak tempat lagi. Masuk2 dalam lagi”.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 0
  • haha…

    i really miss the good o rm0.90 intrakota….
    rm0.90 can go from point1, go for entire route and back to point1

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
    • Which is the main reason why Intrakota lingkup after being operation for a few years. Same goes to Putra & Star LRT services.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • Sparcov on Oct 23, 2019 at 8:56 am

    Nice move to minimize the traffic congestion. This should be deploy to area less passenger but still maintaining the bus route.

    Increase frequency is better than increasing the capacity.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • maybe on Oct 23, 2019 at 9:33 am

    Not using bus services on daily basis..so, takmau buat2x tahu nak komen.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Berjaya on Oct 23, 2019 at 3:01 pm

    Good Start.
    We need many of this for last miles, up to 10km radius/30mins per cycle, whichever shorter.
    1 cycle 1 bus, depends on demand.

    We can introduce – Autonomus Bus follows the same path in the future. AS the demands grows higher, while drivers supply getting less.

    We need our Rakyat, moving. For the economy.

    We have B40 staying in landed property- by Rent. low density area also need Bus service.
    Up to 10km radius/30mins per cycle, whichever shorter.
    1 cycle 1 bus, depends on demand.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Mohamed iqbal bin Abdul majeed on Oct 24, 2019 at 8:58 pm

    From Taman wilayah selayang Taman desa bakti no rapidbus if rapid mini bus will be better service

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
 

Add a comment

required

required