Rapid KL to add 310 new buses, increase frequency on 35 routes in Klang Valley as part of major overhaul

Today, Rapid KL kickstarted an operational alignment on 35 of its routes – including MRT feeder bus routes – as part of a major overhaul, including the replacement of old buses. This represents 13% of the 264 routes Prasarana operates in the Klang Valley, Bernama reported.

According to Rapid Bus CEO Muhammad Yazurin Sallij, the alignment signifies the company’s commitment to improve service quality and will include phasing out buses that have reached their maximum lifespan. “Our current bus fleet has an average age exceeding 10 years, which is quite old. Therefore, we need to decommission them gradually. We have already tendered for new buses.

“The addition of these buses, Insha’Allah, will further enhance Rapid Bus operations because reliability is lacking with the older buses. They breakdown and have to return to the depot for repairs,” he said at the company’s complex in Cheras Selatan today.

Yazurin added that the overhaul will also increase the frequency of buses by two to five minutes on these routes, most of which are major. This is thanks to the 310 new diesel buses will enter service by the end of the year, replacing 60 Volvo B7RLE buses that have surpassed their maximum operational lifespan. Bus captains will also receive training as part of the alignment.

“Our bus captains undergo an additional three months of customer service and safety measures training, aimed at prioritising customer service and safety,” Yazurin said. “Improvements are an ongoing process. For example, the number of complaints about our bus captains has significantly decreased by half compared to two years ago…We believe that the customer journey and experience are crucial.”

Rapid Bus has taken steps to expedite the implementation of various action plans to minimise the impact on passengers, including the addition of 164 buses from external companies, collaborations with third-party bus operators to meet daily demand and operation of another 20 transit vans (likely via Kumpool, as before) starting in May.

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