Central
Friday May 4, 2007RapidKL to operate 100 buses with accessible facilities
By YIP YOKE TENG
Disabled-friendly: Chew helping Lee to get on a RapidKL accessible bus at the Bangsar LRT Station.
The call is finally answered. Disabled-friendly buses will now ply selected RapidKL bus routes and there are 100 buses to start with.
RapidKL announced at the Bangsar LRT Station yesterday that 100 accessible buses had arrived with some already in use. The company hopes to have at least one of such buses in each of its 10 city routes and 63 trunk routes before launching the barrier-free system on June 1.
The buses come with a manual ramp for passengers on wheelchairs while the drivers have been trained to help them get on the buses.
Other facilities such as wheelchair lock, seat belt and head cushion have been thoughtfully included, too.
Women, Family and Community Development Ministry Parliamentary Secretary Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun, RapidKL chief operating officer (bus operations) Mohd Ali Mohd Nor and members of BEAT (Barrier-Free Environment and Accessible Transport Group) were at the function.
Ali said the company was evaluating each of its 2,500 bus stops in the Klang Valley with the aim to identify the right stops for these buses. It is also working together with BEAT and the local authorities to standardise the height of the pavements needed to support the buses’ manual ramps.
He said some of the disabled-friendly buses had been on the road since April 21 to facilitate some of the 161 newly realigned routes in the Klang Valley. The move had helped RapidKL in the process of identifying the right stops for passengers on wheelchairs.
“Some asked why we take such a long time to introduce barrier-free service. Safety is our main concern, not just safety in the buses but also safety within the whole integrated system. If we are not satisfied with the safety aspects, we would rather not implement the service first,” he said.
Ali did not reveal the cost of bringing in the 100 accessible buses but reiterated that the company did not mind spending more on durable products as the buses operate 16 hours a day.
He said the company would bring in more accessible buses over time and hoped that the entire RapidKL system could be barrier-free one day.
Chew said the government was committed to providing a barrier-free environment to the disabled where 197,519 have registered with the Welfare Department currently. Many ministries have also participated in relevant dialogues and adopting various strategies to better the lives of the disabled.
“Before this, many disabled persons depended on Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Mobility Association to move about. The association has 600 users registered with them while there were only four full-time drivers with four vans,” she said.
“Today, RapidKL opens up a new horizon. Although there are only 100 buses, still a small figure compared to its fleet of 950 buses, it is a very good start,” she added.
She urged RapidKL to cater to the needs of the disabled when it brings its services to Penang, and called upon all private and public organisations to provide disabled-friendly facilities at their premises.
She also encouraged BEAT and the disabled to work with architects, developers, engineers and contractors to better the disabled-friendly facilities of future projects.
BEAT coordinator Christine Lee commended RapidKL’s efforts amid enthusiastic applause from the floor.
“For the first time in the history of disabled person’s movement in the country, we are witnessing a bus company making efforts to incorporate user-friendly facilities to cater to the diverse needs of the travelling public,” she said.
She added that the accessible buses would benefit not only the disabled but also everyone including senior citizens and pregnant women.
Category: RapidKL
RapidKL’s Accessible Buses Pre-Launch Briefing
RapidKL held a pre-launch briefing on the accessible buses for members of the media and disabled persons at the Bangsar LRT Station this afternoon. The Barrier-Free Environment and Accessible Transport Group (BEAT) were represented by fifty members from the sixteen NGOs working together under its banner. RapidKL Chief Operating Officer Mohd. Ali Mohd. Nor, BEAT Coordinator Christine Lee and Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development Parlimentary Secretary Datik Paduka Chew Mei Fun spoke on the news bus service from different perspectives.
RapidKL COO Mohd. Ali Mohd. Nor speaking during RapidKL’s Accessible Buses Pre-Launch Briefing.
In his speech, Mohd. Ali said that the one hundred accessible buses will be launched on June 1 serving the trunk and city shuttle routes. However, there will not be any service on the local shuttle serving housing estates. This last mile, he suggested, should be served by pick-up services like those provided by Mobility.
RapidKL COO Mohd. Ali Mohd. Nor assisting Peter Tan up the prototype of the accessible bus.
File photo dated March 10, 2007.
Photo by
RapidKL’s introduction of accessible buses is a historical moment for Malaysia. Come June 1, wheelchair users will be able to move around the Klang Valley conveniently and affordably for the first time. While this initiative by RapidKL is commendable, there are still many areas that they can improve on. The core members of BEAT already had two previews on the buses prior to this. The first was during RapidKL’s second dialogue with BEAT in March where we viewed the prototype of the accessible bus. We provided Mohd. Ali with several recommendations including the gradient of the ramp and the wheelchair restraining systems.
The only bus stop at Brickfields where we could get off and on the bus unassisted.
File photo dated April 26, 2007.
Photo by Wuan.
During the second preview, RapidKL Senior Manager Corporate Communications Division Katherine Chew accompanied about ten members from BEAT on a ride to look into the suitability of bus stops around the city. Sad to say, of the many bus stops that we tested, only one was suitable. In this aspect, RapidKL must work with local authorities to rectify the mismatch in height between the buses and bus stops, and also all connecting pathways to enable full accessibility for wheelchair users.
RapidKL staff discussing the technical aspects of the ramp.
File photo dated April 26, 2007.
Photo by Wuan.
RapidKL should not stop at one hundred buses. I would like to see a firm commitment from them to make the entire network accessible within a reasonable time frame. In my mind, five years is reasonable time frame to work towards to. Disabled persons, especially wheelchair users, should not be seen as the only group of people needing an accessible public transportation system. With a rising ageing population, there is a need to address this now. Moreover, such a system benefits everyone from pregnant women, adults with prams and children.
Inside one of RapidKL’s accessible buses at Petaling Street during the 2nd preview.
File photo dated April 26, 2007.
Photo by Wuan.
I am looking forward to the day when I am able to get into a bus and travel to anywhere within the city on a wheelchair without the need to transfer to a car seat. I am certain that my colleagues in BEAT and all wheelchair users share the same sentiments. With these accessible buses, the life of wheelchair users will improve for the better. Many will be able to participate actively in the activities in the community and contribute positively to the development of the nation.
Monster Blog – March 28, 2007: Rapid KL Taking Disabled Persons For A Ride
Rapid KL Taking Disabled Persons For A Ride
On September 24, 2006, Katherine Chew, Senior Manager Corporate Communications Divisions of Rapid KL announced that “the transport company had bought 100 disabled-friendly buses with ramps. These would be delivered next month.” This was in response to the attempt by the Barrier-Free Environment and Accessible Transport Group (BEAT) members to board the new Rapid KL buses at the Bangsar LRT Station. BEAT is a coalition of sixteen NGOs of disabled persons.
When BEAT met with Rein Westra, Chief Executive Officer of Rapid KL, on October 20, 2006, we were asked to give him four weeks for him to present our issue to the government. We were also specifically warned not to go to the press during this period or he will stop all communications with us. We respected the moratorium that was unilaterally set by him. That was the last we saw of him. He never got back to us after that.
Six months later on March 10, 2007, BEAT was invited to a briefing and dialogue with Rapid KL Chief Operating Officer Mohd Ali Mohd Nor. During the briefing we were informed that the buses will be coming in stages. We were told that, to date, about forty have been delivered and are in various stages of being fitted with ramps, restraining systems and other safety features for wheelchair users.
However, we are still in the dark as to when the buses will be put on the road, the routes they will ply and how this is small number of accessible buses will fit into the bigger picture to fulfil the mobility needs of wheelchair users in the Klang Valley. BEAT has already waited for six months. We are still waiting. We cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel yet where the promised accessible buses are concerned. Apa macam Rapid KL?