Bus passengers give mixed response to proposal
KOTA KINABALU
The proposal by the Road Safety Department and the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety to end express bus services at midnight in a bid to avoid road fatalities received mixed reaction from passengers.
It will just cause inconvenience to passengers who prefer to travel at night,” said Clement Ajik who was waiting for the next bus to Keningau at the express bus terminal in Bandaran Berjaya here yesterday.
He said by stopping the midnight express bus service, it would cause congestion at the ticketing counters as passengers have to queue up early to buy tickets to their destination.
“Most travelers do not have the time to travel during the day as they have to work, so the only alternative is to travel by night,” he said.
However, Ruzaily Libon welcomed the proposal.
“It will burden most night travellers, but it is better than to lose lives,” he said.
Express bus driver John Mu, when interviewed, said some bus drivers tend to drive fast at night as there are not many vehicles on the road.
“Accident occurs when they drive fast and cannot avoid an in-coming car or something on the road,” he said, adding that bus drivers should keep to the speed limit.
Unlike in West Malaysia, the last express buses leave the terminal in Kota Kinabalu for Tawau,. Lahad Datu and Semporna around 8pm due to the condition of the roads and for the safety of passengers.
Sabah Express Bus Operators Council (SEBOC) President Donald Haji Hanafi on Sunday said the implementation of the proposal is only applicable in the Peninsular and as the roads linking the east coast and west coast of the State are not expressways.
