'The RM140mil Amanjaya Terminal commenced operations last September but faced problems when several bus companies refused to move there from Medan Gopeng.
The bus operators cited the Amanjaya Terminal’s inconvenient location as one of the reasons why they preferred to continue operating from Medan Gopeng.
An agreement was finally inked between parties operating at both bus terminals in March, which stipulated that operators in Medan Gopeng had to shift to the Amanjaya Terminal by the end of April.'
'Faizal attributed the lack of passengers to the fact that some bus companies are still maintaining operations outside the terminal.
“Despite the state government issuing a directive to all bus operators in the city to move to the terminal, some are still operating at Gunung Rapat, Jalan Bendahara and Bercham.
“Since the terminal is far from the city centre, passengers would of course prefer to patronise these operators who are more centrally located.'
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The bus operators cited the Amanjaya Terminal’s inconvenient location as one of the reasons why they preferred to continue operating from Medan Gopeng.
An agreement was finally inked between parties operating at both bus terminals in March, which stipulated that operators in Medan Gopeng had to shift to the Amanjaya Terminal by the end of April.'
'Faizal attributed the lack of passengers to the fact that some bus companies are still maintaining operations outside the terminal.
“Despite the state government issuing a directive to all bus operators in the city to move to the terminal, some are still operating at Gunung Rapat, Jalan Bendahara and Bercham.
“Since the terminal is far from the city centre, passengers would of course prefer to patronise these operators who are more centrally located.'
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Before the planners decided on the location of this modern bus terminal, they did not bother to ask the ordinary bus users. The politicians, as usual, were more concerned with having a brand new building so that it met with their criterion of a mega project. Of course, Amanjaya to Ipoh, is what Putrajaya is to Kuala Lumpur. It was meant to house all the government departments in a new area, far away from Ipoh city centre. So, the convenience of the public was last on their list of priorities. Now, with the new bus terminal under-used, bus operators are being arm-twisted to move into it, instead of operating from convenient locations in Ipoh city to suit the bus users! If not for the waste of public funds, I would use the Malay expression, 'Padan muka' or 'Serves them right' for not using their common sense.
Update:
“This is not fair to us because the bus companies have the advantage of being nearer to the city centre, making it convenient for passengers to purchase tickets from them rather than at the terminal.
“I’ve suffered losses amounting to more than RM10,000 a month due to the lack of passengers and I can’t even pay the wages of my 12 employees,” he lamented.
Faizal said the operators had also decided not to pay the monthly RM800 ticketing counter rent and RM6 bus toll at the terminal due to the losses.
“If the state government or SPAD does not solve this issue, I’m planning to set up a counter in the city and operate from there,” he said, adding that the other operators planned to do the same.
The distance from the Medan Kidd bus terminal located in the city centre to the Amanjaya Terminal is 10.5km.
Taxi fare between both terminals in the day is about RM20 while at night, it is about RM30.
Passengers would need to pay RM2.30 for a one-way shuttle bus trip from Medan Kidd to the new terminal.
Ticket seller Norhayati Hashim, 50, said since her bus company moved into the new terminal in April, it had lost more than 50% of its revenue.
“Previously, the bulk of our customers consisted of those who bought tickets from Ipoh to Kuala Lumpur, but now many do not buy tickets at the terminal.
Convenience store worker Siti Nurfatihah Razali, 22, said when the Medan Gopeng bus operators moved into the new terminal in April, there was only a slight increase in the number of customers.
“We anticipated more people when the operators moved in, but this did not happen and the store is making very little profit.
“Many passengers have complained that the terminal is inconvenient and was far from the city centre even though there are shuttle buses,” she said.
Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said he hoped the bus operators at the terminal would hold discussions with the bus companies operating in the city centre over the matter.
“They (bus operators) should discuss and work together,” he said.
Dr Zambry stressed that the state could not force private bus companies operating in the city centre to move to the terminal.
“If we force them, there will be accusations that we are benefiting cronies,” he said.
“I will get a state official to liaise and coordinate with the operators and try to reach a solution,” he said.
More:
The Star Perak Metro: Bus operators in a fix
http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Community/2013/07/06/Bus-operators-in-a-fix-Group-wants-govt-to-compel-companies-to-move-to-new-terminal.aspx
Update:
“This is not fair to us because the bus companies have the advantage of being nearer to the city centre, making it convenient for passengers to purchase tickets from them rather than at the terminal.
“I’ve suffered losses amounting to more than RM10,000 a month due to the lack of passengers and I can’t even pay the wages of my 12 employees,” he lamented.
Faizal said the operators had also decided not to pay the monthly RM800 ticketing counter rent and RM6 bus toll at the terminal due to the losses.
“If the state government or SPAD does not solve this issue, I’m planning to set up a counter in the city and operate from there,” he said, adding that the other operators planned to do the same.
The distance from the Medan Kidd bus terminal located in the city centre to the Amanjaya Terminal is 10.5km.
Taxi fare between both terminals in the day is about RM20 while at night, it is about RM30.
Passengers would need to pay RM2.30 for a one-way shuttle bus trip from Medan Kidd to the new terminal.
Ticket seller Norhayati Hashim, 50, said since her bus company moved into the new terminal in April, it had lost more than 50% of its revenue.
“Previously, the bulk of our customers consisted of those who bought tickets from Ipoh to Kuala Lumpur, but now many do not buy tickets at the terminal.
Convenience store worker Siti Nurfatihah Razali, 22, said when the Medan Gopeng bus operators moved into the new terminal in April, there was only a slight increase in the number of customers.
“We anticipated more people when the operators moved in, but this did not happen and the store is making very little profit.
“Many passengers have complained that the terminal is inconvenient and was far from the city centre even though there are shuttle buses,” she said.
Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said he hoped the bus operators at the terminal would hold discussions with the bus companies operating in the city centre over the matter.
“They (bus operators) should discuss and work together,” he said.
Dr Zambry stressed that the state could not force private bus companies operating in the city centre to move to the terminal.
“If we force them, there will be accusations that we are benefiting cronies,” he said.
“I will get a state official to liaise and coordinate with the operators and try to reach a solution,” he said.
More:
The Star Perak Metro: Bus operators in a fix
http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Community/2013/07/06/Bus-operators-in-a-fix-Group-wants-govt-to-compel-companies-to-move-to-new-terminal.aspx
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