Johor bahru: The Johor government has proposed that Singapore bus operators at the Sultan Iskandar Building (BSI) begin their daily operations earlier at 4.30 am, compared to the current time of between 5 am and 5.30 am. State Public Works, Transport, Infrastructure and Communications Committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh said the government also suggested increasing the number of trips or frequency due to the rising number of passengers each month.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, based on statistics from the Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM), the number of passengers using the bus services increases by an average of 1,000 to 3,000 each month. However, the proposal to start bus operations earlier will be reviewed by Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA), as the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) in Singapore only begins service at 5.35 am.

LTA will discuss the suggestion to add more trips with each operator involved, as it entails costs and operational considerations. Mohamad Fazli shared in a Facebook post today that at 4 am, he, along with representatives from Singapore’s LTA and several public bus operators, made a two-hour visit to BSI to observe operations at the counters and on-site bus services, witnessing long queues of commuters waiting for buses.

The bus operators involved include Handal Indah Sdn Bhd, SBS Transit Ltd, SMRT Buses Ltd, Ridewell Travel Pte Ltd, The Singapore-Johore Expressway (Private) Ltd, and Transtar Travel and Tours Pte Ltd. LTA stated that the issue will be discussed and a decision will be made soon. Handal Indah currently provides 24-hour bus services, with departures every 30 minutes during off-peak hours and nearly 150 trips during peak hours.

Mohamad Fazli expressed hope that these efforts will yield positive results for everyone’s well-being.