Penang: The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has dedicated RM900,000 each year to support the free Central Area Transit (CAT) shuttle bus service, which connects Komtar with Penang Hospital (HPP), alongside three private hospitals and various healthcare facilities within the city center.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, MBPP Engineering Director Cheah Chin Kooi emphasized that this initiative aims to promote the use of public transportation, reduce dependency on private vehicles, and alleviate traffic congestion and parking shortages around the hospital vicinity. The service, operational since January 1, has witnessed a significant increase in ridership, doubling from an initial 300 passengers per day to approximately 600.

The service covers an eight-kilometer route, facilitated by three Rapid Penang buses running daily from 6 am to 8 pm, completing 36 trips with 20-minute intervals. Cheah shared these details with reporters during an inspection of the service, where he also experienced a ride on one of the buses.

The event was attended by Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd Northern Region head Mohd Amir Abd Halim, HPP director Dr. Goh Hin Kwang, and Penang Women's Development Corporation CEO Datuk Ong Bee Leng. Cheah highlighted that the service was established in response to an MBPP survey following HPP's expansion project, which underscored the necessity for enhanced public transportation due to parking limitations. The service is designed to provide patients, senior citizens, and caregivers with safer and more accessible healthcare facility access.

Dr. Goh further elaborated on HPP's efforts to upgrade the pedestrian walkway along Jalan Residensi, with ongoing improvements at the main entrance on Jalan Utama to better accommodate access to the bus service.