KL's bus graveyard

KL's bus graveyard

1,000 vehicles left to rust as commuters face long waits and delays daily due to 'bus shortage'
May 23, 2008

(Electric New Paper, Singapore) THESE 1,000 buses cost millions of dollars when they were bought 14 years ago.

Picture: THE MALAY MAIL

Now, they seem destined for the scrap heap amid a storm of controversy.

Why the buses, bought from Italy for RM500,000 each, are 'stored' in Batang Kali and in Sungai Buaya, Rawang is uncertain.

But with commuters in Kuala Lumpur having to contend with long queues for buses and then a big squeeze when they get on board because of a so-called bus shortage, it is no wonder they are outraged.

The Malay Mail labelled the dumping of the buses a 'wasteful exercise'.

When the paper visited the Sungai Buaya site, it found about 800 buses parked on what used to be a football field.

Located close to a housing estate, the buses are watched over by a lone guard who stations himself in a cabin.

Several stray dogs appear to be his only companions.

The buses, many of them showing signs of decay inside and outside, are parked on a hilltop and hidden by trees and shrubs.

At Antara Gapi in Batang Kali, the 200-odd buses are parked in an open space by the main road, also guarded by a lone security guard.

The buses, imported from Italy by Intrakota and Parkmay at a cost of RM500,000 each ($210,000), once served Klang Valley residents.

But since they were inherited by Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd (SPNB), which owns commuter service provider RapidKL, they have been left unused.

SPARE PARTS

The buses apparently cannot be 'cannibalised for spare parts' because vehicles on the roads now are of a different make.

The Intrakota buses were built by Iveco, while RapidKL now uses mostly Mercedes-Benz buses, which cost RM350,000 or less each.

But a source familiar with the issue told the paper: 'The lifespan of a bus can be more than 15 years, depending on its maintenance.

'The buses could well have been roadworthy when they were dumped at the two sites two years ago.'

RapidKL was set up in 2004 to streamline the public transport system in the Klang Valley.

The company decided it buy new vehicles as they would be easier to maintain.

The Malay Mail said the buses will be sold by tender, a process that is expected to take several months.

Buyers may either take the buses as scrap or ship them to developing countries where they can be 'rehabilitated'.

Both RapidKL and SPNB were not available for comment.