PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Use gas or biodiesel-run buses

I REFER to the report "RapidKL to introduce electric buses" (NST, June 1). It is a general consensus that clean energy is a prerequisite for sustainable economic development, in view of depleting fossil fuel reserves and the need to reduce the effects of greenhouse gases.

 So, when RapidKL  announced its intention to introduce electric buses  in two years, it  generated much publicity and expectations from commuters.

 However, green technology cannot be introduced without taking into account operational issues that are hampering the creation of a clean and efficient stage-bus system by RapidKL and other privately-owned operators.

 It is about time the government reconsidered  the  policy of disallowing the employment of foreign drivers in view of the many fatal road accidents involving overworked and reckless local  drivers and the  need to deploy hundreds of idle buses in the depots of RapidKL and private bus operators.

  Foreign  drivers can be brought in gradually  by RapidKL since it   runs  a driving academy to train bus drivers.

Its appointment as  sole agent  can prevent the exploitation of foreign drivers by middlemen and unscrupulous employers.

Foreigners can be first employed on city routes that are short and easy to monitor, compared with long-distance journeys.

RapidKL and private-sector operators have hundreds of buses  lying idle and this has caused inconvenience to   commuters, bringing disrepute to the reliability of  stage buses as a  mode of public transport, and are a  drain on the nation's financial resources.

 It is pointless  to  deploy a handful of electric buses to showcase  green technology when the rest of the bus service remains hamstrung by a shortage of  drivers.

RapidKL and other private-bus operators, which enjoy  subsidies in operating costs and purchase of new buses,  owe the public accountability in the form of improved   service with better buses driven by well-mannered  drivers.

 The deployment of electric buses must also take into account the capital expenditure needed to support a citywide electric bus operation.

 It is not simply plugging these electric buses into household sockets for recharging. Many operational and safety factors have to  evaluated.

  Unlike electric buses, this country has local expertise in operating  compressed natural gas (CNG) cars, taxis and buses.

The country also has an abundant supply of natural gas that can power our  modes of transport well into the next century.

 Instead of venturing into the uncharted waters of  electric buses, we should turn to  what we have.

The city has  the  infrastructure to support the filling of CNG buses in   Petronas stations in  the city.

 A  study must be carried out into the fuel efficiency and maintenance costs of CNG and electric buses, in view of the fact that each electric bus can buy two CNG or conventional diesel buses.

 In our often irrational euphoria to leapfrog into adapting foreign technology, we must not forget to  assess its sustainability.

The government has in place a   biodiesel programme to supplant fossil fuel in powering our motor industry.

 Thus, surely, as the largest stage bus operator in the country, RapidKL can better position itself as a  pioneer operator of the largest biodiesel fleet of buses, and in the process,   stimulate  demand for palm oil and corn ethanol.

 Let us not forget that electricity  for electric buses must be bought from  coal-fired power plants or diesel-powered plants that may generate  more carbon dioxide (CO2)   emission at its source and,  thus,  contribute  to  global warming.

 RapidKL can also tap  its  financial resources to  replace the smoke-belching  fleet of old buses belonging to private stagebus operators, which  have been tasked with complementing  RapidKL's  service as  feeder-service providers.

 This can be done   by leasing its hundreds of  new buses with more fuel efficient engines to  private stage-bus operators and sharing with them  newly-acquired ancillary operating hardware and management software, such as the cashless ticketing system.

 The  cashless ticketing system is too expensive to be installed in old buses, but it has proven to cut down on passenger boarding time. Less boarding time means less idling engines at  bus stops and terminals.

 When RapidKL buses are deployed optimally in partnership with private-sector  operators, fewer  buses will be needed while  the frequency of service will be improved.

 Such a smart partnership will reduce CO2 emission  without having  to resort to the huge capital outlays for electric buses and their   infrastructure system.

 Clearly, there is much that can be done to improve  the   operations of  stage bus operators and  improve  the air quality through the deployment of newer buses.

And all these can be achieved without further dipping into the public purse.

RapidKL must solve the problem of shortage of drivers quickly.

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