I have been pushing for the Govt to curb the speeding Rogue bus drivers since early 2007, (through letters to the media and the MOT) and have been receiving various promises from the authorities promising action, such as installing speed limiting devices on the buses, and lately on installing high resolution cameras on the expressways to 'catch' the speeding buses. I was really happy to read the statement in the Dewan Rakyat Govt plans GPS devices on buses to curb speeding on yet another method proposed to stop those wild drivers. This time a definite date is mentioned, but after so many 'cries of wolf', I have my doubts. of this date, August 18, when hopefully, we will begin to see the end of the needless deaths of innocent passengers on Expressways. As a matter of Morals, we should not let this date slip again, so that those earlier horrible deaths have not been in vain. I am also hoping that Tan Sri Koh T K will include these in his recommendations of KPIs for the Ministry of Transport, so that non acheivement of the monitoring and the apprehension of rogue drivers will be deemed one of the faliures to perform by the Ministry. I also take cognizance of the fact that Datuk Seri Ong has emphasised that the important thing, after the GPS has been installed, is "the way things are monitored and handled". We understand from Datuk Suret Singh too that some sort of SOP Manuals( Standard Operating Procedures) have been implemented to enforce 'discipline' among the bus owners, with apparently suitable punishment for non compliance?
We, the public hope this time, the public menace will be gone for good, and come the next Holidays, we will not see a long list of fatalities due to these reckless drivers again. Let us all make this work..
Putting the brakes on bus drivers
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2 comments:
YB DAtuk
Thank you very much for the response and for involving the concerned public like me and some of my friends in this important matter, but reading from your email reply below, the whole GPS system seems to be in the planning stage, and seems worryingly wishy washy, and gives me the feeling that the "buck" is being passed around the table AGAIN. OK, let me try to get this discussion straight, so that the Govt can enforce the GPS systems in ALL the express buses by August 18, tested and proven to work. Writing memoranda to the busy Cabinet ministers without outlining a REAL solution is just providing them subject for coffee talk in the Smoking room. You should adivse us of the following (please, no beating around the bush Datuk) :
* If August 18 is the date of implementaiton of GPS systems on all Express buses, has the GPS system been identified, tested and proven to work? Have all the bus owners been told of the cost of the whole set up? Are they willing to put up this cost and before August 18? In accepting systems like these for use, have you gone through a "site acceptance" testing in which independent consultants, bus owners and observers have confirmed that its efficacious? What is the training schedule for those who are supposed to operate and maintain the system? By the way, is this a modular system to be owned by each individual bus company, or is it a Central system that all bus owners subscribe to?
* On the enforcement side, I think it's best to keep it simple. Make sure the system is adequately protected, and only authorised personnel are allowed access to its core system. The system MUST provide all statistics of a trip AND REDLINE all violations like speeding and unauthorised stops, in WEEKLY reports. In order to ensure that all bus owners take appropriate action against their own speeding drivers, the Govt should mandate the bus owner to pay a fine for each violation mentioned in the weekly report. Such a measure will ensure the bus owner, either take very strict action on its drivers so they not speed, it will also ensure that the drivers are actually fined, and will be careful not to speed again.
* Yes, there should be a timeline now for the bus companies to acquire the system. I think Datuk should make those decisions, and not keep pushing them to the Cabinet. Koh Tsu Koon better take note, another subject for KPI?.
I know your system may have all those "bells and whistles" like monitoring emergency stops, using different routes, but If my suggestion above is considered, the paramount objective to stop speeding buses will be achieved.More often than not, projects are implemented only to be abandoned for one reason or other, mainly because nobody in the Govt has done the simplest of feasibility studies, AND established a TESTED AND WORKING implementation plan
from
2009/6/30 Suret Singh, Y.Bhg. Datuk
Dato as YB Minister mentioned in Parliament LPKP has made it a mandatory requirement for new Express Buses to be installed with GPS for tracking location,speed,emergency braking,stops &duration of stops from August of 2008.This is a very good initiative & an important component of Safety MaHealth&Environment code of safety practice now being championed jointly by Miros,JKJR ,LPKP,JPJ&DOSH for the Express &Tour Bus Operators(it has been voluntary&it is about time to make it compulsory for more effective implementation)
I was quite pleased to read your announcement in the papers today Putting the brakes on speeding bus drivers and I think finally, common sense has prevailed in the Ministry of Transport. In Malaysia, where civic consciousness is a dirty word and selfishness a second nature, bus owners, driven by such "primal instincts" and the unrelenting desire to make money at anyone's expense, physically limiting the speed of the buses will be proven to be the only way to halt mayhem and murder on the expressways. Having the GPS as an additional monitoring feature will surely do no harm. We look forward to the day that the speed limiters will be installed in all the buses, maybe before February 14 2010 (Lunar New Year)? I also wish you all the best in your efforts to strengthen the party and your continuing efforts in the 'cleaning up" of PKFZ,
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