KLANG, Sept 4 — Truck drivers say the West Coast Expressway (WCE) provides a shorter and more direct route to key industrial and port areas, helping cut travel distances and journeys times.
According to hauliers met by Media Selangor, the highway’s straighter alignment and fewer hilly stretches have helped reduce fuel consumption and made the movement of goods across Selangor and beyond more efficient.
CT Campbell truck driver Lohaan Sharma Parama Sivam, 29, said the highway is a useful alternative route, especially for heavy vehicles making frequent trips to industrial and port areas.
“It really makes it easier because the industrial areas with logistics and ports are all a bit closer when using this alternative road,” he said when met at the WCE Sijangkang rest stop recently.
Lohaan said WCE helps him save time with its more direct route and as a detour from heavy traffic on other roads, while its relatively straight, flat alignment makes for smoother journeys.
“We can arrive faster to our destinations, including ports, factories and industries. It saves time and we don’t get lost in the traffic. I really support using WCE because it makes journeys easier for all truck drivers.”
WCE, which has opened in stages since mid-2019, links Banting in Selangor to Taiping in Perak and was developed as an alternative to the North-South Expressway (PLUS), helping reduce traffic congestion and enhance connectivity along Peninsular Malaysia’s west coast.
Eight of the highway’s 11 sections are operational, with the remaining stretches to open by March next year.
The final three sections to be opened are Section 3 (KESAS to the Federal Highway), Section 4 (Federal Highway to the North Klang Straits Bypass), and Section 7 (Assam Jawa to Tanjong Karang).
Faster, smoother journeys
Fuller Logistics truck driver Mohd Yazie Azizan, 32, said the WCE’s straighter alignment is an advantage for heavy vehicles as it reduces the need to navigate hilly and winding stretches that require frequent braking.
He said another major benefit of the new highway is its shorter distance that lets drivers reach their destinations more efficiently.
Yazie also suggested more dedicated truck routes be built.
“I think there should be special routes planned for lorries and, if possible, comfortable rest areas for lorry drivers,” he said.
For Yurn Soon Transport Agency truck driver Rohimi Jawahir, 59, WCE is a convenient shortcut for drivers travelling between Northport in Port Klang to southern Selangor.
He said the highway has helped him save both time and fuel, while providing an alternative to routes that could be restricted for heavy vehicles during certain periods.
“Saving time is one thing, but the shorter journey also means considerable fuel savings,” he said, adding that he typically uses WCE two to three times a week when travelling south.
Rohimi, however, said drivers must still be careful along certain stretches of the highway, especially when carrying partially filled tankers, as the movement of the contents could affect vehicle stability.
Despite this, he said the overall benefits of the highway are clear, particularly in terms of reducing travel time and distance.
