HULU SELANGOR, Oct 15 — The free Smart Selangor Bus service remains a vital transport lifeline for residents in Hulu Selangor, connecting them to towns, hospitals, schools and commuter train stations.
The service has recorded about 1.6 million passenger journeys over the past 10 years in the district, with plans underway to increase the number of buses and expand existing routes.
Hulu Selangor Municipal Council (MPHS) President Julaihah Jamaludin said the buses formed the backbone of public transport in the district, linking residential areas to key destinations.
She said five buses currently operate along five routes, with students and mothers among the main users of the service.
“Smart Selangor buses are very important to us. We need to increase the number of buses in line with population growth and the development of new townships.
“Every year, we review passenger numbers. If certain routes have low ridership, we reorganise them to encourage more people to use the bus service,” she told Media Selangor.
Julaihah said the buses, which make about 10 trips daily between 6 am and 8 pm, played an important role in providing residents with access to public transport from their homes.
However, she acknowledged that the public transport network needed further improvements, particularly in rural areas, as development in the district was scattered across a vast geographical area.
“In Anjung Utara, particularly the Felda settlements, public transport remains quite limited. For now, we are focusing more on densely populated areas such as Kuala Kubu Bharu, Batang Kali and Bukit Sentosa.
“There is demand, but we need to look at the bigger picture, including passenger numbers, because operating these services also involves costs,” she said.
Julaihah said operating the five existing routes cost more than RM1 million annually, making it necessary to consider demand and ridership levels before adding buses or expanding routes.
At the same time, she said MPHS was taking into account the development of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) station in Bandar Serendah when planning the district’s future public transport network.
She said existing bus routes already covered the area, and the need for additional buses would be assessed to improve accessibility for residents once the station became operational.
“We need to increase the number of buses and expand routes in urban areas. The five main routes we have now need improvements in terms of bus numbers and service frequency.
“We have no problem allocating funds to increase the number of buses as long as the service is fully utilised and benefits the community,” she said.
Julaihah also said demand-responsive transit (DRT) was being considered as another option to complement the district’s public transport network.
Although Hulu Selangor does not yet have the service, she said Bukit Sentosa and Bukit Beruntung could be considered as potential locations due to their population density and industrial development.
“If DRT can be expanded to Hulu Selangor, we could start in Bukit Sentosa and Bukit Beruntung because these areas are developing rapidly.
“However, we need to assess residents’ demand, as it ultimately comes down to supply and demand,” she said. Previously, state executive councillor for mobility Ng Sze Han said Smart Selangor Bus routes were being reviewed to improve service frequency according to the needs of each local authority.
In June, Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari said the state government would identify gaps in service coverage and integration to improve connectivity across Selangor.
