RapidRail Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Zohari Sulaiman said their main aim is to ensure its LRT services are able to take more people by increasing the capacity with the new trains.
“We also want to provide comfortable rides for our commuters. What we have found is that when the coaches are packed the public will shun using the LRT.
“However, the bigger coaches now will have more room,” he told reporters after launching the new trains today at the Ara Damansara station.
Zohari said he hopes that with the increase in capacity, more people will be encouraged to skip driving and to use public transport instead.
“The current ridership on the Kelana Jaya Line is 260,000 commuters per day. We are projecting it will increase to 300,000 by June next year,”
Zohari said RapidKL will be introducing two new trains each month and will reach their target of introducing the 14 new trains by the middle of next year.
“Currently we have 35 four-coach trains operating and we are adding another 14 trains.
“When the 49 trains are fully operational, we will be able to reduce the frequency of waiting time from 3.5 minutes to 3 minutes,” he said adding that the current two-coach trains will be phased out in the coming months.
When asked about additional feeder bus services, Zohari said it will be increased gradually and would be subject to demand.
Zohari also said that the new trains will have CCTVs installed, and will also be helpful to commuters with blinking lights on the route map above the doors of the trains to indicate the stations during the journey.
He said the other features are infotainment, spacious areas for the disabled, windows in case of emergency and cost-saving LED lights.
“We hope the new trains will overcome any techinical glitches we have experienced before and also provide comfort for the commuters.
The new trains are from Canadian company Bombardier Innovia, the same manufacturer as the current trains in service, and cost a total of RM577.5 million.