MyKomuter launched

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin launched the new KTM Komuter 6 car train sets (SCS) which began operations from KL Sentral on Thursday. It is to be named as MyKomuter.

New coaches more spacious with latest high-tech gadgets (The Star)

Wednesday March 7, 2012

By Isabelle Lai
isabellelai@thestar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: Longer and more spacious trains will ply the Port Klang-Sentul and Seremban-Rawang routes from this weekend to serve some 98,000 commuters.

Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) will start with four of the 38 six-car units costing a total RM1.89bil.

The rest will be introduced in stages by June.

When all the new trains hit the track, waiting time will be reduced from half an hour to just 10 minutes.

The new six-car train waiting at the Rawang station.

KTMB corporate communications senior manager Mohd Fazil Ismail expects immediate improvement to the service, given that each train can hold 1,100 passengers, compared to the 400-passenger capacity of the present three-car units.

The trains, made by China's Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive company and costing close RM50mil each, would drastically reduce overcrowding in KTM trains along the popular routes, he said during a media tour of the sophisticated coaches.

“Some passengers have complained being made to wait for the next train due to overcrowding. We hope to avoid such situations in the future,” he said, adding that KTMB received an average of two to three written complaints a day.

About 70,000 commuters take KTM trains to and from work during the morning and evening peak hours. A further 28,000 passengers travel from 10am to 4.30pm.

The six-car units incorporate several passenger-friendly features, including an LCD screen notification system, plug points to charge electronic devices, and a two-way intercom between passengers and drivers for emergencies. There are also the women-only coaches.

“Our voice automated announcement and LCD notification system are especially helpful to disabled passengers, alerting them of arrivals at a station,” he said.

Each unit can accommodate more standing passengers with its three-row handrail. An open space concept enables passengers to move from coach to coach.

Helpful feature: The new trains will be equipped with an LCD screen notification system.

Mohd Fazil said the train also had security features allowing doors to be opened manually and windows to be broken in case of emergen-cies.

“Each coach has three CCTV cameras for the driver to monitor what's going on. There are also ladders for emergencies,” he said.

He said KTMB had been planning to get the new trains since May 2010 in line with the National Key Result Area objective of improving urban public transportation.

Mohd Fazil said the Government had allocated RM2bil to improve KTM services.

The remaining RM110mil would be used to switch to a token-based ticketing system to be introduced in May.

Ladies on board the ladies only coaches

Related stories:
Commuters looking forward to a better ride

On right track with new trains

KTM gets first batch of SCS

KVMRT took this opportunity to compliment KTM who received the first batch of six electric train coaches (SCS) with witness for Transport Minister. This is definitely a reason for commuters to cheer about, soon if not now.

KTM gets first batch of electric train coaches from China (The Star)

Friday September 23, 2011

PORT KLANG: Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTM) has received the first batch of six electric train coaches from the Transport Ministry.

Its minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha said the Six-Car-Set (SCS) manufactured by China's Zhu Zhou Electric Locomotives Co Ltd were shipped from Shanghai Port on Sept 13 and reached Westport at 2am yesterday.

“Unloading work began from 8am and was completed at 5pm,” said Kong, who was at the presentation ceremony at Wharf 3, Westport in Port Klang.

He said the coaches were part of the 38 new sets for the KTM Komuter service which are being financed via allocations from the Federal Government under the sixth initiative of the National Key Results Area programme.

“Under this initiative, RM1.894bil has been spent to buy the 38 sets which will help improve the quality of the KTM Komuter service,” Kong said.

He said delivery of the sets would be in batches and completed by May next year.

First batch: Kong (in tie) inspecting one of the electric train coaches in Port Klang Thursday.

“The coaches will undergo operational and security tests before they are deemed safe for use,” he said, adding that it would take one to two months to test each set.

“The sets will be sent to the depot in Batu Gajah Perak for tests. The first train is expected to start service by December.”

Kong said his ministry was optimistic that with the new trains, the schedule of train arrivals could be shortened from 30 minutes to just 10 minutes and the target to increase capacity from 95,000 commuters to between 150,000 and 200,000 would be achieved.

Latest: MyKomuter launched