First of all, this is kinda bit lame, but I am extending my deepest condolences to the families of the 20 people who lost their family or friend in the Bukit Gantang Super Coach accident a few days ago. It’s really a sad day for the bus companies , especially with the Merdeka Celebrations just round the corner, and that the bus went off the ravine at the most ’safe’ areas on the North South Expressway, and that they were just less than an hour away from their destination.

Which comes to reiterate my point during my last scooter ride down to Singapore, which I was riding quite fast (90 to 100km/h) the whole way, and that ALL THE EXPRESS BUSES OVERTOOK ME like a real ghost rider. Even the worst offenders were like the ever so fast Durian Tunggal , “Must Be early” Konsortium Bus Express (KBES) red devil, and even the local Kulim First Travel was going super fast, approximating to be 140km/h onwards. Which is why I WOULD RATHER RIDE MY BIKE AND RISK IT THAN TO TAKE A BUS!!

Coming from the Prime Minister, Dato Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi talking about bus drivers being as fit as a pilot, I must say, this is really a piss. He knows it all. Bus drivers are known to consume DRUGS. Without them, they cannot stay awake. 90KM/h is too slow, yes, but no one enforce the law. There was a hype many years ago about GPS Tachograph, and people fiddle with it. Even the Goods Vehicle Inspection is tainted with corruption at Puspakom, with the help of supporting documents of Borang Biru 4 keping (4pcs of the blue form aka 4 x $50) or at the least purple forms ($100). Even JPJ knows about it, but don’t bat an eyelid. And worst still, enforcement are mainly during office hours.

So, come to my point of issue: Let’s follow the EU or at least UK system. Which is fair and square. I know it cuz I was a Goods Driver too. Worst off stricter rules for Bus and Coaches.

1) No fiddle GPS Tachograph.A tachograph records the speed,time,distance.Just like a black box.
2) A separate agency to enforce this ruling , like VOSA in the UK, which is both a cop and the vehicle inspectorate.
3) Automatic speed control device with link up to the Tacho, and when they refuel, it’s been uploaded to the central agency.

So, in other words, if at any moment, the vehicle is caught with something dodgy, the inspection center will get it too. And that the system allows only to the dot ruling for driving hours, which is 4.5 hours of drive time, and then a 45mins break,with the engine off, and another 4.5 hours, and extendable to another hour twice a week after another 45mins break, in which, the vehicle must rest for at least 8 hours. Even with TWO DRIVERS, we can only extend for another 4. hours, totalling to 13 drive hours, in which both drivers and vehicle is blacked out from operation for 11hours!

Look,even at 90km/h, it’s enough to drive 400km at a stretch. With breaks, it’s even enough to drive from Singapore to Hadyai, Thailand. I rode my bike at 90km/h…and I know. Lorries with trailers and over-sized loads must be capped to 70km/h instead as they cannot brake in time as efficient as the bus. If the bus accident is bad, what of the lorries who crashed into the cars and exterminate the entire clan?? Happened a few weeks back too in Alor Star, Kedah. WHOLE FAMILY DEAD!!!

Enforcement must be made without borders or jurisdictions or even time. The new VOSA must be a roaming team, arresting drivers at any point, day , night or early morning. Especially the Early Morning or Graveyard hours.

They must really enforce these strict laws for ALL BUS, be it BUS EXPRESS, BUS KILANG , BUS SEKOLAH and Scheduled Buses, as they too drive like crazy. Make all bus be no older than 3 years old for the express due to their long trips, 5 for Bus Kilang (worker bus) and 7 for Bus Sekolah as the chassis or coachwork will be so deteriorated after then. They must destroy these buses after that.

Looking at which, a bus express can clock 800km a day,7days a week, which is like 292,000km a year at legal speed limits, but are known to clock over 350,000 to 400,000km even for bus companies like Transnational or Konsortium. Only the government owned MARA Liner is at least following the law a bit. And, if they want to say their bus is EXPRESS HANTU, then their company must also have the same name, not under alot of aliases.

So, to enforce this situation, I am suggesting MONTHLY CHECKS. FULL COMPANY REPAIR LOGS and use of GPS tagged Tachograph. So there is no more fiddles. How many lives must be lost before they take more action. And stop the finger pointing. Any death means, the JPJ, the Police, the Puspakom, the company and the DRIVING SCHOOL which issues the licensing are all responsible!!

I dread the trend after the Merdeka Celebrations. The Raya rush.Will more be sacrificed?
One suggestion is to have a PASSENGER MANIFEST, like a plane, passenger name and ID No will just be fine, so should like this happen, they know who are on the bus, not to have to figure out so and so are unidentified bodies. Sad huh??

What about the families back home etc???

Help me help you too…..Demand more. Demand your MP!

Me..I’m prepping for my trip to Europe, and yeah, it’s costing me already $21,000!