Public transportation within Kuching City will be only RM1 in the near future as the city moves towards implementing stage bus services.
Sarawak Transport Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin was reported by the Borneo Post to have said that the flat rate fare will start a week after Gawai Dayak celebrations.
This puts the timeline of the new fare implementation from 7 June 2020.
The seven day delay was due to bus companies adhering to Covid-19 standard operating procedure (SOP), which include bus drivers being asked to undergo swab test for Covid-19, and buses to be sanitized before they are used.
Other SOPs which bus companies need to follow before they can pick-up passengers include enforcing social distancing seats within the bus, taking temperature of passengers and asking all passengers to wear a mask within the bus.
Four bus companies are said to be part of the stage bus service.
They are Bau Transport Company Sdn Bhd, City Public Link Bus Sdn Bhd, Petra Jaya Transport (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd and Biaramas Express Sdn Bhd.
Kuching will be the second city to implement stage bus services in Sarawak after Sibu did so on May 25.
