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Kota Kinabalu: The recent debut of BAS.MY is a practical solution to the city’s long-standing need for cheaper and reliable transport as fuel prices and living costs begin to bite following the current energy crisis.

Pauline Liew, Human Resources and Administrative Executive of Jaguh Bayu Sdn Bhd, said the system hoped to address long-standing gaps in Kota Kinabalu’s public transport connectivity.

“There is currently limited connectivity in public transport within Kota Kinabalu aside from e-hailing services and existing private operators,” Pauline told Daily Express.

“With BAS.MY, we want to make it easier for Malaysians and non-citizens alike to travel from one place to another through connected hubs such as KK Sentral,” she said.

Implemented under Malaysia’s Stage Bus Service Transformation (SBST) programme, BAS.MY Kota Kinabalu is operated by Jaguh Bayu Sdn Bhd under the supervision of LPKP Sabah. 

Reducing reliance on private transport is one of BAS.MY’s long-term goals. However, it will take time as people gradually adapt and accept public transport as part of daily life.

Over the next 12 months, commuters can expect:

•  More BAS.MY buses on city roads
•  Gradual activation of routes S02–S08
•  Expanded route coverage
•  More route signage at bus stops
•  Improved digital tracking tools

The BAS.MY network is centred at KK Sentral, where all eight planned routes – S01 to S08 begin and end. 

However, only two routes are fully operational at the moment – S01( buses every 18 minutes) and S05 (buses every 15 minutes). Additional routes would be introduced in phases as the system expands.

“Some routes will later extend to terminals such as Manggatal as full implementation progresses,” said Pauline.

One of BAS.MY’s strongest attractions is affordability. The minimum fare starts at 80 sen, while frequent commuters can purchase the Kad 30 Hari monthly pass for RM30, allowing unlimited travel for 30 days.

This means savings of around RM200 to RM250 a month for those used to driving around the city. By switching to BAS.MY, the Kad 30 Hari can reduce commuting costs by up to 88 per cent.

Students, senior citizens and persons with disabilities (OKU) are eligible for unlimited free rides. This applies not only on weekdays, but also weekends, school holidays and public holidays.” 

Admittedly many remain unclear about BAS.MY routes, stops and payment systems.

Pauline said this is expected for a newly-introduced service. “This is the first structured city bus system in Kota Kinabalu following the pandemic. 

“Unlike older conventional services, BAS.MY operates on fixed schedules, designated bus stops and cashless payment only. 

BAS.MY currently accepts only cashless payments through bank cards or QR payment systems. Passengers must tap in when boarding and tap out when exiting because the fare is calculated based on distance travelled.

“If passengers forget to tap out, the system cannot accurately calculate their fare.”

For passengers without bank cards, Jaguh Bayu has collaborated with ManjaLink to offer prepaid transit cards available at the KK Sentral customer service counter.

Passengers are only allowed to board and alight at designated bus stops for safety reasons.

Although the buses operate on fixed schedules, traffic congestion remains one of the biggest operational challenges.

“During peak hours, especially on routes like S01 and S05, frequency may be affected due to traffic congestion in Kota Kinabalu,” Pauline said.

Hence, although the service is committed to sticking to the schedule, estimated arrival times depend on actual road conditions.

To ensure compliance and punctuality, all BAS.MY buses are equipped with GPS tracking systems. This allows both our internal team and LPKP Sabah to monitor route compliance, punctuality and designated stop adherence,” said Pauline. 

Feedback from early users has been encouraging. “We have been receiving requests for more routes and faster rollout.”

“This shows growing public interest and confidence in the system,” said Pauline, adding that many commuters have responded positively to the introduction of modern buses and lower fares.

Cyberjaya Kota Kinabalu student, Fandrick Goimis, rated the new service five out of five. 

“BAS.MY has been on time, sometimes even arriving five minutes early. Maybe that’s because not many people are using it yet,” he said, noting that at the time the roads were also not too congested.

Some BAS.MY buses are fitted with wheelchair ramps and ergonomic seating, making travel easier for elderly passengers and persons with disabilities.

“Accessibility is part of our effort to make BAS.MY inclusive for all groups,” Pauline said.

A frequent complaint has been lack of visible route information at bus stops. Improvements are underway.

“We are working with DBKK on signage installation, while route information is already available on our official website and social media platforms,” she said.

Jaguh Bayu is also preparing to integrate the LUGO mobile app for real-time bus tracking in Kota Kinabalu. It is still in the staging phase because not all routes are fully operational yet.