The main objective of the Rapid Penang On-Demand service expansion is to demands in areas that currently lack access to public transit.
Cashless Payment Now Available for All Rapid Penang On-Demand Routes
Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd (Rapid Bus), the operator of Rapid Penang bus services, expanded the Rapid Penang On-Demand service on March 15, 2025. The service, formerly known as Demand Responsive Transit (DRT), now has three new routes and two new vans operating on an existing route.
The main objective of the Rapid Penang On-Demand service expansion is to meet public transportation demands in high-density areas and regions that currently lack access to public transit.
One of the new routes, T110B, connects Gurney and Tanjung Bungah, serving passengers in this area with a total of six vans. Another new route, T710B, which links Sunway and Butterworth, also operates with six vans to accommodate commuters travelling between the mainland and the island. Meanwhile, T211B, which serves Paya Terubong, will have one van dedicated to improving accessibility in the area. All these routes will be available for booking through the Kummute app.
These new routes were introduced to enhance first and last-mile connectivity, allowing passengers to integrate their commutes more effectively with the existing Rapid Penang network. This expansion is expected to improve overall public transport accessibility throughout the state.
According to Ku Jamil Zakaria, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd, due to strong demand, Rapid Bus plans to gradually deploy 50 vans throughout the year to improve on-demand services in Penang. This move is part of an effort to encourage more people to switch to “flexible and efficient” public transportation.
In addition to the newly introduced routes, improvements are also being made to the existing T210B (Farlim – Air Itam) route, which was launched on August 1, 2024. Two vans have been added to this route making a total of four vans serving passengers in the area. This addition was expected to reduce passenger wait times from 17 minutes to just 10 minutes.
Since its launch, the T210B route has recorded an average daily ridership of 137 passengers, exceeding the initial target of 100 passengers per day. Over the past seven months, this route has served more than 26,000 passengers in total.
The Rapid Penang On-Demand service operates daily from 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM and can be booked through the Kummute app. Passengers can continue to enjoy the promotional fare of RM1.00 per trip with cashless payment being introduced on March 13. Passengers can make payments using the Pas Mutiara My50, debit or credit cards, DuitNow QR, OKU Smile Pass, and various e-wallets.
