Lee poses inside a Smart Truck during a trial run with Yii (left).
MIRI: Minister of Transport Datuk Lee Kim Shin calls on operators of Miri Smart Bus System to improve the bus schedule.
Speaking to reporters after attending a trial run of Smart Bus here yesterday, Lee was generally satisfied but wanted the schedule to be tweaked to provide on-time service.
Lee said the Smart Bus system is part of Miri Smart City Proof of Concept (MSCP) initiated in September 2019 to encourage the use of public transport to reduce traffic congestion in Miri City and reduce dependency on private, single passenger vehicles.
“It is an initiative to improve the efficiency, availability, reliability, safety and security of bus services and encourage the use of public transport,” he pointed out.
The Smart Bus system is an amalgamation of Internet of Thing (IoT), Artificial Intelligent (AI), Smart Surveillance and Mobile Software solutions.
IoT solution in the form of GPS trackers identify the locations of buses in real time for users of the mobile app.
AI technology uses video analytics for passenger count onboard or alighting the buses to ascertain the number of seats available. Smart surveillance installed in the buses make them safer for passengers.
For details of the buses, download Sarawak Smart City mobile app from google playstore.
The app gives information on the routes, estimated time of arrival at pick up point and destination, availability of seats, online payment with Sarawak Pay and more.
The dashboard of smart buses provide the bus operators and Miri Smart City command centre (MSCC) with bus real time location; monitor stress call (for help) from the bus (panic button); keep track of the number of passengers on board the bus and total passengers riding the bus.
“All the smart buses are equipped with free WiFi for passengers,” stated Lee, adding that 18 out of 22 smart buses are fully equipped to cover seven routes currently.
“As of today (yesterday), three buses serving Permyjaya, Senadin and Taman Tunku routes are on trial run. The remaining buses will be ready for trial run progressively over the next couple of weeks,” added Lee.
The smart bus service is timely as the Ministry of Transport (MoT) Sarawak is currently providing RM1 flat rate bus fare in Miri to encourage the use of public transport.
Meanwhile, a total of 25 garbage trucks have also being installed with Smart Truck solution developed under the MSCP programme for Miri City Council (MCC) to monitor waste management servicei.
Similar IoT technology installed in the trucks register and report the real-time locations of trucks; dashboard camera and rear camera installed on the trucks monitor the movement of the trucks and bin placement by the residents during waste collection.
“The Smart Truck mobile app allows the public to know the ETA of the garbage trucks. So far only four out of 25 such tucks are ready at the moment while the rest are being installed with smart system,” said Lee.
Also present during the Smart Bus trial run were Miri Mayor Adam Yii and representatives of the smart buses companies.