SPAD Enhances Enforcement During School Holiday, Christmas and New Year
The Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) is stepping up its enforcement activities in conjunction with the school holiday season, Christmas festivities and the 2018 New Year's celebration.
Accordingly, 24-hour integrated enforcement activities with the cooperation of the police, Road Transport Department, the National Anti-Drug Agency and the Highway Enforcement Authority were carried out from November 23 to 26 while the Christmas and New Year's operations will be implemented from December 22, 2017 until January 2, 2018.
Through the 10-day operation during the Deepavali 2017 season from October 12 to 22, 313 offenses were identified and further action has been taken on the operators involved.
Among the ongoing efforts that have taken place in collaboration with other enforcement agencies to address the issue of drivers and operators in violation of laws or regulations include: enforcement audits on vehicle GPS records, masking operations for high-risk operators, patrolling at high-risk locations and speed traps as well as CCTV monitoring at the Highway Operations Centre.
SPAD chief operating officer Qamar Wan Noor said enforcement officers will also patrol in the city centre, near shopping malls and terminals to monitor and take action on illegal ticketing activities. This also includes inspection of ticket counters and documents at bus terminals.
The Commission had also met with express bus operators to remind them to always prioritise the safety of passengers and road users through the emphasis on compliance with the SPAD Industrial Code of Practice (ICOP) and safety rules at all times.
"The Commission will not hesitate to impose full legal action against neglecting operators. This includes the aspects of safety, drivers and vehicle maintenance. Depending on the severity of the offense, the operator of a bus company may be suspended or terminated. In serious cases, the entire fleet belonging to the company could be suspended pending a security audit and if there is any breach of the terms, legal or administrative action will be taken," Qamar said at a press conference recently.
The public can also play a role by reporting any breach of law or regulation by operators to SPAD via SPAD's 24-hour hotline at 1-800-88-SPAD (7723), via email to aduan@spad.gov.my or via Twitter to @aduanSPAD. Express bus passengers can also download the MeterOn app for iOS and Android smartphones that lets them check the status of express bus companies or report any errors.
