Kota Kinabalu: The Kota Kinabalu Pink Bus service has entered a crucial phase as authorities focus on increasing passenger numbers and improving its eight routes before considering further expansion.
Sabah LPKP Chairman Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe said the service, now fully operational with 48 buses across eight routes, must continue to improve based on passenger demand, feedback and conditions on the ground.
He said the next one to three months, or until the end of this year, would be important in determining whether the service could attract stronger public support and become a reliable alternative to private vehicles.
“The priority now is to optimise the existing eight routes and ensure they generate better passenger numbers,” he said.
Phoong said public feedback had already identified issues such as the need for more bus stops, changes to certain routes and additional suitable stopping points.
He said operators must respond to passengers’ complaints and suggestions, while local authorities should ensure bus terminals, stops and other supporting facilities were adequate.
He also stressed that passenger numbers were critical to the long-term viability of the service, saying even substantial government funding would not guarantee success if people did not use the buses.
The programme, launched in September 2025, currently operates eight routes using 10 buses, with the remaining fleet deployed as part of the fully operational network. Authorities will assess the performance of each route before deciding on further expansion, he said.
Phoong said the Transport Ministry provided an operating subsidy of RM3.74 for every bus kilometre travelled, meaning operators must maintain services to receive the allocation.
On the use of coaster buses in Kota Kinabalu, Phoong said the city’s geographical characteristics and numerous narrow-road areas made smaller buses more suitable for reaching passengers.
He said locations such as City Mall and other busy areas were often situated along narrower roads where large buses had difficulty manoeuvring.
“Bringing the service as close as possible to people’s doorsteps is critical,” he said after a distribution of the Jalur Gemilang and Sabah State flags to the public at KK Sentral here on Monday.
He added that the Pink Bus service had already recorded about 200,000 passenger trips despite the eight-route network only being introduced about two weeks earlier.
Meanwhile, Kota Kinabalu Member of Parliament Datuk Chan Foong Hin said the programme represented an important step towards improving public transport in the city.
The programme is backed by RM88 million over five years under the Transport Ministry’s initiative and includes concession cards costing RM10 for eligible groups, including senior citizens, students and persons with disabilities.
Chan said a stronger public transport system could help reduce the cost of living, particularly for young people who otherwise faced the financial burden of owning and maintaining a car.
He urged Kota Kinabalu residents to use the service and provide constructive feedback so the system could be further improved.
