KUCHING (June 22): The bus companies involved in providing transportation for those going for their Covid-19 vaccination appointment have now provided details on routes and schedules of such services.
Based on the schedules revealed in a statement by Transport Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin yesterday, the trips are on one-hour intervals to-and-fro the departing stations and the vaccination centres (PPVs).
Some of those routes particularly in Kuching will be served by the hydrogen buses, while almost all the routes will be served by stage buses.
Lee in the statement said these bus services are provided under the state’s RM1 Flat Rate Bus Fare Programme.
He also said the routes and scheduling can be viewed by the public on the Ministry of Transport, Sarawak (MOTS) website for information and easy reference.
“This information is also being distributed to all Residents who are also the chairman of their Divisional Disaster Management Committee for dissemination to the public at the division and district levels.
“For the information of the public, the Stage Bus service is just one of the various modes of transportation that the public can take from their homes to the PPVs or immunisation centres for Covid-19 vaccination purposes,” he said.
It was issued as follow-up to his earlier statement on Sunday that bus services are now available along routes to PPVs in eight divisions; namely Kuching, Kota Samarahan, Serian, Sri Aman, Sarikei, Sibu, Mukah and Miri from June 18 to August 3.
He pointed out the government, mindful that the current pandemic has caused difficulties to many people, has taken this initiative so that people who are eligible for vaccination have option and choice to use public transportation.
“By using the stage buses and hydrogen buses to the PPVs or immunisation centres, they need not have to worry about parking problems and can let the bus drivers take the strain.
“I would also like to remind the public that the fare for these bus services is only RM1 per trip per person which is very affordable to the users, especially taking into consideration the adverse impact of Covid-19 to personal finance,” he said.
He added it is the government’s hope that the affordable bus fare of RM1 will encourage more people to go to the PPVs for their first or second dose vaccinations.
“Once again, I urge all eligible people who have not registered for immunisation against Covid-19 to register now and take the opportunity to use the public transport if access to PPV is a problem.
“Let us all work together and do justice to ourselves as the first line of defence in fighting against Covid-19 and in creating the herd immunity by getting ourselves vaccinated at the PPV or immunisation centre soonest,” he said.