Prasarana Malaysia expects between 5,000 and 10,000 passengers to use the LRT3 Shah Alam line on its first day of operations today.
SHAH ALAM: Prasarana Malaysia Berhad (Prasarana) expects between 5,000 and 10,000 passengers to use the Light Rail Transit 3 (LRT3) Shah Alam Line on its first day of operations today.
Prasarana president and chief executive officer Amir Hamdan said the figure is projected to gradually increase to a target of 67,000 passengers daily in the first year of operations, depending on how quickly users become accustomed to the new line.
“Alhamdulillah, today is the first day of operations for the Shah Alam Line, which began at 6 am. Many were excited to board the first trains at their respective stations, with plenty of positive feedback and social media sharing. Among the feedback is that they are happy to commute to the office more comfortably without driving, thus avoiding traffic congestion.
“Typically, a new line does not immediately reach its maximum capacity. We will observe over time how usage patterns develop,” he told reporters during a visit in conjunction with the first day of LRT3 operations at Glenmarie 2 station here today.
Commenting on the first-day response, Amir said usage of the LRT3 is still in its early phase as riders are trying out the new service before making it part of their daily routine.
He said operations have been running smoothly so far, with train frequency at around eight minutes during peak hours and all facilities operating without issues.
“From the headway perspective, it is about eight minutes during peak hours, and overall conditions remain manageable across all facilities,” he said.
Amir added that Prasarana will continue monitoring ridership, including at key interchange stations such as Glenmarie 2, which connects to the Kelana Jaya Line, and Bandar Utama, which links to the Kajang Line.
He said in the initial phase, Prasarana is focusing on user experience, including the use of automatic gates, ticketing machines, and passenger flow at stations.
“Assessments will be conducted from time to time. If necessary, we will increase train frequency or deploy additional trains to meet demand, including the possibility of positioning standby trains along certain routes during peak hours,” he said.
He said for now, there is no need to introduce special facilities such as women-only coaches, but studies will be conducted based on ridership data and user feedback.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced free rides for the LRT3 Shah Alam Line services, including feeder buses operated by Prasarana for one month, from today until July 31.
