KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 — There are no concrete decisions about the Automated Rapid Transit (ART) implementation in Putrajaya yet, said Mobilus Sdn Bhd director and chief executive officer Chan Chee Kian.

He said the company conducted a three-month pilot run in Putrajaya in collaboration with Perbadanan Putrajaya, the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research and in support of the Transport Ministry to understand how the tram behaves on Putrajaya roads from the engineering standpoint.

Here’s what we know about the project:

What is an ART?

  • It’s a 32m automated rapid transit trackless tram that is fully electric
  • It is at par with train and light rail transit standards but runs on rubber tyres
  • It has a life span of 25 to 30 years, much longer than city buses
  • The tram is designed to complement other forms of public transport like the LRT or MRT by connecting transit points, currently done by shuttle services

What was the trial all about?

According to Mobilus chief operating officer Ramlan Zainol Abidin, the company was given three months from May until July 31 to conduct a thorough study to explore how the tram behaves with road users in Putrajaya.

The tram was also open to the public for a ride around Putrajaya at selected times to gather feedback about its accessibility, convenience and desirability through a survey.

Ramlan said they also tested the synchronisation of the tram’s smart signalling system with the traffic lights in Putrajaya for traffic management based on giving priority to the ART when it approaches a traffic light.

What makes an ART different?

According to Chan, an ART is a more feasible alternative to an LRT, especially for smaller towns that can’t afford a light rail system.

“This can also be a more effective solution for first and last-mile connectivity between existing transport systems in larger towns.

“An ART runs on rubber tyres and doesn’t require a rail track, making it simpler and more affordable to implement,” he told Malay Mail in an interview.

Who is behind the ART project?

Mobilus is a joint venture between Ireka Corp Berhad and CRRC Urban Traffic Co Ltd, a member of China’s CRRC Group, that is running the ART pilot project here.

The company has been studying and testing the implementation of the trackless tram in Malaysia since 2018 and conducted a proof-of-concept trial in Iskandar Malaysia, Johor Baru in 2021.

In 2022, Mobilus secured a project by Sarawak Metro called the Kuching Urban Transportation System where 38 sets of ART will be available for a 70km route from 2025.

The project will make Sarawak the first place to have an ART system outside China.

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