Putrajaya Corporation (PPj) conducted ART (Automated Rail Transit) public transport trials two years ago with the aim of making it a public transport mode in the country's administrative centre. However, after the trials were conducted, PPj did not continue with its plans to use it due to the high operating costs.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Lo Su Fui said that an initial study estimated the total cost of implementing the ART system, including infrastructure development, systems, operations and maintenance, to reach RM 211.95 million over a period of 10 years.
PPj could not afford the costs as a local authority. Therefore, in Malaysia, only the city of Kuching uses the ART system, which has been modified to use hydrogen fuel.
ART is a public transport that combines trains, buses and trams with automatic driving capabilities. ART carriages do not require railway tracks to operate. They use regular bus wheels and only require special road markings to ensure that they move on the right path. The system was developed by CRRC in 2017.
Like trains, ART carriages can be added as needed with a capacity of up to 309 passengers. They can travel at speeds of up to 70 kilometers per hour and a driver can be assigned to drive to improve safety during operation.
