BEST Bus (Bridge Express Shuttle Transit)

The Bridge Express Shuttle Transit (BEST Bus) is a park-and-ride free shuttle bus service across the Penang Bridge between Seberang Perai and the Bayan Lepas FIZ. It was launched by Chief Minister, Mr Lim Guan Eng on 1 March, 2011. BEST Shuttle Bus services are implemented to reduce traffic congestion during peak hours across the Penang Bridge and to reduce the financial burden of workers having to commute across the bridge.

Sixteen Rapid Penang buses are placed to run three different routes namely BEST A, BEST B and BEST C.


Bridge Express Shuttle Transit bus (2 March 2011)


In the morning, each route starts at Sunway Carnival and ends at the Bukit Jambul Hub, in front of Bukit Jambul Complex. It stops at selected points in the Bayan Lepas area (see details below). From Bukit Jambul, the buses return to Sunway Carnival without any stops along the way. In the evening, each route starts at Bukit Jambul and ends at Sunway Carnival, returning to Bukit Jambul only if the bus is making 2 trips.

In line with the implementation of BEST, the management of Sunway Carnival has prepared 600 parking bays at the shopping malls so that commuters can leave their vehicles there and take the free shuttle bus. A nominal parking fee of RM1.00 is charged for each car parked the whole day within the 400 open and 200 multi-storey parking lots.

Updates

13 July, 2015: Star Metro reports that as a measure to cut cost, the BEST park-and-ride bus service will charge a nominal fee of RM50 per month from 20 July, 2015. The frequency will also be reduced from the present five to only two or three per route, for each of the three routes.

23 March, 2012: The Bridge Express Shuttle Transit service may be terminated if the response continues to be poor. Presently only 400 people use it daily, when the targeted number is 800. This was announced by State Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow. The state government spends RM1.92 annually on the service. It will be stopped if the government decides that the public funds should be allocated to better use. Nonetheless, the service is being extended to 31 August 2012 to monitor its progress and response.

22 April, 2011: Since its launch, the free BEST Bus Service has seen its traffic increase to more than 800 commuters daily. According to Sim Tze Zin, the Penang Transport Council member, the service may be expanded to include Bukit Mertajam and Nibong Tebal.

Routes of Bridge Express Shuttle Transit (BEST)

The following are the routes of the Bridge Express Shuttle Transit buses. The estimated time of arrival shown in the routing refers to the duration between each bus stop, not the duration from the first stop (Sunway Carnival).


Signage on a BEST bus (2 March 2011)

Locating the BEST buses

All the Rapid Penang buses used to ply the BEST routes are signaged in front with a card showing BEST A, BEST B and BEST C. On the hind side of the bus you find the letters BA, BB or BC for the respective routes.

BEST A Route

Morning Trip - Sunway Carnival Hub to Bukit Jambul Hub
There are nine journeys by BEST A each morning using five buses, four of which make 2 trips. The journeys start from Sunway Carnival at 5:30 am, 5:50 am, 6:10 am, 6:30 am, 6:50 am, 7:10 am, 7:30 am, 7:50 am and 8:10 am. The stops are:
Sunway Carnival - Penang Bridge Toll Plaza (10 min later) - Queensbay Mall (18 min later) - Seagate (3 min later) - PSDC (1 min later) - Osram (1 min later) - Towam (5 min later) - BBraun (2 min later) - Sunshine Square (5 min later) - Bukit Jambul (13 min later) - Sunway Carnival* (23 min later).
* only for buses making two trips.

Evening Trip - Bukit Jambul Hub to Sunway Carnival Hub
There are nine journeys by BEST A each evening using five buses, four of which make 2 trips. The journeys start from Bukit Jambul at 4:30 pm, 4:50 pm, 5:10 pm, 5:30 pm, 5:50 pm, 6:20 pm, 6:40 pm, 7:00 pm and 7:20 pm. The stops are:
Bukit Jambul - Osram (7 min later) - Towam (4 min later) - BBraun (3 min later) - Jalan Tengah (5 min later) - PSDC (5 min later) - Seagate (3 min later) - Tun Dr Awang Roundabout (9 min later) - Penang Bridge (10 min later) - Perai Jaya (28 min later) - Sunway Carnival (7 min later) - Bukit Jambul* (27 min later).
* only for buses making two trips.

BEST B Route

Morning Trip - Sunway Carnival Hub to Bukit Jambul Hub
There are nine journeys by BEST B each morning using five buses, four of which make 2 trips. The journeys start from Sunway Carnival at 5:30 am, 5:50 am, 6:10 am, 6:30 am, 6:50 am, 7:10 am, 7:30 am, 7:50 am and 8:10 am. The stops are:
Sunway Carnival - Penang Bridge Toll Plaza (10 min later) - Queensbay Mall (18 min later) - Intel (5 min later) - Jabil (3 min later) - PSDC (2 min later) - Seagate (3 min later) - Sunshine Square (4 min later) - PISA (1 min later) - Bukit Jambul (3 min later) - Sunway Carnival* (28 min later).
* only for buses making two trips.

Evening Trip - Bukit Jambul Hub to Sunway Carnival Hub
There are eight journeys by BEST B each evening using five buses, three of which make 2 trips. The journeys start from Bukit Jambul at 4:30 pm, 4:55 pm, 5:20 pm, 5:45 pm, 6:10 pm, 6:35 pm, 7:00 pm and 7:25 pm. The stops are:
Bukit Jambul - Intel (6 min later) - Jabil (5 min later) - AMD (2 min later) - Kastam (1 min later) - PSDC (2 min later) - Seagate (3 min later) - Tun Dr Awang Roundabout (10 min later) - Penang Bridge (10 min later) - Perai Jaya (27 min later) - Sunway Carnival (12 min later) - Bukit Jambul* (46 min later).
* only for buses making two trips.

BEST C Route

Morning Trip - Sunway Carnival Hub to Bukit Jambul Hub There are nine journeys by BEST C each morning using six buses, three of which make 2 trips. The journeys start from Sunway Carnival at 5:30 am, 5:50 am, 6:10 am, 6:30 am, 6:50 am, 7:10 am, 7:30 am, 7:50 am and 8:10 am. The stops are:
Sunway Carnival - Penang Bridge Toll Plaza (10 min later) - Queensbay Mall (18 min later) - Seagate (4 min later) - Jabil (3 min later) - Schenker (2 min later) - Pentamaster (2 min later) - Zhulian (2 min later) - Dell/Dufu (4 min later) - Bukit Jambul (9 min later) - Sunway Carnival* (38 min later)
* only for buses making two trips. Evening Trip - Bukit Jambul Hub to Sunway Carnival Hub
There are ten journeys by BEST B each evening using six buses, four of which make 2 trips. The journeys start from Bukit Jambul at 4:30 pm, 4:50 pm, 5:10 pm, 5:30 pm, 5:50 pm, 6:10 pm, 6:30 pm, 6:50 pm, 7:10 pm and 7:30 pm. The stops are:
Bukit Jambul - Seagate (6 min later) - Jabil (3 min later) - Schenker (3 min later) - Pentamaster (2 min later) - Zhulian (2 min later) - Dell/Dufu (6 min later) - Tun Dr Awang Roundabout (15 min later) - Penang Bridge (8 min later) - Perai Jaya (22 min later) - Sunway Carnival (10 min later) - Bukit Jambul* (31 min later).
* only for buses making two trips.


Rear signage of a BEST bus (2 March 2011)

Disclaimer

The information provided here is accurate at time of writing, and may have been updated by the bus service provider without the author's knowledge. Please use the information as guidance and check with Rapid Penang at their information kiosks for the latest route details. The author endeavours to update the information on this page from time to time, but regrets any inaccuracies if there be any.

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