Dato’ Abu Hassan Awang, owner of Cosmic Express, firmly believes that quality always pays off.
Driving Comfort and Sustainability: Cosmic Express’s Road to Growth
Since taking over a struggling travel and tour agency in 2000, he transformed it into a well-recognised express bus service operator that is known for its top-tier coaches and commitment to passenger comfort.
Cosmic Express now operates a fleet of 70 coaches that is exclusively built with top Continental brands and fueled by quality diesel from a single trusted multinational supplier. Each new coach added to the fleet is a personal project for Dato’ Abu Hassan, who spends days at the bodybuilder to carefully design its exterior and interior.
The company’s coaches stood out for their elegant colours and motifs; striking but never loud. Inside, there exudes a warm, inviting space with plush fabric seats finished in darker shades with subtle graphics to make the entire journey restful.
“The best compliments come from passengers who say they sleep throughout the journey and wake up only at their destination,” he said.
A major turning point for Cosmic Express came in 2020, when the company added 10 MAN double-deck coaches to its fleet. “MAN engineered a chassis that offers unmatched ride comfort and powerful performance on highways and road inclines. Our current fleet of Euro III-spec MAN coaches also delivers impressive fuel savings,” he noted.
The fuel economy and reliability supported the decision to invest on MAN coaches, which required a massive step of faith after entrusting his fleet to just one other European brand previously.
Eye opening moment
Dato’ Abu Hassan first encountered MAN at the 2019 Busworld Exhibition in Brussels. “Most operators I met used MAN and that sparked my interest. Back in Malaysia, only one express bus operator was using MAN at the time and the company was struggling. Everyone advised me against it but I went ahead and bought 10 vehicles.”
That leap of faith has since been validated. Today, Cosmic Express is expanding its fleet with 40 Euro V-specification MAN RR5 double-deck coaches, a move that aligns with the company’s sustainability goals and fleet renewal strategy.
“Some of those who doubted the decision now followed suit and bought MAN coaches,” he added.
Cosmic Express recently received approval to operate services to Singapore, a milestone that opens significant growth opportunities. “Serving an international clientele demands high standards and we’re ready. Our investment in Euro V-specification MAN coaches is timely as they meet the strict emissions and safety requirements of the Singaporean authorities,” he said.
The move is part of a broader push to reduce carbon emissions in the transport sector. While the transition to Euro V means higher costs, particularly with the use of AdBlue exhaust fluid, he believes it is the right step. “We must invest smartly. MAN coaches are competitively priced and proven to be highly durable and reliable. The significant cost savings in fuel and the minimal downtime help to balance the extra cost.”
The lucrative Singapore route would certainly help the company, which experienced many ups and downs over the years, achieve the next level of growth.
Cosmic Express’s journey wasn’t easy. After clearing its debts within three years of the takeover, the company had to pivot from tourism to express bus services in 2008 due to the bird flu pandemic. It enjoyed seven years of profitability before the Covid-19 pandemic again disrupted operations.
Test of resilience
“This business really tests our resilience. We stay strong and look at the bigger picture. Even if only three passengers show up, we run on schedule because it’s a public necessity, especially for students who need to travel from their hometown for tertiary education,” said Dato’ Abu Hassan.
He acknowledges the challenges facing the industry; regulated fares, rising highway congestion, high capital costs and mounting maintenance expenses. Yet, he remains focused on long-term sustainability and innovation.
Moving forward, Cosmic Express aims to expand its services to Thailand, a market Dato’ Abu Hassan sees as full of potential. In the meantime, he also focuses on industry reform in his new role as Chairman of Persatuan Pengusaha Bas Ekspres Melayu Semenanjung Malaysia (PEMBAWA).
“There are serious safety issues to tackle — outdated driving school syllabuses, poor driver competency and a lack of road enforcement. I’ve made it clear to my drivers that any misconduct would be dealt with firmly. We haven’t received a single AES summons this year. We need to work closely with the Government to tackle a host of issues, especially on road safety. For example, the syllabus in driving schools is outdated, which led to lousy drivers. They should be made to undergo refresher courses annually to ensure their competency. There is also not enough surveillance and enforcement on the road that led to instances of lorries overtaking express buses.”
As some of Cosmic Express’s MAN coaches reach five years of service, they’re redeployed to shorter routes. The company also leverages its involvement in football sponsorships by assigning these coaches, rebranded with team liveries, to transport the Kedah and Police football teams in style and comfort.
While Dato’ Abu Hassan’s true passion lies in hockey, his strategic use of sports marketing built strong brand visibility for Cosmic Express. It’s one more smart move from a businessman who made quality, discipline and resilience the hallmark of his success.
品质驱动成长
Cosmic Express载誉前行
Cosmic Express东主拿督阿布哈山阿旺（Dato’ Abu Hassan Awang）始终坚信品质终有回报。自2000年接手一家濒临倒闭的旅行社以来，他成功将其转型为一家广受认可的长途巴士公司，以高品质的巴士和对乘客舒适体验的不懈追求而闻名。
目前，Cosmic Express拥有70辆长途巴士。这些巴士均由顶级欧洲品牌打造而成，并统一使用来自一家值得信赖的跨国品牌供应商的高品质柴油。车队每新增一辆巴士，拿督阿布哈山都会亲自参与，他会在巴士车身制造厂那里花费数天时间，精心设计巴士的外观和内饰。
该公司的巴士以优雅的配色与图案脱颖而出，醒目但不过于张扬。车厢内部则营造出温暖宜人的氛围，采用深色调、配有低调图案的绒面座椅，塑造出安静舒适的乘坐体验。
他说：“我最喜欢的赞美是乘客说他们一上车就能安心入睡，一觉醒来已经到达目的地。”
对Cosmic Express来说，真正的转折点是在2020年，当时该公司引进了10辆曼恩 双层巴士。“曼恩所打造的底盘在高速公路与丘陵路段均能展现出无与伦比的乘坐舒适性和强劲动力。我们现有的欧III标准曼恩巴士的节油表现令人满意。”他指出。
出色的油耗表现与稳定的可靠性，证明了当初投资于曼恩巴士的决策是正确的。然而，他说，当时要做这一选择需要很大的决心，因为在此之前，他的车队使用的是另一个欧洲品牌。
眼界大开
拿督阿布哈山第一次接触曼恩是在2019年于布鲁塞尔举行的Busworld巴士展览会上。“我遇到的大多数巴士营运商都使用曼恩，这引起了我的兴趣。然而回到马来西亚，只有一家长途巴士公司使用曼恩，而且运营的状况并不理想。几乎所有人都劝我不要选择曼恩,但我却买下了10 辆。”
如今，这个大胆的决定已被证实是明智之举。Cosmic Express目前正在扩充车队，增购了40 辆欧V 标准的曼恩RR5双层巴士。这不仅符合该公司的可持续发展目标，也推动了其车队的更新计划。
他补充说：“当初那些质疑这个决定的人，如今也开始购买曼恩巴士了。”
Cosmic Express最近也获得往返新加坡长途巴士服务的许可，这一里程碑将为该公司带来巨大的增长潜力。“要为国际乘客服务就必须达到高标准，而我们已准备就绪。我们投资欧V标准的曼恩巴士正是时候，完全符合新加坡当局对排放和安全的严格要求。”
这一举措也是推动运输领域减少碳排放的一部分。尽管转向欧V意味着成本上升,尤其是需要使用AdBlue排气液,但他相信这是正确的方向。“我们必须明智地投资。曼恩巴士的价格合理，而且其耐用性与可靠性都经过验证。油耗上的显著节省以及极低的维修停工时间，也有助于抵消额外成本。”
新加坡这条利润丰厚的路线，将帮助Cosmic Express，这家经历了无数起伏的公司，实现更高水平的增长。
Cosmic Express的成长之路绝非一帆风顺。虽然拿督阿布哈山接手公司后，仅用三年就清偿了原有的债务。然而，2008年受禽流感疫情影响，该公司被迫从旅游巴士转型为长途巴士公司。尽管该公司接下来享有连续七年的盈利，却再次因2020年的新冠疫情肆虐而受重创。
对坚韧毅力的考验
他表示：“这个行业真正考验的是我们的韧性。我们必须坚持信念，着眼大局。即便只有三位乘客，我们也必须准时发车，因为这是公共服务，尤其是许多大学生需依赖我们往返家乡与校园之间。”
他坦言，整个行业正面临诸多挑战：巴士的票价受限、高速公路日益拥堵、车辆投入成本高昂，再加上持续上升的维修与保养开销。然而，他始终坚持专注于实现可持续发展与不断推动创新。
未来，Cosmic Express计划将其服务拓展至泰国，一个在拿督阿布哈山眼中潜力巨大的市场。与此同时，刚接任为大马半岛马来长途巴士业者公会（PEMBAWA）主席的他，致力于行业改革。
“行业面临不少严重的安全问题，比如过时的驾驶学校课程内容、司机素质参差不齐，以及道路执法不力。我已经明确告诉我们的司机，任何违规行为都会严肃处理。今年我们连一张AES罚单都没收到。”他说。
他强调，加强与政府的合作是当务之急，尤其是在道路安全方面。“比如，过时的驾驶学院课程，导致许多司机技术不佳。驾驶员应该每年参与再培训课程，确保他们的驾驶能力达标。此外，执法单位对道路的监控力度仍不足，才会出现大货车公然超越长巴的情况。”
Cosmic Express正逐步部署使用了5年的曼恩长巴，将它们用于短途路线。该公司也充分利用其在体育赞助方面的经验，将这些长巴换上足球队涂装，用于接送吉打与警察足球队，为球队提供舒适又有格调的出行体验。
由于Cosmic Express的车队中有一部分的曼恩长巴已接近五年使用期限，该公司计划将其重新部署用于短途路线。拿督阿布哈山说：“我们计划用它们来接送吉打州和警察足球队，并为其配备定制的球队制服，以确保舒适和安全。”
虽然拿督阿布哈山的个人爱好是曲棍球，但他巧妙地利用足球赞助来提升Cosmic Express的品牌知名度。对于一位以品质、纪律和韧性为成功基石的商人来说，这无疑是又一个明智之举。
