KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 31 — A recent study by the Khazanah Research Institute (KRI) has found that while public transport in Greater Kuala Lumpur is functional for many commuters, its reliability remains fragile, leading to a reliance on private vehicles at times of disruption.
Phase 1 of the Greater Kuala Lumpur Mobilities study revealed that public transport is generally good enough during regular conditions; however, minor disruptions can quickly affect commuter confidence.
Issues such as unreliable arrival schedules, missing buses, and insufficient information during service interruptions contribute to a perception of fragility, causing riders to return to their cars when inconvenienced.
The study, through a combination of qualitative interviews, operational performance analysis, and spatial assessments, sought to identify the reasons behind the uneven growth in public transport ridership, despite significant investments in infrastructure.
Notably, the study looked at how commuters engage with the system on a day-to-day basis rather than merely exploring their preferences.
Here are some of the findings from the study:
Commuters’ concerns: The ripple effect of small issues
The findings highlighted a consistent pattern among commuters with small yet significant issues collectively increasing the stress and uncertainty of using public transport.
Factors such as early bus departures, uncomfortable access, and inconsistent waiting conditions lead them to plan for worst-case scenarios, ultimately nudging them to rely on cars for their daily commutes.
Three perspectives on public transport experience
The study was based on three key discussion papers, each focusing on different aspects of public transport usability.
The first outlined commuter perceptions, noting that while public transport is seen as functional, it can easily become overlooked due to reliability concerns.
The findings highlighted how reliability, comfort, safety, and access shape daily decisions, particularly for commuters who have access to both cars and public transport.
The second paper focused on the Bus Performance Index, demonstrating that variability in bus services severely undermines commuter trust.
The analysis showed that variability in bus performance, especially early departures and inconsistent headways, plays a major role in affecting commuter trust.
It found that, when bus services are unpredictable, the entire public transport journey becomes harder to plan around.
Lastly, the third paper looked at the quality of bus stops, revealing disparities that impact comfort and safety among waiting commuters.
The collective findings suggested a fundamental truth that public transport use is shaped not only by travel time, but by how predictable, legible, and manageable the system feels in everyday conditions.
Policy recommendations for improved public transport
To translate the study insights into tangible action, KRI released policy briefs recommending immediate measures to boost public transport use while complementing long-term infrastructure initiatives.
Key recommendations include enhancing real-time information delivery, strengthening bus operations for better reliability, improving transit hub facilities, and focusing on first- and last-mile access tailored to specific needs.
The recommendations aim to mitigate the effort, risk, and uncertainty faced by commuters, fostering a more welcoming environment for public transport users.
As the first phase of the research lays the groundwork for understanding public transport dynamics, KRI highlighted that future phases will delve deeper into data analysis and operational assessments, continuing to engage with policymakers and practitioners.
The Greater Kuala Lumpur Mobilities research project was led by Gregory Ho with contributions from Kelvin Ling Shyan Seng and Shukri Mohamed Khairi, and advised by KRI research director Suraya Ismail.
