APRIL 18 — A couple weeks ago, up to 100 taxi drivers staged a blockade in Jalan Bukit Bintang protesting against the legality of ride-sharing services such as GrabCar and Uber. 

These drivers accused the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) of not taking any action against Uber and GrabCar. As news of this spread like wildfire, many netizens took to social media to express their views, some for and some against.

The crux of this issue is a simple one: There is an inherent problem in our public transportation system and this has caused consumers to switch to "unofficial" alternatives such as Uber and GrabCar. 

That is not to say that I am against these ridesharing services, but the fact that they are thriving sends a message about the state of our public transport system. 

However, we should not get too caught up in the heated debate for there is also a sizeable proportion of the population who rely on buses, LRT and increasingly, Uber. 

Instead, we should examine our public transportation system for problems, particularly in the Klang Valley.

Problems

The image of public taxis in Malaysia is marred by the actions of some unscrupulous taxi drivers; not using the meter when charging their passengers, etc.

Some taxi drivers can be seen waiting around popular tourist destinations to pick up passengers, only to charge them an exorbitant flat rate to travel to a nearby place. Their justification? Traffic congestion. 

To be fair, the taxi drivers’ reason is not completely unfounded. Traffic congestion is indeed a major problem in the Klang Valley and it is clear that building more highways is not the solution. 

When the roads are clogged up, it affects the reliability of public transport such as taxis and buses. Taxis and buses will not be able to reach their destinations on time, causing people to switch to private vehicles, which, in turn exacerbates the problem of traffic congestion. This creates a positive feedback loop.

In 2011, SPAD’s draft version of the Greater Klang Valley/Kuala Lumpur Land Public Transport Master Plan stated that “door-to-door travel times for private vehicles remain competitive against the use of public transport. Higher travel times by public transport result in poorer accessibility to jobs and facilities.” 

When I was doing my A-Levels three years ago, it took me almost two hours to travel home from my college using the public buses and rail. The same journey takes only half an hour by car. 

That’s a staggering 75 per cent reduction in travel time. With such a huge difference between public and private transport, it makes sense to use private transport as people can travel quickly between their homes and workplace.

One of the major challenges that public transport in Malaysia faces is the lack of first and last mile connectivity. First mile is the journey from the commuters’ point of origin to the public transport station whereas last mile is the journey from the public transport station to commuters’ final destination. 

The lack of connectivity means that there is no convenient way for commuters to complete the first and last mile of their journey. In other words, the coverage of the public transport network is not extensive enough. Commuters have to travel for long distances and duration before arriving at a public transport station.

Overcrowding is also another pertinent problem in public transport. This usually happens in the morning before office hours and after-work hours. There is a temporary rise in demand for public transport during these rush hour periods. 

The last thing commuters would want to do after a long and tiring day at work is to have a long wait to board a public transport just because it is too crowded.

 A way forward

Despite all these problems, it is not all doom and gloom for the future of public transport in Malaysia. It only means that there is still room for improvement.

In order to solve the first mile problem, Park n Ride car park facilities have been constructed at a few rail stations. For example, there are 1,140 bays at Ampang LRT station, 558 bays at Shah Alam KTM station and 608 bays at Asia Jaya LRT station. There is also a multi-storey car park at Gombak LRT station. 

These facilities serve two purposes. First, they enable commuters to park their cars and continue their commute by public transport. Second, they reduce the number of vehicles entering the central business district, the area surrounding Petronas Twin Towers. 

More of these facilities can be constructed as a way to solve the first mile problem in many areas.  

As for the last mile problem, pedestrian linkages can be built. These pedestrian linkages can greatly improve first mile connectivity as well. With proper planning, they can form a safe network for pedestrians to travel to and from railway stations. 

In fact, in 2014, walkways in Wangsa Maju and Sri Rampai LRT station were built.

In the short-term, one of the things that can be done is by having more bus stops that reach further into housing areas. Feeder buses with a lower capacity can be used to ply routes with a low number of passengers. 

This is yet another way to solve the first and last mile problem, making public transport more accessible for more people.  

There should also be signs or electronic displays at all bus stops detailing the arrival times of buses and bus routes. Currently, only selected bus stops have this feature and it makes journey planning all the more difficult for commuters who are waiting at bus stops. 

By showing the waiting time for commuters, they will feel more assured and in control of their journey planning.

In terms of mobile technology, RapidKL can also update its own app to emulate the UK-based urban navigation app, Citymapper. Citymapper is one of the best examples of how a navigation app should be. 

It not only provides real-time information of the cheapest public transport routes, it also show cycling and walking routes, making it the go-to app for commuters in cities such as London and Madrid.

Conclusion

Public transport should never be the last resort of commuters when it has the potential to be more convenient than private transport. 

A sustained effort is required in terms of investment and political will to ensure any long-term blueprint goes to fruition. Only then can we edge closer to becoming a high-income nation. 

* This article was written by an Associate Editor from CEKU, the editorial arm of the United Kingdom and Eire Council of Malaysian Students (UKEC).

**This is the personal opinion of the columnist.