Public Transport Perspective in the Klang Valley
By Ir . Tengku Kahar Muzaffar bin Tengku Mohd Yusof Anuar Ministry of Transport Malaysia
COVER FEATURE
As part of “ physical connectivity ”, land transport can be categorised into private and public transport . Public Transport ( PT ), consisting of urban rail , buses , taxis , and e-hailing , represents a significant mode of transport , especially in cities as a means of reducing congestion . Today , public transportation in Malaysia faces its biggest challenge ever due to the impact of COVID-19 . This article expands on the PT scenario based on milestones and trends throughout recent history using Klang Valley as a case study . An analysis has been made on PT evolution in the Klang Valley since the year 1985 , where milestones and trends were mapped to the PT mode ’ s share ( from 1985 to 2018 ) and PT ridership ( from 2015 to 2020 ).
In the 1980s , the PT mode ’ s share was relatively high in Malaysia due to its affordability and high frequency of services provided . In 1985 , the PT mode share in Klang Valley was around 34 % with stage buses as its primary mode . In that year too , the mean income for Malaysians was at RM 1,750 per month . Since that time the income rate has steadily increased , averaging about 5 % per year ( see Figure 1 ).
The year 1985 was a significant milestone for Malaysia with the launch of Proton Saga , our first national car , and this initiative made private cars more affordable compared with the past .
Increasing disposable income levels led to a growth in the purchase of private vehicles . This in turn led to a downward trend in the PT mode ’ s share , averaging , unsurprisingly at a similar 5 % reduction per year until 2010 , when the trend changed due to massive traffic jams in and around the Central Business District ( CBD ).
Discontinuation of the Minibus Service
With its low costs and quick service , the Kuala Lumpur Bas Mini was one of the oldest and most popular Malaysian public bus service . At RM0.50 per trip , it was the cheapest bus service available at the time . The buses had a capacity of 20 to 30 passengers due to its smaller size
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