2015: The year in transport

PETALING JAYA: Many won't forget 2015 as the turning point in higher travelling costs on highways and expressways especially in Greater Kuala Lumpur (GKL).
In January, parents had to bear higher school bus fares for their children when the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) deregulated the fare for the industry.
This meant school bus operators could set any rate on 'negotiation' with parents or Parent-Teacher Association. With the fare cap lifted, many parents faced a fare increase of between 30% and 45%, depending on location and diesel price.
The travel costs increase continued on March 19, 2015, when SPAD announced a new taxi fare structure with immediate effect for metered taxis and hired cars with increases of between 22% and 47%, and 22% hike for express bus services from May 15.
On the same day, Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTM) also announced a fare increase for its Komuter service to take effect on Labour Day but its new fare structure and that for express bus services were later halted following public outrage with the decision.
However, in November KTM Berhad and Prasarana Malaysia Berhad announced a ‘fare rationalisation’ for its Komuter, Light Rail Transit (LRT) and monorail services which took effect from Dec 2, citing operating and high maintenance costs for the decision.
The worst hit are the regular users of the rail services in Klang Valley.
To add to the commuter woes, Express Rail Services (express and transit) which achieved a punctuality schedule rate of 99.7% to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and KLIA2, will see its fares increase by 57% from New Year's Day 2016.
In announcing the new fare of RM55 for Express Rail Link (ERL) Express from the current RM35, ERL Sdn Bhd stated the fare revision was the first since ERL commenced operations 14 years ago.
Public Transport Users Association president Ajit Johl felt the government should form a committee to look into the fare adjustment from time to time so that a steep fare hike could be avoided with scheduled periodical increase over the years.
The pockets of private and commercial vehicle owners were also hit after the Oct 15 increase in toll rates ranging from 10 sen to RM6 for 15 highways in the Klang Valley and two others - Johor-Desaru and Butterworth Outer Ring Road.
On the bright side, the much awaited electric train service (ETS) was launched just in time for Hari Raya Aidilfitri 'balik kampung' with a RM80 (one way) fare.
The ETS departs from KL Sentral once a day for a five-and-a-half hour journey to Padang Besar, Perlis, powered by the Korean-made train with a top speed of 140km/h.
Travel time on the ETS will further be reduced to four-and-a-half hours with a new addition of China-made trains, with a top speed of 160km/h, which are expected to be in service by end of January, in time for the Chinese New Year travel period.
Meanwhile, the east coast rail services from Gemas to Tumpat will be restored fully by May, 2016, after it was hit by major floods in Pahang and Kelantan late last year.
theSun understands the rehabilitation process for the Gemas-Tumpat railway track will still be carried out in the next 24 months to ensure that the track is safe for future use.
In addition, Transport Ministry is currently conducting a feasibility study for a double railway track construction from KL to Kuantan possibily by 2020.
In the next four years, GKL will see more integration between rail and bus services with LRT3 (PJ-Klang), MRT2 (Sg Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya) and KL-Klang Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects expected to be constructed beginning from middle of next year.
A new approach to revive bus services in rural and urban areas was also launched in phases as SPAD introduces a solution by contracting bus routes using government funding with MyBus services or Stage Bus Services Transformation in Kangar (August) and Seremban (November) as well as in Ipoh, Kuching and Kuala Terengganu soon.
On Dec 1, SPAD launched a Bus Network Revamp (BNR) in Klang Valley, and it is also reported to be studying the possibility to deregulate the fare for express bus operators next year.
The public will also be anticipating whether SPAD will follow through with its idea to introduce the motorised tricycle or 'tuk-tuk' in suburban areas as feeder service.
This year also saw the popularity of 'teksi sapu' (illegal taxi) services via mobile app such as Uber and GrabCar with public welcoming it as a substitute to the metered taxi services.
With public demand for such services, SPAD is conducting a study to regulate the ‘teksi sapu’ services via mobile app as part of the taxicab services soon.
theSun understands several drastic measures are being considered which are designed to benefit users by mixing private vehicle and conventional cab services – dubbed as the first of its kind in the world, targeted to be introduced in the first half of 2016.