LETTER | Improve public bus system so we don't have to drive

LETTER | The government should improve the quality of the public bus system nationwide so that more people will use it as their primary mode of transport.

Malaysians prefer to use their own cars rather than use public buses due to the less-than-satisfactory quality of such services. As a result, there are too many cars on the road which creates problems such as severe traffic congestion (especially in cities) which causes stress to drivers, a higher risk of road accidents, air pollution and global warming due to the emission of greenhouse gases.

If public bus services are expanded and made more efficient and effective, then the public will be more encouraged to use it as their main mode of transport instead of their own cars.

In my opinion, among the measures that the government should take to encourage more people to use the public bus system are:

- Build and provide more public buses, and expand public bus services throughout Malaysia to increase the frequency so that passengers do not have to wait long at bus stops or stations.

- Ensure that bus operators and drivers always follow the set travel schedule and are never late when starting their journey.

- Upgrade and clean the buses, bus stations and terminals throughout Malaysia so that the public will feel more comfortable and safe using public bus services.

- Use buses that use electricity or hydrogen gas as fuel to run so that public buses are more environmentally friendly.

- Charge cheaper bus fares at the start of this initiative. Once there is an increase in the frequency and public use of buses, fees for parking cars in cities and towns can gradually be increased. In addition, an import tax on the purchase of foreign cars can be imposed on the people who buy them. Such measures will encourage the public to use public buses rather than their own cars.

- Give priority to public bus services as the main mode of public transport, instead of the LRT or MRT systems. Currently, the public bus system is more than sufficient for the needs of our existing cities and towns, compared to the LRT/MRT services which are unnecessary and much more expensive to build and implement.

As the population increases, the number of cars on the road will surely also increase, further exacerbating the problems listed above.

Therefore, the government should consider and implement proactive measures to improve the quality of the public bus system to make it the primary mode of transport.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.