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Dear Editor, I share the other bus commuters' frustration at the recent
announcement of the intended withdrawal of subsidy given to GreatKL Bus Service.
The public has been clamoring for a
better and efficient transport system in the Klang Valley for many years. As an
effective means of solving this perennial
problem, the government intervened and the GreatKL buses made their debut,
replacing the problem-ridden Indreekota bus services in 2004.
Indreekota charged bus commuters RM1 fare for quite a long trip to KL from
suburban residential areas. However, GreatKL charged a flat rate of RM2 for the
same route. This is double the old fare.
In the beginning, the bus service of GreatKL was good and punctual. The new
buses provided a comfortable ride. Bus commuters were willing to pay the extra
fare though it incurred more expenses on transport.
But all that was soon over. Currently, even though the buses are considered
still new, punctuality-wise they are erratic
and are getting worse by the day. those who depend on public transport, mainly
buses, are left with no choice but to suffer in silence, having to bear the
higher fare and suffer great inconvenience at having to wait too long for buses.
The reasons often given by the operators are that there are not enough buses or
the bus has broken-down somewhere.
Given this negative scenario, one wonders how the public, particularly the
lower-income group, is now going to face up to the reality of having to dig
deeper into their pockets. This will happen in view of an imminent fare hike
which is bound to happen after the withdrawal of subsidy given to GreatKL Bus
Service.
Bus commuter, |
