Wednesday 12 December 2007

Public Transport (T.O.B)

I read a local English newspaper recently that the number of ridership for our public transports have increased in the past year. Though the figures were not that impressive, at least it's a start. So, how do you increase the number of commuters? I have a few suggestions:

1. Increase capacity. The number of coaches and buses should be increase to accommodate more people. More buses means more routes and more importantly more frequencies.
2. Create more car parks at rail stations and transport hub. People need to be able to easily access and park their car at the stations.
3. Provide more shaded bus stops and covered pedestrians walkway. I believe it'll do wonders to the numbers of pedestrians willing to wait for the bus if there's more cover.
4. Increase synergistic schedule by hiring good planners. It's important that timing between different services and lines (whether other bus companies or rails) be more synergistic so that more people can transfer between services at a faster rate, thus making the whole system efficient.
5. Give free public transport. I know what you're thinking, "where's the revenue going to come from to sustains the transport company?" Well, you just subsidised it. All you need to do is pull back some of the fuel subsidies. A 50% savings in fuel subsidies might translate to RM5-6 billions in savings which can be used to buy more coaches and buses, create more car parks, provide more shaded bus stops and covered pedestrians walkway, hire better planners AND give free public transportation.

And that's how suggestions no. 1 - 4 be paid by.

1 comment:

bad.clad.in.black said...

so simple, yet the idea has not crossed the people in charge