Mayor: Public transport ridership rising in KL

DBKL’s GoKL free bus service recorded 7.8 million passengers between January and November this year, averaging 23,700 passengers a day. – IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star

PUBLIC transport usage in Kuala Lumpur increased by six percentage points over the past five years.

Ridership figures are expected to escalate further when more train lines and bus routes are added.

This will help solve first-mile and last-mile connectivity issues in subsequent years.

Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Mahadi Che Ngah said current public transport use in the city was at 24% daily compared to 18% in 2018.

“Public transport in the Klang Valley has improved significantly with the opening of MRT lines while the introduction of free bus routes is encouraging people to leave their vehicles at home.

“We should see the figures increasing once the MRT2 train routes fully open to the public sometime next year as well as the MRT3 Circle Line within the next decade,” he said in a press conference yesterday.

He said Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) was hopeful of achieving the target of at least 50% to 60% urban public transport use by 2040, as part of the Low-Carbon Nation Aspiration 2040 plan.

Mahadi said that currently, an estimated 1.5 million to two million cars entered the city daily, which was one of the major contributors of carbon emissions.

“Although the use of public transport among city dwellers is encouraging, based on the volume of passengers, we are still looking at ways to reduce the number of personal vehicle usage.

“One way to address this is the first and last-mile connectivity through the GoKL free bus service,” he said.

Mahadi (left) with DBKL Road Transport Department director Yu Chuan Hock (right) during a trial run along the new GoKL Cream Line and Magenta Line bus routes.

GoKL recorded 7.8 million passengers from January to November this year, an average of 23,700 passengers a day.

On the possibility of DBKL charging foreigners using the free bus service in the future, Mahadi said a proposal was being drawn up.

“Some of them are tourists and others are foreign workers. We need a mechanism to differentiate between the two. The fee will likely be RM1 per trip.

“One option is to introduce a pass card (similar to the travel pass for the train service). We are studying this option,” he said.

Yesterday, DBKL introduced two additional routes under its GoKL free bus service.

The route from Taman Fadason to MRT Sri Delima is referred to as the Cream Line while the Magenta Line is the route between MRT Jinjang and Matrade.

Cream Line buses will pass through Flat Mutiara Fadason and stop at Laman Rimbunan Kepong, as well as Klinik Kesihatan Jinjang, PPR Sri Aman Jinjang, Kepong commercial centre and Brem Mall.

The Magenta Line will include Segambut KTM Station, Matrade, Publika and several residential areas.

Mahadi said the buses would ply the route every 15 minutes during peak hours and 30 minutes during non-peak hours.

The GoKL now serves 13 routes, with DBKL aiming to introduce two new routes each year.

“The routes will be frequently evaluated and reassessed to ensure it meets the needs of commuters,” said Mahadi.

For details, visit www.dbkl.gov.my or facebook/dbkl2u or download the GoKL mobile app.