Fixing the rail for better commute

The express Komuter service took commuters from Seremban to Kuala Lumpur in under an hour 25 years ago. But the service has not been reinstated. — Filepic

For Arjan Singh, the 4.30am alarm was a daily ultimatum.

Within an hour, he would be navigating the North-South Highway, knowing that a mere minutes’ delay could double his hour-long commute into a two-hour ordeal, trapping him in a rhythmic crawl of brake lights and exhaust fumes.

This was the only way to beat the rush from Seremban, Negri Sembilan, before the highways to the federal capital became choked, turning the long crawl to his Kuala Lumpur workplace into a battle he could not afford to lose.

It meant that he was often in the office by 6.45am, although his workday only started at 9am.

The return journey offered little relief.

To avoid the notorious peak-hour gridlock, Arjan only left his workstation after 7pm.

The unrelenting physical and mental toll of the daily commute eventually pushed him to take optional retirement at 56.

Arjan’s story is not an isolated one.

He represents thousands of commuters facing extreme daily stress to balance a career in the city with a life in the suburbs.

For them, the daily commute has transformed from a routine drive into a gruelling test of endurance.

In recent times, traffic jams have become the most discussed topic in any workplace, with colleagues exchanging tips on how to avoid traffic snarls, the best departure times and whether Google maps or Waze is more reliable.

For those travelling from Seremban to the Klang Valley, the options to beat the jam are currently dismal.

Taking the KTM Komuter is not a good enough alternative as it now takes about two hours to reach Kuala Lumpur.

The Seremban-Batu Caves route previously offered 13 services a day, with the first at 5.11am followed by 5.41am, 6.11am, 6.31am, 6.46am, 8.46am and the rest averaging every two hours.

However, from today, there will only be five morning services, departing between 15 and 30 minutes apart, and five in the evening due to upgrading works under Phase 2 of the Klang Valley Double Tracking project.

The Komuter’s popularity has somewhat decreased in recent times due to the time it takes.

Then there is the Electric Train Service (ETS).

While faster, the first train departs Seremban only at 10.48am – long after most workers have clocked in.

Some are forced to drive to Salak Tinggi Express Rail Link (ERL) station in Selangor to take the KLIA Transit.

Although the rail leg takes only 27 minutes to KL Sentral, the RM18 one-way fare, coupled with fuel and parking charges, puts this out of reach for many.

Others try the Kajang MRT station, but the multi-level parking facility is frequently reported to be full by 7.30am.

Even the Seremban-Kuala Lumpur express bus service is not a good enough option, as buses will also get caught in the traffic jam with no dedicated bus lanes.

With a record 820,752 new vehicles registered in Malaysia last year, and another 816,747 in 2024, there is nothing to suggest traffic congestion is going to ease anytime soon.

Encouraging employers to adopt staggered working hours or work-from-home arrangements is one way to reduce the number of single-occupancy vehicles on the road and it can lead to a 20% reduction in traffic.

However, the authorities must also move faster to invest in reliable rail.

It defies logic that the express Komuter service, which took commuters to Kuala Lumpur within an hour 25 years ago, has not been brought back.

Extending the MRT line from Kajang or Putrajaya to Seremban should also be considered.

While an ETS train accommodates over 300 passengers, a four-car MRT train can carry up to 1,554 people and a six-car KTM Komuter can ferry up to 1,100.

Shifting reliance from private cars to rail network requires a holistic approach.

It is heartening to see efforts made to address “last-mile” connectivity through feeder buses and fare reduction in the Klang Valley.

But the fact remains that more trains are needed during peak hours.

When rail travel becomes synonymous with punctuality and frequency, the once-clogged highways will finally breathe again, and workers might actually arrive to work happy and stress-free.