A High Price For Low Reliability Transport
I am pleased to report that our government has found a wholly ingenious solution to the problem of getting more members of the public to take public transport. It was previously thought to be an impossible task, considering that the average Malaysian loves their car more than Mr. Badawi loves snoozing at official functions, but they did it: They jacked up the prices.
2 years ago, a monthly LRT pass cost RM70. (“Cool, savings!”) Then last year they raised it to RM90. (“Awesome value!”) Last month, barely a year later, they quietly jacked it to RM100. (ZOMG I am SO taking public transport now!!1) That’s a rise of more than 40% in only 3 years.
Because I take the LRT to work every day, with the price increase, I now can afford one less lunch a month. And that is on top of the 2 I had to sacrifice last year. At this rate, by my calculations, in 10 years I would be subsisting on 3 meals…a century. But hey, unlimited monthly travel! (Motto: You get the wheels, but no meals!)
To be fair, the price increases are offset by the improvement in the quality of service. For example, I am now late for work only 15 times a month.
The delays are invariably due to a “technical difficulty”, and I usually pass the time by trying to guess the exact technical difficulty in question. (The answer is: “Passengers”.) Some commuters pass the time by passing gas, which cranks up the fun level to, I don’t know, SPASMODIC, depending on how many Pizza Hut Mexican specials they had for lunch.
This is just one of the many reasons why I love this country, and why I’m moving to Sweden.
Ha ha! I kid! The LRT doesn’t go there.
December 10th, 2007 at 11:45 am
aiya…susah lar..driving also jam ..what to do?
[Migration answer is migration.
Love your website btw, very informative. I have a soft spot for Melbourne too. --Kurt]
December 10th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
and it’s not like they improved the LRT in any way either. Really, fuck the gahmen.
yes, I’m trying to get you arrested mr kurt.
[I love your honesty. --Kurt]
December 10th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
I wonder why they haven’t increase the number of cars on each train, since we can accommodate 4 instead of the 2 currently in use
[and why the air-conditioning only works none of the time --Kurt]
December 12th, 2007 at 10:54 pm
The damn trains are so creaky nowadays.. and they are younger than many of those used by our neighbour down south..
December 16th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
choose: fuel price increase or ticket price increase
December 18th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
i so totally understand how you feel. Thank goodness i only travel from Kelana Jaya station to Taman Bahagia station. Only one stop! THey are increasing the petrol price next year too. So i guess everything increases except for the salary…kakaka ‘siapa kentut?’ gud one
[Only one stop and you're taking the LRT? You my friend are a model citizen. --Kurt]
January 4th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
A minor twist off this is if you have the RM135 bus-LRT-everything-pass. I take the LRT when I can except during morning rush hour, where I take the RapidKL buses instead (all the buses passing Asia Jaya go to KL Sentral and then Pasar Seni. There are almost always seats, aircon is always on and I always sleep so I’m not sure if all buses pass Bangsar LRT, too.) Then, I hop on the inner city buses that go to KLCC (assuming you’re working at Ampang Park.)