Boost public transport use to improve bottom line for operators

Free Malaysia Today

Rahman Hussin of MY Mobility Vision says off-peak incentives, among others, help to manage costs better than simply raising fares.   Read More: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/01/21/boost-public-transport-use-to-improve-bottom-line-for-operators  Laporan Lanjut: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/bahasa/tempatan/2026/01/21/perkenal-insentif-galak-guna-pengangkutan-awam-luar-waktu-puncak-kata-pakar  Free Malaysia Today is an independent, bi-lingual news portal with a focus on Malaysian current affairs.    Subscribe to our channel - http://bit.ly/2Qo08ry   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Check us out at https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com Follow FMT on Facebook: https://bit.ly/49JJoo5 Follow FMT on Dailymotion: https://bit.ly/2WGITHM Follow FMT on X: https://bit.ly/48zARSW  Follow FMT on Instagram: https://bit.ly/48Cq76h Follow FMT on TikTok : https://bit.ly/3uKuQFp Follow FMT Berita on TikTok: https://bit.ly/48vpnQG  Follow FMT Telegram - https://bit.ly/42VyzMX Follow FMT LinkedIn - https://bit.ly/42YytEb Follow FMT Lifestyle on Instagram: https://bit.ly/42WrsUj Follow FMT on WhatsApp: https://bit.ly/49GMbxW  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Download FMT News App: Google Play – http://bit.ly/2YSuV46 App Store – https://apple.co/2HNH7gZ Huawei AppGallery - https://bit.ly/2D2OpNP  #FMTNews

Transcript

00:00Rapid KL is facing a RM100 million funding gap, putting pressure on how the mass rapid transit

00:15system is currently supported. Experts say this isn't something that can be fixed by simply

00:21raising fares. Instead, they argue the problem is about how public transport is used and how

00:28commuting choices are shaped. Rahman Hussain of transport think tank My Mobility Vision pointed out

00:34that operating costs are higher during peak hours, yet flat fares remain in place, offering little

00:41incentive for commuters to adjust their travel times. He said the government could introduce

00:46incentives such as fare credits, pass bonuses or employee-linked travel benefits that nudge

00:52commuters to travel earlier or later to avoid peak hours. The pressure is already showing.

00:58Transport Minister Lok Siu Phuk recently said, government's RM200 million allocation to

01:04subsidise the My 50 pass was not enough, forcing Prasarana to absorb part of the cost.

01:12More than 556,000 My 50 passes were sold in the second half of last year,

01:18and the programme will continue in 2026. In other words, people are using the pass, a lot,

01:25but the funding hasn't kept pace, leaving Prasarana to plug the gap. But incentives alone won't be

01:32enough to overcome this problem. Transport specialist Go Bok Yin highlighted that private vehicle costs,

01:38including fuel prices, road tax and parking remain relatively low, reducing the urgency for commuters to

01:45switch transport modes. He said gradual measures like higher parking fees, fuel pricing reforms and

01:51congestion pricing could shift behaviour, as long as public transport stays affordable and reliable.

01:59However, Goh stressed that public transport operators should not be expected to turn a profit.

02:04He said losses are inevitable in helping Malaysians make the transition to using public transport.

02:09In the end, fixing public transport isn't just about a quick solution, it's about making the entire

02:16journey work. I'm Radeep Gill, FMT.

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