Sunday, July 19, 2009
From thestar,
KUALA LUMPUR: Public transport fares will cost 30% more from next month.
The new flag-off fare for taxis will be RM3, up from RM2, while passengers will be charged 10 sen for every 115m, instead of 150m currently.
For taxis caught in a traffic jam, the fare will be RM3 for the first three minutes and 10 sen for every subsequent 21 seconds, instead of 45 seconds previously. Taxis will also have to issue receipts.
Express bus fares will go up by two sen per kilometre, while for stage buses in Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding areas, the increase will be between 25 and 70 sen, according to the zones.
Schoolbus fares in urban areas will also increase from RM21.10 to RM27.43 for the first kilometre and from RM1.55 to RM2.02 for every subsequent kilometre.
For rural areas, the increase will be from RM15.85 to RM20.61 for every kilometre.
Announcing the increase yesterday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abd Aziz said public transport companies were, however, also expected to improve their level of service in line with the fare hike.
This news is so funny. Because, what Nazri didn't know is most taxi in KL operates without the use of meter for a very long time already. Then, how are we supposed to guess the taxi fare now? =.=" Okay, I used to take a cab from KLCC to Berjaya Times Square which is a just a short walk actually. And, it cost RM20 if I'm not mistaken. Plus, how sure are they the service are gonna improve. I'm 70% sure Nazri have never been in any public transport before especially our "pride", KTM Berhad. The only transport that he knew probably his Perdana V6 executive plus his own driver. I was about to laugh when i read "service to improve". It was so sarcastic.
I will not talk much about taxi for I hardly use it. I will stress more on the bus and KTM. KTM fare does not increase, but their performance are getting rubbish, worse. I still remember what Datuk Shahrir , former Domestic Trade and Consumer Affair said during the hike of petrol price. He urged Malaysian to use public transport especially buses and train. And he also uses one he said to go to his office in Putrajaya. Come on, what public transport are you using? Thats ERL. Of course its super efficient plus its price is also "efficient". Try using KTM Berhad and I'm sure you'll cry of being late attending your weekly meeting. The time at the station is useless. And lately its has been delayed for up to an hour and thats really hurt. And last week, I took a train from Nilai to KL Sentral and I'm so fortunate that I took two train to arrive in KL.
And when talking about bus service, student and parents are the one that will be affected most. This applies to student to frequently travelled by public transport namely bus from their living place that are far from their campuses. For parents, think of the lower class family that are working as guard, clerk or janitor. For sure this will affect them more. I'm not expecting them to let their kids walk to school. Its either they are going to demand for more pay or to have a strike against the governments for the hike. Hope government will to their best to curb this problem apart from the booming PPSMI problem.
lsson learnt:
-it doesnt really matter where we are from but what matter most is where we are going.
-don't just talk, experience it.
-education is about learning and experiencing.
toing!!!
