Oh, For An Improved Public Transport….
By Nuraina A Samad
Monday, June 23, 2008
Being a Klang Valley denizen for a mighty long time gives me enough standing to argue on the merits and demerits of public transport in this area. Actually, anyone who’s lived here an even shorter time than I had, would still have the standing to do so.
But I’ll just talk about the report I read in the Sunday Star (H e r e) that many people, as a cost-cutting measure to overcome the effects of the sharp rise in fuel prices, have opted to use public transport.
If that’s true, hurray. I am all for traveling on public transport.
But I, unlucky me, am not one of the scores of people who can use the bus or train as an alternative mode of travelling.
You see, for me, using public transport is not an option. I don’t live near an LRT station and there are no bus stops near where I live. So, it is too inconvenient for me to travel by bus or LRT.
So…lucky you guys who can make that switch.
If, say tomorrow, by some lucky stroke, there is an efficient public transport system near me, I’ll definitely switch to using it, so that I can leave my car at home.
So, when I read the Bernama news (below), I thought I would have that option of switching to public transport (read: buses or trains) some time in the future.
But, the government has a different idea of what public transport is, and therefore, of how it can be improved. That’s why it is having more taxis operating in the Klang Valley (giving soft loans to taxi operators) and/or issuing more taxi permits. ADOI!
It looks like my good ole SUV will remain my trusted travel/transport mode for a mighty long time more.
It’s been such a long time since I boarded a bus for city travel in the Klang Valley.
And aah….I kinda miss those mini buses.
Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister Datuk Noh Omar said the additional fund would be used a soft loans for private taxi operators to purchase new vehicles.
“This is in line with the ministry’s proposal to lift the freeze on the issuance of taxi permits to individual owners which will be discussed at the Cabinet meeting next week,” he told reporters after a function at his ministry here Thursday.
Noh said the freeze on new taxi permits would be lifted in view of the high demand for taxi service. The Klang Valley alone required another 3,000 taxis, he added.
The ministry stopped issuing new taxi permits to companies and individuals on Sept 10, 2004 but applications from cooperatives are allowed.– BERNAMA