RAPID KL not so Rapid

Over the past 2 months, I've been a frequent user of the Rapid KL bus service. I use it almost 10 time a week back and forth from KL Sentral to SIRIM Shah Alam. If anything, I know how it is like using it's service.

Sure, at first glance, it's got class. It's main attraction is the air conditioning, two tv sets, well maintained interiors and relatively cheap bus fares. You can use the same 2 ringgit ticket for the whole day! Of course it's only merely a rival for the Metro bus they have in Nashville, but hey, it's getting there. But comparison is only as far as the bus conditions. For the service they offer, well, they have a long way to go.

I can easily say that even after using the service for two months (June-July) I am not totally sure what the bus frequency is. They say a bus every 15-20 minutes, but my average waiting period is at least half an hour, and there were cases, i.e. more than once, where I had to wait for an hour or so.

Is it?

And then there's the rudeness issue. Rapid KL bus conductors are known for their rudeness. Well actually there are some of those nice and kind few, I don't want to rule them out. These ruder ones are known to sometimes skip a bus stop and just speed off, leaving disappointed consumers standard. It's as usual as getting a bus on time. In the pass two months, I've experienced this a few times already.

On one occasion, as I was on my way to Shah Alam, this particular Chinese woman wanted to board the bus to Kelang. Before boarding, twice she asked the bus driver whether the bus goes there, and the driver twice said no. Being an old lady like she was, she didn't hear the replies and stepped onto the bus and asked again. This time other passengers replied no as well. But even before she was able to step off the bus, the bus started to move. The poor old lady lost her balance and fell. Poor lady. Bad driver.

Their reasoning for the frequent delays are because of unexpected traffic jams. What an excuse. Don't tell me that after being in service for more than 2 years and still can't predict the traffic?

Rapid KL buses are also over crowded. Severely over crowded, especially during rush hours. With the sky rise of oil prices, it's obvious that people would prefer to take public transport as a mean of transportation. Buses included. So it would be really, really helpful if they can increase the number of buses and hence, increase the frequency. After all, I remembered the government once promised to allocate more funds towards public transport due to this oil price increase. But when?

I've also come to know that sometimes the touch n' go cards in the buses malfunction. T n' G cards are supposed to make ticket transactions faster, but these malfunctions retard the process all together. Users of these cards are even asked to take the next bus in hope the card readers work. This is just some inconvenience examples 'offered' by Raopid KL.