Rapid KL breaks promise
Remember this?
The promise...
The proviso...
Well, I've checked out the "updated" Rapid KL and here's something very interesting (apologies for the ugly table which I just copied off the website):
This information can be obtained here and here.
Well, here's what was promised at Rapid's own website
And yes, I understand the escape clause "Rapid KL reserves the right to make any changes prior to any notice" (whatever that means) allows Rapid to do that.
If indeed this is true, then it's gonna lose lot's of trust and certainly will disappoint plenty.
But at least they are honest with this information online (although it is burried somewhere).
But still it confounds me, because if they have changed their service promise, shouldn't they have the press publish it too?
Well to begin with, I never believed that 5-10-15 promise. But I think Rapid should do more to explain why it can't (e.g. traffic congestion, blocked bus lanes) and let it be known that someone else (Bandaraya, Traffic cops) isn't working as they should.
And it would help that Rapid KL publish bus times for the not-so-frequent buses on the web and at bus stops.
Still, I would like to see this soon or someday soon.
The promise...
The proviso...
Well, I've checked out the "updated" Rapid KL and here's something very interesting (apologies for the ugly table which I just copied off the website):
| HEADWAY ON WEEKDAYS ( MONDAY - SATURDAY ) | ||||
DESCRIPTION | PEAK 1 | OFF PEAK 1 | PEAK 2 | OFF PEAK 2 |
06:00 - 09:00 | 09:00 - 17:00 | 17:00 - 21:00 | 21:00 - 24:30 | |
| CITY SHUTTLE | 10 MIN | 15 MIN | 10 MIN | 20 MIN |
| TRUNK LINE | 15 MIN | 20 MIN | 15 MIN | 30 MIN |
| LOCAL SHUTTLE | 15 MIN | 20 MIN | 15 MIN | 30 MIN |
| EXPRESS | 30 MIN | 30 MIN | 30 MIN | 60 MIN |
| HEADWAY ON SUNDAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS | ||||
DESCRIPTION | TIME | HEADWAY | TIME | HEADWAY |
| CITY SHUTTLE | 06:00 - 21:00 | 10 MIN | 20:00 - 24:30 | 20 MIN |
| TRUNK LINE | 06:00 - 21:00 | 20 MIN | 21:00 - 24:30 | 30 MIN |
| LOCAL SHUTTLE | 06:00 - 21:00 | 20 MIN | 21:00 - 24:30 | 30 MIN |
| EXPRESS | 06:00 - 21:00 | 30 MIN | 21:00 - 24:30 | 60 MIN |
This information can be obtained here and here.
Well, here's what was promised at Rapid's own website
These areas will have new local shuttle services and trunk line service into the hubs in the city linking them into the city via city shuttle services every 5 minutes.The Star on 15 September 2006:
[...]
He said the local shuttle service will be available every 15 minutes and trunk service at every 10 minutes. He said the public is able to achieve a saving of minimum 10 to 20 minutes with this new network compared to the old.
“We need some 250 new buses to serve this new network, with the frequency of a bus every 15 minutes for the local shuttle and 10-minute wait for the trunk service.So it's clear, it was promied 5-10-15 for City-Trunk-Local.“At the moment, we have about 100 new buses and are expecting more to arrive next week,” said Mohd Ali.
And yes, I understand the escape clause "Rapid KL reserves the right to make any changes prior to any notice" (whatever that means) allows Rapid to do that.
If indeed this is true, then it's gonna lose lot's of trust and certainly will disappoint plenty.
But at least they are honest with this information online (although it is burried somewhere).
But still it confounds me, because if they have changed their service promise, shouldn't they have the press publish it too?
Well to begin with, I never believed that 5-10-15 promise. But I think Rapid should do more to explain why it can't (e.g. traffic congestion, blocked bus lanes) and let it be known that someone else (Bandaraya, Traffic cops) isn't working as they should.
And it would help that Rapid KL publish bus times for the not-so-frequent buses on the web and at bus stops.
Still, I would like to see this soon or someday soon.
posted by commuter at 11:01 PM
2 Comments:
I do agree that RapidKL should provide bus schedules at bus stops.
Most people dun take buses becoz most people dunno which bus to take to go to their destination!!!! Only desperate people take buses in KL..huhu.
However,I am still optimistic that RapidKL could improve.I believe RapidKL is now more improved than the old IntraKota. I hope they get better though.
Took two buses for the first time today (ever) since I've been visiting KL.
The first bus experience was impressively good(I only waited for 10 mins for a bus that runs every 30 mins) BUT the experience in the afternoon was soul destroying, and now I know why everyone drives their own car or takes taxis!
I was trying to take one of the 'U'/Utama buses from KL Sentral (where the service *starts*) and it's meant to run from 4-8pm every half hour according to the timetable online. After arriving at the hot, humid and fume-swept outdoor waiting area (with no seats!) I found a board with the 'new' bus times. It turned out it was now every hour! So I waited for the next one that was due within 30 mins. It never showed up. So in all, I had to wait for 1.5 hours, and it was later (when talking to a local) that I found out that there is only ONE bus in the evening!
I am very disgruntled by two things: firstly, the misinformation and the lack of information. The timetable online (and on the board) clearly stated that there should be more than one bus in the afternoon/evening, but this was not the case. The staff (in their air-conditioned room) were not interested in helping anyone and .could only advise us all to 'wait' There was also no clear sign marking 'Stop for Uxx' either - I had to ask.
Secondly, there was no seating. Given that it's literally just outside, I can understand the lack of fans (lots of buses/fumes - no point) but the lack of seating was just outrageous! Even in the UK (London) we get some form of raised 'seating' (slanted 6"-wide plastic platform) that takes up mininum space that we can lean against whilst waiting, but this was not available either.
Anyway, thank you for providing the opportunity for me to vent off my frustration here (I know the post is very old but hopefully this blog is still referenced by the RapidKL committee) I can only hope that some improvements can be made over-time, even ones like providing seating and MAJOR ones like providing a correct timetable. Most people won't mind that there's only one bus in the evening, but it's misleading to say that there are 5 on the official timetables!
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