PETALING JAYA: At only RM1 per trip, the Rapid Bus Demand Responsive Transit (DRT) van service has been gaining popularity among Klang Valley commuters who are drawn to its safe and quick direct transport to popular urban hotspots.
College student Syed Aidrus Syed Omar, 21, said that he found himself with more free time and money thanks to the punctual timing of the DRT drivers.
“I used to have to wait around 30 minutes at least to get a bus to college, but now I rarely have to wait even 10 minutes for the DRT van to pick me up.
“It’s also so much cheaper compared to taking ehailing while far less time-consuming, so I have more time daily to do whatever I want,” Syed Aidrus said, adding that he has been using DRT for over a month.
Front office executive Kenneth Raj, 54, described DRT as the best mashup of the affordability of public transport but with the convenience and speed of ehailing service.
“The interface is basically identical to e-hailing services, so it’s not only easy to navigate but also gives me the freedom of scheduling my ride whenever I want at a far cheaper price,” said Kenneth, who uses the DRT as part of his office commute.
Student Mirttika M. Velanthren, 19, said using the DRT has saved her a lot of money for her daily commute to university.
“It’s now so much faster to travel to class, and thanks to the My50 travel pass, I basically pay nothing to travel to class or to move around with my friends,” said Mirttika, who commutes from the Kelana Jaya LRT Line to the DRT.
A nearby business owner, Spencer Wee, 55, found himself spending significantly less time during his daily commute after switching over to the DRT.
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“Not only is the waiting time for the DRT van just five to 10 minutes, but it now only takes about 15 minutes to get to my office during peak hours, compared to an hour before.
Weighing in, Assoc Prof Dr Law Teik Hua of the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Road Safety Research Centre said the DRT service complements existing public transit systems well.
“This bridges the gap between transit hubs and key destinations by offering flexible, on-demand transportation, thus making public transit more accessible and convenient for local residents.
“This flexibility can attract more users who might otherwise rely on private vehicles for those short trips, thus reducing congestion and promoting the use of public transport,” he said.
He also explained how expanding DRT further could help to address the constant traffic congestion issue faced by Klang Valley residents while also enhancing road safety.
“DRT vans are also operated by trained drivers who adhere to higher safety standards while essentially removing the complexities and distractions of personal driving, reducing the potential for distraction-related accidents,” he added.
However, Malaysian Road and Transportation Safety Association president Nik Mohd Salim Nik Mohd Salleh said the service alone is not enough to solve the country’s long-standing urban congestion issues.
“Any new future DRT routes must be based on proper surveys of population density and commuter travel frequency from highly trafficked areas using personal vehicles.
“We should also seriously consider the ease of access to public transport as a part of any future urban planning projects, rather than turning to reactive measures like DRT,” he said.
