Dynamic Improvements to Public Transportation in Malaysia

1. Dynamic Improvements to Public Transportation in Malaysia ABF Public Transport Forum October 28-29, 2008

2. Presentation Structure • Introductions – who we are • Resolving Public Transport Issues in Malaysia • Regulation has to change • Organization has to change • A New Model for Public Transport • Making it happen • Conclusion

3. So…who are you? • The Association for the Improvement of Mass-Transit (TRANSIT), Klang Valley • A diverse group of public transport users • A united voice for the passenger • Our Goal • to ensure the voice of the passenger is heard in public transport planning, regulation, and operations • To increase awareness about what public public transport can bring to our communities

4. Resolving Public Transport Issues in Malaysia MYTH: • Public Transport is a mobility service for poor people Hence the following misunderstandings: • Investment in private transport is more important for the nation than investment in public transport • Supporting the needs of private transport users is a priority in Malaysia • There are no “choice users” of public transport • We should give the users (those poor souls) the cheap, basic service that they want/need • Real improvement to public transport requires large-scale investments such as LRT or monorail

5. Resolving Public Transport Issues in Malaysia FACT: • Public transport provides 3 functions for society • Mobility for those not using private transport • Development tool to reduce infrastructure costs • A business operation with potential for profits • Investment in public transport is investment in criticalcommunications infrastructure • Far less money has been invested properly into public transport than in other infrastructure

6. Why don’t “choice users” choose to use public transport? TRIP (Mass) transit journey is too tiring ROUTE Transit routes are very complicated PLATFORM Transit points are not accessible

7. To make people use public transport… TRIP (Mass) transit journey is too tiring ROUTE Transit routes are very complicated PLATFORM Transit points are not accessible MAKE TRIP FAST AND COMFORTABLE MAKE GETTING TO PLACES SIMPLE AND STRAIGHT FORWARD MAKE TRANSFERS CONVENIENT AND HASSLE FREE

8. The current system cannot work because: TRIP Collective movement of people ROUTE Servicing common corridor with greater efficiency PLATFORM Facilitated by pooled resources (stations, street signals, dedicated lanes etc) The single most important competitor to public transport is private transport Taxpayers’ money has not been used to fund common infrastructure to support public transport the way it is used to build and maintain roads for cars. Operators pitted against each other will take every cost savings they can get away with in absence of any reasonable standards, regulations and enforcement Mass transit vehicles SHARE travel space with private vehicles Operators maximize whatever they can squeeze from any loophole in public infrastructure (i.e. loitering of parked buses, unruly road hogging and speeding)

9. Regulation has to change • Public transport is not coordinated • Various disconnected services operated by various disconnected corporations • Some important questions • Why are government corporations competing with private corporations? • Will the S.P.A.N. be just another agency? (#14) • Does the government have a clear, realistic plan for public transport? • Are government and operators listening to us?

10. So? • To do this we must appreciate and understand all functions of public transport when we plan, regulate, and operate these services • Is the service providing universal accessibility? • Is the service enhancing development? • Is the service planned and implemented to reduce other infrastructure costs? • Have we maximized the benefits and minimized the costs? • Are we planning ahead or planning too late?

11. The importance of planning: TRIP Collective movement of people ROUTE Servicing common corridors with greater efficiency PLATFORM Facilitated by pooled resources (stations, street signals, dedicated lanes etc)

12. Who does what in public transport TRIP Collective movement of people ROUTE Servicing common corridor with greater efficiency PLATFORM Facilitated by pooled resources (stations, street signals, dedicated lanes etc) This highly systemic and strategic task should be entrusted to a centralized authority with a high-level of legislative and enforcement powers This operational task is typically taken by private or quasi-government operators. Pooled resources refer to commonly shared infrastructures funded by taxpayers.Ownership by local and regional level authorities is a must.

13. The bottom line of public transport… KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS in: Accessibility Availability Reliability Safety Comfort MAKE TRIP FAST AND COMFORTABLE MAKE GETTING TO PLACES SIMPLE AND STRAIGHT FORWARD MAKE TRANSFERS CONVENIENT AND HASSLE FREE • The measurement of performance is the key, because…… • If you can’t measure it, you can’t control it… • If you can’t control it, you can’t manage it… • If you can’t manage it, you can’t improve it.

14. Change the regulation… • Public Transport is a “rakyat issue” • Public Transport Oversight and Regulation should be handled by a Select Parliamentary Committee • A Centralized Authority (S.P.A.N.) to: • Create national standards for public transport • Integrate planning with National Physical Plan • Determine funding needs and provide funds • Invest in critical improvements to infrastructure

15. Change the regulation… • Local / Regional Authorities are empowered to carry out the regulation of public transport • Local / Regional Authorities would be integrated with economic growth regions • Focus on local and regional planning as identified in the National Physical Plan • Ownership of crucial public transport infrastructure • Provision of investment capital and funding

16. A new model for public transport • Authority  provides & owns all vital infrastructure (incl. routes) • Operators  contracted to the Local or Regional Authority for a 3-5 year period • Contract  through open tender and KPI • Operators are paid a contract fee for services provided with additional incentives for meeting/exceeding KPI • Feedback from passengers becomes vital

17. A new organizational model KPIs in: Accessibility Availability Reliability Safety Comfort Fair allocation of risks and responsibilities between operators and authorities INPUTS Taxpayers Money Infrastructure Technology Resources Labor OPERATORS’SCOPE AUTHORITIES’ SCOPE COST EFFICIENCY COST EFFECTIVENESS CONSUMED OUTPUTS Passenger/mile Passenger/energy unit Infra. KPIs Service KPIs SERVICEEFFICIENCY PRODUCED OUTPUTS Journey covered/labor Operational cost/mile Vehicle seats/mile

18. A new financing model Non-discriminating distribution of tax revenue and fee income to cover entire population FUNDING LOCAL / STATE GOVT Quit rent rates depend on proximity to transit connections Congestion charges, summonsFEDERAL GOVTTaxes, royalties, duties, levies TRANSPORT AUTHORITIES PENALTY IF KPIs NOT MET PENALTY IF KPIs NOT MET PAYOUTS BASED ONDISTANCE TRAVELLED AND DRIVING MANHOURS UNIFORM FEE COLLECTION(integrated ticketing system) CIVILDUTY COMMUTERS OPERATORSContracted to:Private local GLC-funded localPrivate foreign EXTRA FEE FOR VALUE-ADDED SERVICE

19. The view from TRANSIT • Indiscriminate LRT expansion not needed • Go back to the RapidKL “hub-and-spoke” model used from 2006-2007 • This time, we make it work! • Authority builds vital infrastructure (hubs, lanes) • Authority directs local councils to identify bus routes • All bus operators under contract to Authority • Packaging of “Areas” will combine lucrative trunk routes with express and suburban routes

20. TRANSIT’s Klang Valley Network • Our “Strategic Plan” - Start from the basics • Make the bus service work well • Enhance the bus services by introducing critical infrastructure (lanes, hubs) • Introduce “Quality Bus” or “Rapid Transit” services to improve speed, frequency, reliability • Then, we invest • How many passengers per direction per hour? • Choose the appropriate technology to meet our needs  maximize benefits at the lowest cost! • Ex.  Kelana Jaya LRT to Lembah Subang

21. To move 10,000 pax/d/h we can choose:

22. Moving 10,000 passengers/d/h

23. So what does that mean? • The LRT solution is not the only one we should look at – the costs are higher and benefits lower • Mass-Transit  only when demand is proven • For congested urban areas, monorail may be a more cost-effective solution than LRT • Rapid Trams have the greatest combination of costs, capacity, and flexibility • Rapid Transit on main roads (BRT, Trams) and expressways (ERT) is the best way to introduce rapid transit to our communities • Uses the existing (and paid-for) road infrastructure • Construction costs are lower so more km of routes • Can be built faster and fine-tuned more easily

24. Perhaps you want to see lines on a map? • -ve >+ve • I feel it is an attempt at misdirection • we see the map, we think the line will be built • We stop asking those serious questions • We wait and wait and wait and promises continue but no improvements! • Ex. Subang Jaya LRT • Ex. Penang Monorail

25. Conclusion • Understand what makes public transport works best (utilizing all 3 functions) • Public Transport is a “rakyat issue” • Involve the rakyat & involve them • S.P.A.N. plus Local / Regional Authority • Gov’t management + Private operators • Fair allocation: funding, resources & risks • Maximize benefits, minimize costs! • Keep it simple and make it work!

26. Thank you for your time • Moaz Yusuf Ahmad • Moaz.ahmad@gmail.com • 012-248-3330 • On behalf of TRANSIT • http://transitmy.org • Klangvalley.transit@gmail.com • klangvalley_transit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com