Time to end the Rapid KL bus monopoly?

A performance-based bus contracting model, like those used in Singapore and London, could help turn our bus network into a dependable part of daily life.

From Boo Jia Cher

For the average Klang Valley bus commuter, waiting is a gamble. Apps promise a 15-minute arrival that stretches to 30. Two buses arrive together, or none at all.

Rapid KL has carried the burden of public buses for years. But the reality is simple: monopolies, however well-intentioned, rarely deliver consistent excellence.

It’s time to rethink how our buses are run. What if we allowed one or two more operators into the system, under strict government control?

By adopting a performance-based bus contracting model, like the ones used in Singapore and London, we could turn our bus network from an afterthought into a dependable part of daily life.

The missing link in our transit strategy

LRT3 and MRT3 matter. These new rail lines will form the backbone of the system. But rail alone cannot move a city.

A multi-billion-ringgit train network is only as good as its first- and last-mile connections. Today, many Malaysians are willing to take the train but avoid buses altogether. It’s not irrational, but learned behaviour.

A usable public transport system needs a critical mass of buses running at high frequency. The ideal commute isn’t just a smooth MRT ride; it’s knowing, with certainty, that a bus will arrive every 10 minutes and get you where you need to go quickly.

Without that reliability, buses remain a last resort instead of a first choice.

Competition as a catalyst

We’ve seen this story before. Thirty years ago, Telekom Malaysia dominated phone lines, and service was slow and unreliable. Once competition entered – Maxis, CelcomDigi, Unifi, U Mobile – coverage and quality improved rapidly.

The same logic applies to buses.

If the government allows multiple operators to bid for route packages, performance suddenly matters. Dropped trips, poor maintenance and low reliability stop being “normal” and start carrying real consequences: fines, penalties or the loss of contracts to better-performing rivals.

This is not deregulation. The government remains firmly in charge. It sets routes, controls fares, manages travel passes and ensures seamless integration across the network. Commuters shouldn’t care who operates the bus, only that it arrives on time.

Contracts are awarded and renewed based on clear performance metrics: punctuality (tight arrival windows), reliability (penalties for breakdowns and missed trips) and frequency (enough buses to sustain a true 10-minute headway).

Critics may point to the chaotic Bas Mini era as a warning. But this isn’t a return to the wild west. This is gross cost contracting: the private sector supplies operational discipline, while the government provides planning, oversight and enforcement.

Operators that perform well gain more routes in future tender cycles. Those that don’t lose them. It’s a self-improving system that a single-provider monopoly simply cannot replicate.

Why the bus matters

Buses in the Klang Valley are still treated as an afterthought. But if Malaysia is serious about reaching a 60% public transport mode share by 2050, rail cannot do all the work.

We cannot build train stations on every corner. It’s physically and financially impossible. But it is possible and necessary for every resident to live near a reliable bus stop.

For a real shift away from car dependency, buses must become precision tools, not fallback options. People will leave their cars at home only when they trust that buses can reliably connect them to rail stations, provide quick trips to schools, clinics and shops, and offer express routes that beat traffic into the city.

Fixing the first- and last-mile gap isn’t about adding more buses but about respecting commuters’ time. That means embracing competition, enforcing standards and rewarding performance.

If we do that, buses can finally become what they should have been all along: a high-frequency, dependable backbone of the Klang Valley’s transport system. - FMT

Boo Jia Cher is an FMT reader.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.