Watchdog warns of monopoly risk if bus ticket sales were centralised

 4PAM backs the move but calls for safeguards against hidden charges and poor service.

Malaysian Public Transport Users Association president Ajit Johl said passengers had long struggled to establish who was responsible when problems arose over bookings, cancellations and refunds for express bus tickets. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

While welcoming the move to centralise express bus ticket sales at licensed terminals, the Malaysian Public Transport Users Association (4PAM) warned that it could create a monopoly without proper government oversight.

Its president Ajit Johl said that to improve accountability, the transport ministry and the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) must monitor service standards, system reliability, transaction charges, refunds and complaints.

“We should not replace a fragmented system with a monopoly which passengers have no alternative but to accept,” he said.

Ajit said passengers had long struggled to establish who was responsible when problems arose over bookings, cancellations and refunds.

Ajit Johl.

In a circular, Apad gave licensed express bus terminals full control over ticket sales and trip management, with digital platform charges to be borne by bus operators rather than passengers.

Tickets may still be sold through online platforms or operators’ websites if the operators owned the terminals outright.

Ajit also called for competition among technology providers and warned against hidden payment gateway, processing and convenience fees.

He said all compulsory charges should be disclosed before passengers made their bookings, while clear standards were needed for refunds, complaint resolution and system failures.

He further urged the authorities to use the centralised system to introduce passenger manifests for every express bus journey.

“This is perhaps one of the biggest safety opportunities arising from the new system. Every legitimate passenger travelling on an express bus should be recorded against the specific bus operator, route and departure.”

He said such records would help authorities identify passengers during accidents, notify their next of kin and verify insurance or compensation claims. - FMT