2009/05/14
By : JAMES GONZALES, Kuala Lumpur

THE commuter service that plies the KL Sentral, Seremban, Rawang and Port Klang routes is useful for the thousands who travel daily to the capital for work.

Over the past two weeks, I travelled a couple of times along these routes and I must say that it is the most convenient mode of transport compared with travelling by car or bus. The ticket fares are also reasonable.

However, I feel there is still room for improvement.

I believe the total travel time should be about 40 to 30 minutes. There is no need for the trains to stop at every station.

During peak hours, the trains could service only the bigger towns or ply directly between KL and the main towns as there is heavy passenger traffic in those places.

More coaches should ply these routes during peak hours. Often, passengers have to stand the entire journey.

Many of my friends who take this route daily have complained that they are exhausted upon reaching their offices, after standing on the train for nearly 45 minutes to one hour.

There are also no restrooms on the coaches. Coaches should be equipped with this basic amenity.

I have noticed that passengers, particularly the younger ones, are an inconsiderate lot.

On many occasions, I have observed that they disregard senior citizens, pregnant women and the disabled, even when these special passengers are standing in front of them.

At the stations, I also notice the absence of railway staff to help direct passengers to the right platforms.

Source: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Thursday/Letters/2556012/Article/index_html