Nitty-gritty not for SPAD

 

TS,Wednesday 7 December 2011

 

 

The Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) ought to be congratulated for introducing the Operator Licence (OL), in line with international best practice.

 

It will be interesting to see whether a licensed operator can increase or decrease its fleet size freely, in tandem with market demands, without having to apply for individual vehicle permits.

 

Under the OL, if one bad accident can result in the suspension of the entire fleet, many big operators would soon set up several smaller companies rather than put all their eggs in one basket.

 

A fairer system would be based on the fleet size of the operator, including the average hours and distance travelled monthly. The thresholds for various offences must be set at the optimum level to promote a healthy industry.

In any case, SPAD should get operators to comply. Initial efforts must be geared towards public briefings, management education, drivers training, and less on prosecution or suspension of errant operators.

 

Another effective way for transforming public transportation is to adopt a more holistic approach. One company can be appointed to be responsible for the entire bus and taxi services needed within a district.

 

It will be made accountable to the local populace and work closely with local authorities, politicians and community leaders. The appointed operator will welcome feedback for the continuous improvements of service and business.

 

For too long, the public has had to put up with poor public transportation services, with no one being held accountable.

 

SPAD was created to centralise land public transportation matters. However, it will be bogged down if it chooses to micro manage the nitty-gritty. In some areas, decentralization would be the better option.

 

The transport requirements of each district are best tackled directly by the communities concerned.

 

The granting of permits for public road transportation by the defunct Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) has resulted in the present quagmire for SPAD to untangle.

 

The stickers fixed at the back of all commercial vehicles to facilitate public complaints proved to be a sham. The Auditor-General’s Report revealed that CVLB took up to 756 days to resolve complaints.

 

SPAD should license only those who are competent to serve the rakyat without having to turn to the government for funding or subsidies.

 

Successful bus and taxi companies with proven track records and eager to play a more dynamic role ought to be given the opportunity to promote the use of public transportation by ensuring their services are safe, affordable, comfortable and reliable.

 

Traffic congestion, carbon footprints and the need for parking spaces will be reduced when more people switch to public transport.

 

The development of any industry rests on the organisations involved to engage their customers and not by the coercion of regulators.

 

 

YS Chan

Kuala Lumpur.