Experts say Aeroline suspension exposes cracks in Malaysia's transport policy

KUALA LUMPUR: The temporary suspension of Aeroline’s express bus services is lawful but exposes deeper flaws in Malaysia’s public transport policy, according to experts and commuter advocates.

Transport policy expert Wan Agyl Wan Hassan said enforcement action against Aeroline was justified but revealed how outdated regulations are struggling to keep pace with modern urban realities.

“Legally, the Transport Ministry and the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) acted correctly. However, our regulatory system hasn’t evolved in line with urban realities.

“When compliance requirements are rigid but cities are dynamic, even well-intentioned operators can fall into technical breaches,” he told the New Straits Times .

Wan Agyl said Malaysia’s “terminal-only” policy, which requires express buses to operate from designated terminals, was designed to ease congestion and improve safety but has become impractical in today’s city landscape.

“TBS is 13km from the city core, and passengers often spend nearly an hour reaching KLCC or Bukit Bintang.

“A balanced system should integrate central terminals with well-managed kerbside zones,” he said, suggesting the use of trained marshals, designated bays and time-controlled loading areas to maintain order and safety.

He said while Aeroline’s limited operations in the city had minimal impact compared with the thousands of private vehicles entering Kuala Lumpur daily, the company’s non-compliance could not be ignored.

“Still, Aeroline’s non-compliance cannot be ignored. The company received repeated warnings before action was taken,” he said, adding that future policy should focus on structured remediation and transparent re-certification.

Aeroline, a premium express bus operator, picks up and drops off passengers at Hotel Corus near KLCC and 1 Utama in Petaling Jaya — locations long favoured by commuters for their central access and convenience.

Its most popular routes connect Kuala Lumpur with Singapore and Penang, serving both business and leisure travellers.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Public Transport Users Association (4PAM) president Ajit Johl said regulations must also consider commuter convenience and accessibility.

“From a traffic management standpoint, we understand the government’s intent to reduce congestion around KLCC by centralising operations at (Terminal Bersepadu Selatan) TBS.

“However, we’ve been informed that TBS is already near capacity, and relocating a high-frequency, premium operator like Aeroline could worsen congestion and reduce service efficiency,” Ajit said.

He urged authorities to consider a balanced solution.

“The law is the law, but a way forward must be found. We hope the suspension can be lifted while discussions take place to reach a solution that benefits all parties,” he said.

APAD recently announced that Aeroline will suspend all scheduled trips from Nov 6 to Dec 5, 2025, after receiving three show-cause letters for operating from unapproved terminals.

Regular Aeroline passengers have expressed disappointment over the upcoming service suspension and hope for a swift resolution to the issue.

© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd

Source link