WITH six bus accidents in the last two weeks, long-distance bus travel in Malaysia has come under scrutiny from the public and the authorities.
The worst of these was a bus crash which killed 22 people near Taiping on Aug 13 - the worst accident to date involving an express bus.
The driver apparently lost control of his bus, which was travelling from Malacca to Butterworth in Penang. It crashed into a road divider, flipped over and plunged into a 5m-deep ditch.
The spate of accidents has put long-distance bus travel in Malaysia under the spotlight here as these express coaches are a common form of transport for Singaporeans going across the Causeway.
The Express Bus Agencies Association (EBAA) here says that of the 9.6 million Singapore visitors to Malaysia in 2005, 30 per cent or almost 3.2 million of them took express buses.
Another 1.1 million passengers - including Malaysian workers and tourists on transit - travel from Malaysia to Singapore by coaches.
There are more than 200 express bus departures from Singapore to Malaysia daily. The more frequent services depart every few hours from places like Golden Mile Complex, Boon Lay and Lavender MRT station.
TAIPING TRAGEDY: Twenty-two people were killed in this crash near Taiping on Aug 13. It was reportedly Malaysia's worst-ever accident involving an express bus. [Photo: BERITA HARIAN MALAYSIA]
The recent spate of accidents has been watched closely by commuters like private tutor Foo Li Yin, 32. She travels to Malacca with her husband every two months to visit his relatives and has had mixed experiences.
She has been on buses where the drivers drove too fast. So she only takes the bus during the day, when she feels the driver will be less tired.
"Now with these accidents, I may not go up again by bus so soon," she says.
The accident has highlighted the dangers of these journeys as many of the drivers battle fatigue and take on more trips to make more money.
For instance, sales assistant Saleh Mohamad, 32, once saw a driver placing a stone on the accelerator so he did not have to step on it throughout the ride.
The Malaysian media also reported that many of the buses had hundreds of outstanding summonses against them, including for speeding.
Five Malaysian government agencies have launched a major crackdown on errant bus companies and drivers.
The agencies that oversee road transport, commercial vehicles and immigration sent out officials last Wednesday to check on buses at stations and along highways. The blitz, called Ops Bersih or Operation Clean-up, will continue until October.
Main headache
INDEED, EBAA says driver problems are the industry's chief headache. EBAA comprises 10 Singapore- and Malaysia-based express bus operators and ticketing agents with offices here.
Association president Johnny Lim says bus drivers need only to have a valid driving licence. To drive in Malaysia, they need a vocational licence.
The pool of drivers, who earn a basic salary of $500 to $1,500 a month, is limited and they switch companies often.
"They also have to maintain the buses - wash, clean, everything. If they're caught for offences, they foot the charges," says Mr Lim.
Usual complaints received from passengers include drivers falling asleep at the wheel and speeding. They will be sacked after the third written warning.
But Mr Lim adds that all the companies here use two drivers for their buses, though they leave it to the drivers to divide the work.
The bus operators here run a mix of Malaysian-registered and Singapore- registered buses.
This is because coach tickets can only be sold for Malaysian-registered buses. Singapore-registered buses may enter Malaysia if they have a permit issued by the Malaysian authorities, but only on tour packages.
Singapore-registered buses and drivers must have a vocational licence issued by the Land Transport Authority and the buses are subject to periodic inspection here to ensure that they are road-worthy, says LTA spokesman Naleeza Ebrahim.
However, buses and drivers for Malaysian- registered buses are subject to Malaysian regulations.
Several bus operators declined to comment about their drivers and their business, despite Life! making two visits to Golden Mile Complex, where many of these companies are located.
However, others like Transtar Travel shared with Life! that they have several safeguards in place, like making sure that they employ experienced, full-time drivers (see story on facing page).
Cutting corners doesn't do the companies any good, says Ms Molly Chittick, senior sales manager of Transtar Travel.
"Competition is keen and Singaporeans are particular. If they see a cockroach or think a bus is old, they will complain and won't take your bus again," she says.
In fact, instead of relying on old buses, Transtar has introduced new luxurious ones, like its 16-seat First Class coaches which it launched in 2004.
The price is double that of no-frills buses but Transtar says demand has been strong - the company has had to increase the number of daily departures to Kuala Lumpur from four to six daily.
Another operator, Sri Maju Tours and Travel, says it only hires drivers with six or more years of experience.
"Safety is of utmost importance to us. We make sure we do the necessary checks on the buses but sometimes an accident is an accident. These things happen and it's not always the driver or the bus' fault," says Sri Maju's chief operating officer Wendy Shin. The company, which has an office at Golden Mile Complex, has headquarters based in Ipoh.
Mr Leong Sing Kiong, managing director of coach operator Alisan, agrees: "Drivers try to drive carefully at night or when the weather is bad. But you cannot predict accidents."
Another bus operator, who declined to be named, says you get what you pay for: "Pay RM25 (S$10.90) for a ticket from Johor Baru to Kuala Lumpur and you get 20-year-old, poorly maintained buses. Pay two times more and you get a better bus."
In 2005, the EBAA introduced a Fuel and Insurance Charge of $2 for single way tickets and $3 for return tickets departing by coaches from Singapore to Malaysia and Hatyai and back.
The fee is mandatatory for its member companies and includes travel insurance coverage for accidental death, accidental medical expenses and emergency medical evacuation.
The Consumers Association of Singapore has recorded eight complaints this year against express bus companies here, which ranged from poor bus conditions to bus delays.
But only two of the eight cases were filed - which means the consumer authorised Case to negotiate on his behalf with the company. They were resolved through cash or voucher refunds.
Case executive director Seah Seng Choon says consumers should select reliable travel agencies with a good track record.
"Read through the contract provided by the agency thoroughly to check whether beneficial terms such as travel insurance are provided - and if so, ensure that the coverage is sufficient," he says.
