Malaysians like to share many things, from opinions to unwanted advice, but they apparently don’t like sharing their car’s cabin space with others in the daily commute to work, as revealed by a survey undertaken by Centre for Governance and Political Studies (Cent-GPS), a Kuala Lumpur-based behavioural and social science research firm.
Its latest study, as picked up by news publications like The Star, reveals that Klang Valley folk don’t just prefer to drive to work instead of using public transport, they don’t like company in the car.
Over a three-day field survey carried out from October 23 to 25, in which nearly 4,700 vehicles were surveyed between 8.00 am to 9.10 am in different places around the Klang Valley, the firm found that 87.3% of vehicles were single occupancy. This, the survey said, was the highest in the world for a single-commuter category.
Only 11.6% of vehicles had one passenger on board, and only 0.9% had two other passengers on board during the sampling period. Researchers, who were stationed in Ampang, Seri Kembangan, Sungai Buloh and Petaling Jaya at locations near linked residential areas, a toll plaza and places of work, sampled some respondents.
Cent-GPS said it was made clear by respondents that many prefer to drive alone because of comfort, spending the morning drive alone to gather their thoughts, listen to their favourite podcasts or even favourite music. “They would prefer to do this without having to layan (interact) with a colleague passenger,” it said in a press release.
Drivers also cited that public transport still remained difficult, making a drive easier. Some said that the cost of parking at an LRT or MRT station was the same as parking at work. A few respondents said that when they did arrange for carpooling arrangements, their colleagues would often wake up late, making the driver late for work as well.
The Cent-GPS report added that the affordability of fuel and toll among single-driver commuters was the reason for the large percentage of single-occupancy vehicles.
“Frankly, the fairly affordable cost of fuel and toll in Malaysia is not a big enough incentive to urge people to seek a carpooling or public transportation option. The cost of fuel and sitting through traffic is just not as big as the cost of having to sit and listen to your colleague complain about the boss,” it said.
“Yet, if the government were to increase the cost of toll and fuel, the most affected would be the B40 group, making driving to work alone a luxury afforded by the rich,” the firm added.
Comparatively, other countries have started to see a decreasing number of single-occupancy vehicles on the road, with many opting for public transport and carpooling. According to Cent-GPS, the United States’ nationwide average of single-driver commuter was recorded at 66%, while the remaining 34% carpooled.
In Spain, around 56% made the commute alone by driving, while 44% carpooled or used public transport, and in Belgium, the number of single-driver commuters has been declining at a rate of 5% a year to what is now believed to be only around 30% of road users, the report added.
Despite the high percentage of single-occupancy vehicles, Cent-GPS said policymakers should not persist with the pursuit of abolishing tolls or continuing fuel subsidies.
“Our policymakers should not highlight the effect of eradicating tolls or continued fuel subsidies. Even the rhetoric of reducing tolls implies that tolls serve as a back-stepping function in our society. This is not true. Tolls need to be seen as a function in a developing country that can begin to regulate and reduce the number of cars on the road.”
“As we head towards a decade where climate change will determine our livelihoods, these measures, albeit painful and unpopular, need to be taken for the greater good, for the cleanliness of our children’s future,” it said.
What do you think of the survey results? Do you share the same sentiments as respondents, and prefer to make the daily journey to work in your car, alone? Would you consider sharing your car with another person heading in the same direction if it subsidises your travel costs? Share your views on the matter in the comments section below.
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Cars too cheap here to buy, serviced and run.
Any Msian family own average 4 cars, even bibik indo got her own car for pasar and run errands..
Funny that, since someone keep shouting we have the most expensive car prices in the world. I wonder where is that joker now?
Well, that contradicts with a lot of people claim of expensive car, expensive petrol, expensive goods etc.
Deswai triple parking sgt common kat flat PPR…smue jalan jadik 1way street. rakyat B40 hidup senang gembira, apelagik mau…
@ usa, average household income – USD 55k.
@ Malaysia, average household income RM 55k.
USA buy car:
Almera USD 15k, not enough add 2 months Salary buy, Corolla Civic- USD 25k, not enough add 2 months Salary buy Camry Accord USD 35k, not enough add another 2 months Salary buy Lexus Benz USD 45k.
Malaysia…
Almera RM70k, not enough add 1 year salary RM130k buy Corolla Civic, not enough add 1 year salary RM190k buy Camry Mazda6, not enough add 1 year salary RM250k buy Harrier X1
Malaysian not rich, buy we spend alot.
no saving at all. high bankruptcy rate. buy car with 9 years loan.
Agreed. Especially the gasoline diesel is dirt cheap available at the pump compares to its immediate neighbours across borders.
cars too cheap here to buy? with car tax here, you can’t be serious
Reason is : FUEL TOO CHEAP.
Kancil cannot fit too much people, therefore dun like share the car cabin with others.
where i stay right now. only allowed to enter the City with at least 3 person onboard incl driver
In Malaysia, even mat indon, myanmar, bangla dudes could own a bike, or a car. Plenty of them plying our road. Either they had no license, or periodically settled with kopi. Some are even hired to drive heavy vehicles and caused death.
We are not only the worst in car pooling, btw.
Malaysia also has the highest statistic of road accident, fatality, road bullying cases, poor road etiquette, poor regards to traffic laws, poor road safety and conditions, poor law enforcement, and many more…
Malaysia Boleh, right?
that’s the only time we have peace before reaching the office
Carpooling, too me is a stop-gap measure hence temporary, Public transport is more permanent and the way forward.
One word: ATTITUDE
Malaysian have to run errand such as send kid to school then go to work.since house price so high in city and nearby town ppl cannot afford and have to live far without any colleagues to car pool.its not even safe enough to let kids to go school by public transport let alone on their own. Carpool is not first issue to address.
The problem is security reason and the effectiveness in the law enforcement in controlling crimes . Most motorists refuse to pick up any strangers whom they do not know unless it is within their own circles . But those within their own circles will work at different places and opposite locations .
So many people are very afraid in car pool idea in Malaysia due crime rates and social problems ( suddenly too much increased in populations without proper control)
The survey can be wrong. Many grab drivers are alone after dropping off riders or waiting for trip.
Malaysian people always stuck in traffic for hours in daily basis eventually car became private space like home. Sharing car spaces with strangers for hours in traffic is not a good idea unless they care for support the duit minyak and jajan beside don’t kacau my favourite radio station.
because the public transport sucks!
all PJ stations built at the dunno where location, and dont have car parks at the stations either.
the station should be at the common destinations, UM Medical, PJ SS2, PJ 14, Taman sea, along the whole LDP nothing.
I do not car pool, because I live alone and cannot commit to a fixed routine. Sometime I go home straight after work, sometime I need to travel to the next town all of a sudden. I do however take the public transport, but only for leisure during weekend because it took forever to reach my destination.
Time is money, and if taking public transport takes 4 times as long to reach a place, it is actually very costly, and I will pick the “cheapest” way to travel.
its a bit skwed survey I must say.the results are reported angled at the reason why people dont want to car pool. contextually, our public transportation system is still not up to par with Singapore or Berlin. Connectivity and last mile connections are still much to be desired.
to people who say that cars are cheap in Malaysia, they need to think again. No where in the world do we have a 9 years car financing for a car at the cheapest level is equivalent to 2 years salary of newly minted young executive (if they are lucky). To top it off RM300 maintenance for every 5km is murderous.
last but not least, after saving your hard earned cash, do you really trust those unknown people to car pool?
How to carpool when most employer and working habits in malaysia do not respect the fixed end of working hour.. We employees hard to plan our end working hour for carpooling back home with others..
Don’t blame the employees alone… Blame the employers as well… What their contribution? Prepare company car for specific area for them to carpool?
Besides increased Toll and Fuel, government MUST implement vehicles End of Life for aged 15 years and above to permanently reduce the traffic jam. Widening roads just a temporarily solutions, as monthly there’s around 45-55K new vehicles registered. You see those KL areas after working hours, cars parked until blocked most of the roads around housing area. I understand this V-EOL will affects many older cars including taxis or other commercial vehicles. Government surely can work out something for V-EOL program right?? Like scrap old car and buy new one at special % discount on duty and sales taxes.
Implement pollution/carbon tax, no need for VEOL. Old saga clunker? Rm800 per year please, else switch to new saga, etc. Give people a choice. But I like the scrap old car for discount idea, that would help out a lot of people who got stuck.
“in Belgium, the number of single-driver commuters has been declining at a rate of 5% a year to what is now believed to be only around 30% of road users, the report added.”
In Belgium RON95 is RM6,60 and Diesel is RM6,96.
Damn damn lie is statistics
Ayoooo, tak berbaloi la nak carpool carpool nih. Ingat kereta murah ke? lepas naik kotor2kan lagi. bukan tau bawa keluar pasir2 kat floor mat tu. nak buka pintu bukan berhati2, habis kesan calar2 kat handle nak buka pintu tu kena kuku. lepas tu masa nak keluar selalu bang pintu. sakitnya hati. kalau ikut waktu tak per gak, ni dah sampai masih nak kena tunggu lagi. balik kerja lebih teruk, no freedon, ada plak yg tak pakai deodorant. macam nak pengsan. eeeeeh
Macam keluhan abg grab saja XD
No incentive to carpool.
It’s not like our roads have special carpool only lanes that would encourage people to carpool so that they don’t have to go on the normal jammed lanes.
In rush hour, all it takes is a 5 min late from your car pool partners to stuck in additional 45 min jam.
Personally i don’t like to give a car pool to strangers. Might consider if i know who will be my car pool mates. Because i dont get the chance to sing my song alone if there are ppl in my car. haha
haha…
carpool is meant for those stay nearby, and nothing to do after work.. go home and go work.
why should i follow or inform others when i can go and back whenever i want to? such convenient i having.
fetch GF ok laaaa
Not enough incentive to carpool. Great idea but seeing others going to work alone is too hard for any good samaritan. Make the single passenger cars pay for it. I can imagine people complaining – but if in Singapore or China, all become like sheep on a sheep farm.
The country should promote working from home (3 days in office, 2 days at home) for those occupations that do not require constant presence in the office.
Part of the reason we drive so much is our love of landed houses has lured the ppl buying into further suburbs like Semenyih, Rawang, Sg Buloh, Rimbayu etc etc, and ppl are willing to travel long distances everyday.
If you look at Spain, most people stayed in apartments, sharing infrastructure of the city like subways and buses…
The only blessing for us is that most of our cars are small and better fuel efficient than the American who prefer bigger trucks, sedans with higher capacity that burn more fossil fuel..
need more popular carpooling apps, to make it easier.
i used to do carpool, pickup passanger with grabshare when it was available.
now i just ride a bike, faster, easier, cheaper more importantly less headache in jam
Other countries raise the fuel price to reduce the number of cars but public transport need to be at the top when we implement this..our train connection still not comprehensive and only in certain area.
I wish public transportation infrastructure in Malaysia will improve, looking forward to MRT and rapidKL…Hope they can get even better and user friendly …I’m student and I depend on public transportation a lot, especially MRT
Government need to enforce during peak hours car drivers must have a minimum of 2 to enter certain CBD areas. If less than 2, the vehicle would be charged something like rm5 per enter during peak hours.
Instead of negative motivation (increase fuel and toll price) to decrease car on the road, please think about how to increase volume of public transportation and efficiency of last mile connectivity.
MRT is now almost at its max capacity during peak hours. LRT is already operating more than its capacity for years. MRT2 to complete in 2021, LRT3 to complete 2024. What’s next? In between those years SUKE, EKVE, DASH & SPE will come to operation.
Our infrastructure developed at a too slow pace than our road building.
Granted it takes more risk and cost to build rail route compare to expressway but it rail guarantee long term future of less congestion in the city!
Stop short term profit.
Focus long term and better growth for Malaysia!