Since Rapid KL is responsible for the vast majority of Kuala Lumpur’s rail and bus services, the news spurred hope that the unprecedented, city-wide free public transport would reduce traffic congestion. Recent reports indicate that traffic congestion in KL has exceeded pre-pandemic levels. The move to entice motorists with free public transport is against a backdrop of dismal ridership, which has plummeted since the outbreak of Covid-19. Each of the three indicators — namely workplaces, transit stations, grocery stores and pharmacies — are benchmarked against their respective pre-pandemic levels. However, apart from better provision of public transport, there is also a need to tackle the demand side of congestion.
