Exploring Commuting for Work in Kuala Lumpur

Abstract

Many workers face challenges in suburban areas when commuting to the urban areas from home to work. Public transportation is a fundamental component of efficient transportation in urban areas. Efficient transportation will increase economic opportunity, accessibility, and social development. This paper explored the characteristics of commuting behavior of the workers in the Klang Valley who commute to work in Kuala Lumpur, including their choice of transportation modes and the challenges they faced in traveling from home to work. This study engaged a mixed methodology where data were collected from 709 respondents voluntarily. The survey was initiated in December 2020 and lasted for six months. The respondents were approached through voluntary face-to-face and electronic means. Interviews were conducted with 14 key informants in April 2021 with workers from various backgrounds who commute to work every day. The interviews were done one-on-one. The result showed that the likelihood of choosing public transport over driving privately owned car was unfavorable where most individuals stated that the public transportation was insufficient; they had to take more than one modes to reach their workplace, and the facilities provided were insufficient for them to choose public transportation for commuting to work. These results shown that the urban workers in Kuala Lumpur preferred to drive to work rather than using public vehicles. This shows that Malaysians, especially in urban areas such as Kuala Lumpur, are not ready to adapt to SDG 11. Therefore, the government needs to create more initiatives to encourage the use of public transport.