Examining The Effectiveness of Public Transportation Usage and Its Impacts on Road Congestion in Kuala Lumpur

Abstract

This study examines the effectiveness of public transportation usage and its impact on road congestion in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The research was conducted in response to persistent traffic congestion in the city and the continued reliance on private vehicles despite substantial investment in public transportation infrastructure. The study pursued four objectives: (1) to identify the level of road congestion in Kuala Lumpur; (2) to examine the relationship between the effectiveness of public transportation usage measured in accessibility, punctuality, quality, infrastructure, time consumption, cost, and environmental on road congestion in Kuala Lumpur; (3) to determine the most contributing factors on the road congestion in Kuala Lumpur; and (4) to investigate the challenges faced by the public regarding the use of public transportation. A mixed-methods research design was collected through a questionnaire distributed to public transportation users in Kuala Lumpur, particularly around Kuala Lumpur Sentral, while qualitative insights were obtained from transportation authorities and relevant literature studies. The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson Correlation analysis, and Multiple Regression analysis. The findings indicate that Kuala Lumpur experiences a high level of road congestion. Accessibility, punctuality, quality of service, and infrastructure were found to have a significant relationship with road congestion, with accessibility and infrastructure emerging as the strongest contributing factors influencing public transportation usage. Time consumption and cost efficiency also affected commuters’ willingness to shift from private vehicles to public transportation. In addition, respondents identified inadequate connectivity, unreliable feeder bus services, insufficient parking facilities, and long travel times as major challenges in using public transportation. In conclusion, enhancing the accessibility, reliability, quality, and integration of public transportation can encourage a modal shift from private vehicles to public transit, thereby reducing road congestion and supporting more sustainable urban mobility in Kuala Lumpur.