TRANSIT took note of this article which continued with recent comments from SPAD that electronic ticketing would help reduce touting at bus terminals.
LPTC: Electronic ticketing can reduce touts (The Star)
7 February 2011The Land Public Transport Commission has called on bus operators to introduce electronic ticketing to curb touting.
LPTC chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar said such a move would be good for passengers using public transport.
“We are currently conducting a feasibility study on having e-ticketing as well as introducing proper arrival and departure bays at bus terminals.[TRANSIT: Are we talking about separate computer systems for each bus company, or integrated systems for each bus terminal – or maybe a national ticketing clearinghouse (presumably, run by SPAD?)?]
“We hope to see it implemented in the near future to improve public transportation and curb ticket touts,” he told newsmen after launching the waiting area for Syarikat Pengang-kutan Maju Berhad bus passengers at the Larkin Bus Terminal yesterday.
Syed Hamid said the new ticketing system would ensure that the fare stated on the ticket would be valid and there would be no sudden price hikes.
[TRANSIT: We are all for consistent ticketing, but how do we prevent people from taking advantage of the various people who fall prey to touts – namely the uninformed, the ignorant, the just plain ‘blurred’ and the biggest group, the intimidated?]
He also announced that the new Integrated Transportation Terminal-Bandar Tasik Selatan (ITT-BTS) as well as the Puduraya bus terminal would be fully operational in March.
[TRANSIT: March now. Remember when it was supposed to be January then February? And remember when the President of the PMBOA stated that electronic ticketing would not reduce / prevent touting?
How do you respond to a statement like the one from the PMBOA, Syed Hamid?]
“Both terminals will ensure smooth travel and will be of convenience to bus operators as well.”
The Larkin Bus Terminal here has the operational capacity in dealing with 60,000 bus passengers daily.
TRANSIT Says:
We agree that electronic ticketing will make some difference, but what it clear to us is that SPAD needs to focus on making their presence known and felt at the terminals to push the touts off, before talking about electronic ticketing.
Not to mention, working with the terminals to improve their communication and information delivery so people are armed with knowledge.
After all, what is the point of buying your ticket then coming to the terminal, looking lost and alone & uninformed, and quickly becoming prey to ticket touts and taxi touts.
Transit Malaysia 
9 replies on “LPTC: Electronic ticketing can reduce touts. TRANSIT: How, exactly?”
have the authorities even considered doing a feasibility study on how to eliminate the touts by “enforcement”, instead of spending yet millions of RM on new ticketing system (in the name of eliminating the touts problem)? Most probably the contracted will be directly negotiated to cronies at over-inflated prices!
electronic ticketing boleh cegah penipuan.
Electronic ticketing can easily outmanouver touts… This is done by enforcing passenger details on tickets… enforcement must also done by the bus operator…
same as boarding a plane..
@Logic this can work and from what we have heard they are doing some ticket checking at the terminal.
However, the problem is that public transport users have been used to the idea of turning up at the terminal whenever they want, to see which bus is next, has the best deal etc.
Centralized ticketing & ticket checking (like an airport) would also result in delays and force users to change their current habits.
Regards, Moaz for TRANSIT
but the awarding of the contract n inflated contract value is different issues altogether
don’t buy from touts! buy from official ticket counters. that is only way not to get cheated. electronic ticketing is not the cure. do you buy KTM train tickets from touts? MAS/AirAsia tickets from touts? If there is no demand, there will be no supply.
I suppose it would really help if we change the mind sets of these so called touts by telling them reselling tickets at a higher price is not cool.
@Ernest Blofeld
Who knows, perhaps morals & ethics might work on some touts – but then, how would they pay for the ‘kopi’ purchases that are part of their line of work (because if you are on your feet touting all day at the terminal, you certainly need that ‘kopi’)
Regards, Moaz for TRANSIT
e-ticketing will increase the public transport fare…n open to cronyism..