Transport consultant Rosli Azad Khan said the system must do more to accommodate those who are not digitally savvy.
He suggested a call-in booking system or staffed kiosks at major transit points for users that are uncomfortable with apps.
He said a booking app should have a simplified interface, with larger buttons for easy navigation. Senior citizens could be helped to learn the system through digital literacy sessions or in partnership with community centres.
His comments come after FMT highlighted the frustrations of users who had given up using the booking app “Mobi” – which serves areas within Glenmarie, Asia Jaya, and USJ21 – because of its complex interface and lack of clear instructions.
The other apps for the on-demand service are “Kummute”, which serves areas including Bandar Sunway, Cyberjaya, and Titiwangsa, as well as “Trek”, which focuses on Bangsar South, Puchong, and Ampang.
Seniors who struggle
RapidKL’s on-demand service, known as “demand responsive transit”, uses modified passenger vans to ferry residents around 11 zones in the Greater Kuala Lumpur area.
Passengers can book seats using several smartphone apps.
Rosli said senior citizens are not at fault if they struggle with the apps or do not know how to book.
He recommended improving routing by clustering pickups and drop-offs in predictable zones, such as near senior centres or clinics, and offering scheduled rides during off-peak hours to make the service more dependable for older passengers.
Too many apps
Another common complaint from commuters was the confusion over the number of booking apps, each for a specific location.
One commuter shared her frustration about long wait times and not being able to book a van, even as empty ones drove right past her.
Wan Agyl Wan Hassan, transport expert and CEO of MY Mobility Vision, said “consolidating all the different apps into a single, user-friendly platform would go a long way in making the service more inclusive and not just the digitally connected”.
He said a system accessible only to those with smartphones or those fluent in app usage “risks excluding a whole segment of our society, especially the elderly and digitally underserved”.
Dynamic routing
He said that without a unified system, service quality could suffer.
“We need to ensure that the vehicles are routed where they’re needed most, with vans dispatched dynamically to avoid overlap, and cover more underserved areas especially during off-peak hours,” he said.
Both experts agree that although the on-demand service is an innovative step, it is not a replacement for traditional buses and should not be expanded without careful planning.
Wan Agyl said once usage exceeds 8 to 12 passengers per hour, it would be more efficient to use fixed-route electric minibuses to ensure sustainability and avoid inefficiencies.