Passenger Rail Service Comfortability in Kuala Lumpur Urban Transit System

¹ Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universiti Tun Hussien Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, Johor, Malaysia
² Faculty of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Universiti Tun Hussien Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, Johor, Malaysia
³ Prasarana Negara Berhad, 59000 Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

^a Corresponding author : idrusmas@gmail.com

Abstract

Rail transit transportation system is among the public transportation network in Kuala Lumpur City. Some important elements in establishing this system are ticket price, operation cost, maintenance implications, service quality and passenger’s comfortability. The level of passenger’s comfortability in the coach is important to be considered by the relevant authorities and system operators in order to provide comfort and safety to passengers. The objective this research is to study some parameters that impact the comfortability of passengers and to obtain feedbacks from passengers for different rail transit system. Site observations were conducted to obtain data such as noise, vibration, speed and coach layouts which will be verified by using the passenger feedback outcomes. The research will be focused in and around the Kuala Lumpur City for the duration of 10 months. Four rail transit systems were being considered, i.e. Train Type A (LRA), Train Type B (LRB), Train Type C (MRL) and Train Type D (CTR). Data parameters obtained from field observations were conducted in the rail coaches during actual operation using apparatus among others the sound level meter (SLM), vibration analyzer (VA) and the global positioning system (GPS). Questionnaires were prepared as passenger feedback instrument, focusing on the level of comfortability in rail coaches. The outcomes of these analyses showed that CTR was the best and most comfortable coach, followed by LRA, LRB and MRL. Using the passenger feedbacks (MBP) it was also found that the ranking values for the railway transit system using Rail Coach Comfortability (RCC) is RCC (MBP) were the same as the outcomes using the RCC (parameters). In conclusion, it was found that this research has successfully determined the level of comfortability as determined in its aim and objectives. From this research, it is hoped that the relevant authorities will continue to find ways to enhance the comfortability and safety of its train coaches especially its passengers and the community at large.