Dear Editor, I HAD an experience that I wish to share with fellow readers. I was travelling to Kuala Lumpur in an express bus from Sitiawan, Perak, and halfway through the North-South Expressway, it started raining.

It was not only raining outside the bus but also inside. The roof of the bus was leaking, and it wasn’t confined to just one spot.

As a result, passengers in the bus were forced to take ‘evasive action’ to avoid getting wet. The seats were soaked and there were puddles on the floor.

To make matters worse, the bus driver did not do anything to prevent the water from coming in.

Although there was nothing he could have done to repair the leaks, he could have pulled over at a covered area until the rain stopped.

However, the driver should not be blamed for the shabby condition the bus was in.

I often board Transnasional buses and I worry about cockroaches in their coaches.

It is a sad state of affairs when coaches are infested with pests and experience engine trouble, resulting in an uncomfortable ride for passengers.

Bus operators must under stand that they are in a service industry and it is not only about getting paying customers from one destination to another.

Apart from the obvious issue of safety, these operators must realise that their customers deserve a certain level of comfort.

This cannot be achieved in a leaking or roach-infested bus.

Tasha
Kuala Lumpur

Source: Malay Mail – January 11, 2008