SHAH ALAM, April 5 — Commuters have welcomed the government’s plan to allow carpooling through e-hailing platforms amid surging fuel costs linked to the ongoing West Asia conflict, but also called for stronger safety measures to protect passengers.
While the move could help reduce transportation costs and traffic congestion, passenger safety should remain the priority.
Land surveyor Azmil Hisham, 45, said the carpool proposal — whether involving personal vehicles or e-hailing services — is a positive step toward improving mobility and efficiency, though there are safety concerns when passengers share rides with strangers.
“A more stringent registration and verification process is necessary, so the e-hailing platforms can maintain accurate records in case of any incidents,” he told Media Selangor.
Nonetheless, Azmil hopes the government will encourage e-hailing companies to introduce a carpool feature in the near future as an option for passengers.
On Tuesday (March 31), Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the government is open to allowing e-hailing carpools to ease commuting costs and improve transport efficiency amid rising global energy pressures.
Doing so would allow multiple passengers to share rides and split fares, compared to the current model, where one e-hailing vehicle serves a single passenger at a time, making trips more expensive.
Business vendor Mutoharah Yasin, 38, said carpooling could help commuters cope with concerns over rising transportation costs, and is particularly practical for short trips.
“To ensure safety, perhaps passengers can share their live locations with their family members so they know their whereabouts," she said.
For a 50-year-old trader who wished to be known only as Amonnawi, carpooling services are most efficient when passengers travel from the same area to the same destination, as it helps save the most fuel.
“It is best if, for example, colleagues from one area travel to work together,” he said, while acknowledging that coordinating rides may be difficult as commuters often live in different areas and travel in different directions.
Amonnawi also concurred that carpool passengers should share their ride details with family or friends for safety.
