- Beam also announces 50% Merdeka Promo from 27 August to 16 September!
Almost all Malaysians commute on a regular basis, whether it is to and from work, school, or running errands. This important aspect shouldn’t be a burden, but the average Malaysian in the Klang Valley region spends at least 44 hours per year stuck in traffic.
This amount of time spent driving has detrimental impacts on commuters’ financial, workplace productivity, mental and emotional health, and even their physical wellbeing. The government is currently working to encourage more commuters to rely slightly more on public transportation systems, which would appear to be a straightforward answer to this problem.
The National Transport Policy 2019–2030 states that by 2030, the government wants public transportation to account for 40% of all travel. But as of 2019, the figure is barely 25%, far short of the 2030 goal. Furthermore, only 17% of commuters in KL city, Malaysia’s capital and busiest metropolitan area, rely on public transportation specifically.
Despite spending so much time in traffic, commuters still choose to drive their own cars. Despite being in place, Malaysia’s public transportation networks still have a few shortcomings: Route adequacy, reliability, and solutions for the first and last miles
As evidenced by the ongoing building of more light rail transit (LRT) and mass rapid transit (MRT) lines and stations, the installation of dedicated bicycle lanes, and other measures, the government is tirelessly seeking solutions for route sufficiency and reliability. First and last mile concerns are being extensively examined by both the government and companies offering micro-mobility services as well.
With increased efforts to build suitable infrastructure for first and last mile transport, micro-mobility vehicles like Beam’s shared e-scooters could successfully tackle this problem. Commuters are sometimes afraid to use public transportation since they have difficulty completing both the first and final leg of their route. For example, getting to the train station or arriving to your final destination after getting off the train.
More of Beam Mobility’s shared e-scooters have been positioned at strategic Klang Valley locations, facilitating commuters’ quick and comfortable access to their destinations. More commuters have said that they are willing to depend on public transportation frequently now that more of its e-scooters are easily accessible in important areas of the city.
In a survey Beam conducted with its user base, 23% of all respondents said that having access to shared e-scooters had made them “more likely to,” “much more likely to,” or “definitely going to” sell or end the lease on their personal vehicles. When people can access shared e-scooters within a 5-minute walk of where they live and work, this number rises to 30%.
Overall, 52% of respondents indicated that they are “more likely” or “much more likely” to think about taking public transportation now that they have the option to use shared e-scooters to cover the first and last miles of the journey. This is a positive finding that is consistent with the government’s vision for the public transportation system. Additionally, the government’s and micro-mobility service providers’ initiatives have demonstrated that views about shared e-scooters are improving. Roughly 60% of Malaysians rate the availability of e-scooters in their cities as “positive” or “very positive.”
“Ultimately, we want to do what we can to make cities flow better. Our efforts to make our shared e-scooters more available to all by placing them in strategic locations is a step in that direction. The goal that we share with the government, to achieve a public transportation modal share of 40% by 2030, is something we’re working towards and is something that we are confident can be achieved with the support from our partners and the right mindsets from fellow Malaysians,” said Justin Tiew, General Manager of Beam Mobility Malaysia.
“Based on personal experience, I can strongly say that relying on micro-mobility solutions to get past the first and last mile in everyday public transportation journeys is beneficial for all – for the environment, for myself, and for the country as a whole,” he added.
Beam Malaysia Merdeka Promo
Beam Malaysia is giving a special, limited-time Merdeka Promo with discounts of up to 50% on all rides to celebrate the upcoming national festivities and encourage the use of its shared e-scooters rather than private vehicles.
Riders will be able to use a Beam e-scooter from selected public transportation hubs for RM0.30 per minute from 27 August to 16 September 2022. This amounts to a 33% off-peak discount (6am to 6pm on weekdays) and a 50% off-peak discount (6pm to 6am on weekdays and entire weekends). Furthermore, riders who end their Beam e-scooter trips by parking at designated public transportation hubs will be given an RM2.00 credit.
Regardless of whether it is to get to work or to play, riders can immediately make full use of the promo period by downloading the app via the Apple Store or Google Play Store!
For more information, stay tuned to Beam Malaysia’s official Facebook or Instagram channels.