APAD's directive gives express bus terminals exclusive rights to sell tickets, raising concerns among operators that have invested in their own websites and booking systems.
Cover image via New Straits Times & Harian Metro
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp for the latest stories and breaking news.
Express bus operators across Malaysia are scrambling to understand a new ruling restricting ticket sales to licensed terminals from 1 November, with the industry claiming it was not consulted before the change was announced
According to the New Straits Times, Malaysian Bus Operators Association president Datuk Mohamad Ashfar Ali said the association had received a letter informing it of the ruling but was not involved in prior discussions with the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD).
He said the directive had caught operators off guard, particularly those that had invested in their own websites and digital ticketing systems to let passengers book trips directly.
"We were surprised by the latest announcement as many of our members sell tickets through their own platforms, with some having developed websites that allow passengers to buy tickets directly," he said.
Mohamad Ashfar said operators previously obtained QR codes from terminals to speed up boarding, even when passengers purchased tickets through the operators' own platforms.
He added that the association had requested a meeting with APAD to clarify the reasons behind the change.
Express bus passengers previously had three ways to buy tickets
Before the new ruling, passengers could purchase express bus tickets through three main channels: directly at terminals, through online ticketing agents, or on bus operators' websites.
Mohamad Ashfar said the change could affect operators that had invested in developing their own booking platforms, although the association had yet to receive a clear explanation for the decision.
"I do not know the reason for the change. I received the letter last week," he said.
According to a circular issued to bus operators, the new directive grants express bus terminals exclusive rights to sell tickets to passengers using their services
The circular states that terminals will assume full responsibility for trip management, departures, and ticket sales transactions.
It also introduces a new commercial fee structure, under which charges for digital platform services will be billed directly to express bus operators instead of passengers.
The changes could affect how operators manage their ticket sales and digital booking arrangements, particularly those that currently sell tickets independently of terminal-operated platforms.
APAD has since confirmed that the new directive was issued on 16 October
However, the agency clarified that passengers could still purchase tickets through online travel agencies (OTAs) or bus operators' websites if the terminals were owned by the operators themselves.
The clarification suggests that the restrictions will depend partly on the ownership of the terminals, although operators are seeking further details from APAD before the directive takes effect on 1 November.
FOLLOW SAYS