Why the Last Mile Is the Biggest Hurdle for Daily Commuters

Improving public transport is never easy. For Transport Minister Anthony Loke, fixing the KTM Komuter network is like trying to solve a complicated puzzle. While the ministry is working hard to make things better, there are still several daily struggles that commuters in the Klang Valley have to deal with.

The "last mile" headache

One of the biggest problems is the feeder service. Research shows that getting to and from the station—the "last mile" of your journey—is a major pain point [source](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/308302331_COMMUTERS'_PERCEPTIONS_ON_RAIL_BASED_PUBLIC_TRANSPORT_SERVICES_A_CASE_STUDY_OF_KTM_KOMUTER_IN_KUALA_LUMPUR_CITY_MALAYSIA). When buses or other transport options don't line up with train schedules, it adds unnecessary time and frustration to your commute.

Balancing maintenance and frequency

The ministry knows that everyone wants more frequent trains, but KTMB faces real operational limits . It is a constant balancing act: the government has to manage daily maintenance and logistics while trying to squeeze more trains onto the tracks. Solving these bottlenecks is currently a top priority for the government.

These problems aren't new

If you feel like these issues have been around for a while, you're right. Back in 2023, the ministry explained that major infrastructure work, like the Klang Valley Double Track (KVDT1) project, caused significant delays and forced trains to run less often .

Even as far back as 2013, studies showed that commuters have long been asking for better service standards . For many, reliable rail transport is essential, and they just want a system that is efficient enough to be their first choice for daily travel.