Malaysian commuters raise concerns as e-hailing fares surge during peak hours, with some rides exceeding RM100 amid heavy traffic.
AMID the recent severe traffic congestion faced by Malaysian motorists, commuters are also feeling the impact in their wallets, after noticing a significant surge in e-hailing fares.
Touted as an alternative mode of transport offering a more direct route to one’s destination — albeit at slightly higher prices — e-hailing services have, in recent times, seen fares skyrocket to near-exorbitant levels, especially during peak traffic hours.
On Threads, a Malaysian woman shared a screenshot of her e-hailing fare, said to be from Putrajaya to Sunway, booked at around 6.30pm, which had surged to a staggering RM106.20 for a journey that would usually cost up to RM60 at most.
“This is the first time I’ve ever seen a fare exceeding RM100. I was shocked. Maybe it’s because of traffic congestion and high demand,” she speculated in her now-viral post.
However, she also pointed out that even morning trips to Putrajaya after 8am have allegedly increased to RM60, compared to the usual RM27. She added that she has observed fares rising since mid-January.
Another Threads user echoed the concern, claiming that fares for what they described as a “short ride” could reach up to RM40.
Many netizens shared similar experiences, with some calling on the authorities to better regulate fare hikes to prevent consumers from being taken advantage of.
“I thought I was the only one experiencing this. What used to be a RM5 or RM6 fare has suddenly jumped to RM30 over the past two months — and it’s not even during peak hours,” a user said.
“RM9 outside peak hours can jump to RM27 during peak hours, even when the roads aren’t congested,” another claimed.
“This is even more expensive than a KLIA trip — for half the distance and half the travel time during peak hours,” a commenter pointed out.
On the other hand, some users believe that fares may return to more normal levels during the Chinese New Year period and the start of Ramadan, as traffic congestion is typically reduced in certain areas during those times.