[Rant] 2nd Class Treatment, 1st Class Payment – Daylight Robbery

This is merely the most unsatisfying travelling experience from me myself after the horrifying incident travelling back to Kuala Lumpur from Larkin, Johor Bahru through a school bus with RM45 paid!

What’s really shocked me and unbelieveably surprising that this service was PERCEIVED by me to have a reputable name from it’s partner with G****** over some bonuses to its member, some discount or whatsoever. This is really disturbing because you are not paying peanut over travelling from a short distance but,

1. You pay paying almost a premium, and with this amount, you can get far better service with other provider

2. You are treated as if you’re travelling on school bus, literally.

3. False promises all the time

4. BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE. I REPEAT. BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE BY LYING ALL OVER AGAIN!

It was a one fine day I went over www.transtar.com.sg to book my ticket back to Singapore from Kuala Lumpur. I had no experience to travel with this but I overheard that this service provides one of the most expensive travel ticket compared to Aeroline, Airebus or even Nice++. It’s a coach for gods sake.

Okay, I paid through an online transaction that charged me $35 SGD. That’s approximately RM80. What I get after that is some standard verification that I purchased the ticket online and I MAY redeem it with the reference code (I ASSUME).

As I have travelled previously with other services. It is only sufficient to provide the reference code that I purchased this ticket online, or a call back to the centre would ease the process if there is a hiccup. But in this case, it’s an entirely a different WORLD!

Cut the story short. As I browse through the site itself, it says that the company itself is located off jalan imbi which is nowhere I have been there before. And it says something like PlazaRakyat, I was stunned and had no idea where it is since the usual spot for buses is at Puduraya or some well-established Hotel’s lobby.

I decided to go to Puduraya and look for the counter. Guess what. It is THERE. But when I approached them that I would like to obtain the ticket for my trip at 4. They gave me some terrible expression like “WHAT?” and insist of not giving me the ticket even though I have the reference code and didn’t print it out. What is THIS?!

I walked back down to the nearest place to sit and calm down. I looked up in the internet and the main service centre at Singapore. It is written that they are OPEN on Sundays for call. I called. NO ONE ANSWERS THE PHONE! I decided to call the centre in Kuala Lumpur. SOMEONE picked up the phone. And points me to some direction to their centre. It’s not helpful that I was asked where is the bus I’m going to board. I look back up at the receipt ‘PUDURAYA TERMINAL NO.9’ note the bolded word. I say “OKAY! I GO TAKE IT LATER”.

I’m not amused at all on this point onward. More drama happens later as I go and take the ticket from the counter again. And they say, to provide the reference code, I obtained the ticket, and I ASKED again if the bus will go through TUAS (SECOND LINK TO SINGAPORE), the ticket vendor SAID YES. I purchased another ticket on the spot. I paid this much is to avoid all those CONGESTION at CAUSEWAY. ITS NOT BECAUSE I’M BORN TO BE CHEATED! It’s not RM30 for gods sake. IT’S ANOTHER RM77!

LOOK properly at the ticket above. Different receipt? DOUBLE standard? TRIPLE? CON? SCAM? Look ahead below for more. And it is clearly stated on my online receipt it’s 4PM ! 4PM! 4 freaking pm to leave from the bus station.

As written on the online receipt, it’s TERMINAL NO.9. And now on this spot, it’s TERMINAL NO.20.
And this guy from the ticket booth pops out saying a lot of nonsense that we need to move elsewhere to board the bus. !?. WORST thing to come below.

And we walked below inside the tunnel where a lot of buses parked towards outside the Bus Terminal. What a joke!

And right under the sun we are PROMISED that the bus will arrive by 4PM to depart. READ THAT. PROMISE.

And yet we are still waiting upon the clock passed 4PM.

The bus arrived. Late than expected. Note the bus plate as opposed to what is written on the ticket. AND THIS IS NOT TERMINAL NO.9! What’s more worse than that is the bus has more passenger than it is allowed to TAKE! SCREW THIS THING. I BOOKED ONLINE AND THEN I WAS ASKED TO WAIT FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF BUS!? YOU ARE SERIOUSLY LOSING MY TRUST.

And you are seriously kidding me. What is the use of online booking and advance payment with this kind of service? How are you going to react to this? I’m not going to talk about consumer right yet. This is about cheating and scamming in broad daylight. I was ASKED to go down the bus I boarded because “Oh, sorry I think I might oversold some ticket…” Give me 10 reasons to forgive you.

Remember the Time that was written on both the ticket and online receipt? 4pm. 4PM! It’s started to rain and it’s past 4:40PM. AND I’M STILL WAITING FOR THE BUS THAT I BOOKED ONLINE. What a joke.

Reshoot for triple confirmation. 1. I was supposed to board on 4pm at terminal no.9 2. I was supposed to board on time. 3. I was forced down due to ticket oversold.


The second bus came at approximately 5 PM plus. it is a more spacious bus. But I AM NOT IMPRESSED.
I’m yet to be informed if they really meant that this bus will go through the SECOND LINK (TUAS). I still remember their promise from earlier.

And surprise surprise, byt the time it reaches Johor Bahru, it’s almost 10PM. GREAT. For a premium price. What I get is to travel more than 6 hour.

And what is more surprising! They are NOT USING THE SECOND LINK (TUAS) as promised! GREAT GOD! And they are taking their time filling up petrols. GOOD! ANOTHER BIG FAT LIE!

And what even more fabulous is that they are taking NEW passengers in Johor Bahru that is going through the Custom from Johor Bahru. Is this LEGAL?!

Is this TUAS? T U A S ? The second link?
You be the judge. I’m really sick of being mentally raped every single time I travel through this exhaustive journey. I mean I’m willing to pay for the service, but in the end, if none of the promises made, it makes me as a consumer, very sad, and as well as a Malaysian. Please. I beg you. Do Not Cheat.