Jakarta, Kompas.com - The equalisation of transport access in\nIndonesia is seen as a major unfinished task, especially for vulnerable\ngroups and communities in the 3T regions (left-behind, frontier, and\noutermost). This condition means that safe, comfortable, and easily\naccessible transport services have not yet been fully enjoyed on an\nequal basis by all segments of society.<\/p>\n
Vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, the elderly,\npregnant women, and children are still reported to face a range of\nbarriers in accessing transport services, from physical facility\nlimitations to services that are not yet responsive to their needs.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe also fully recognise that equitable transportation development\nhas not yet been fully enjoyed by all layers of society, especially\nvulnerable groups including people with disabilities, the elderly,\npregnant women, children, and communities in left-behind, frontier, and\noutermost areas,\u201d said the Secretary General of the Ministry of\nTransportation, Arif Toha.<\/p>\n
Arif delivered the remarks at the Workshop on Best Practices for\nFriendly, Responsive, and Sensitive Transportation Services for\nVulnerable Groups in 2026, as outlined in a press release on Wednesday,\n20 May 2026.<\/p>\n
In the last five years, Indonesia\u2019s transport sector is said to have\nmade significant progress. Yet behind this progress, vulnerable groups\nstill face challenges in terms of facilities and infrastructure as well\nas the sensitivity of services.<\/p>\n
\u201cVulnerable groups often face a double barrier: physical access\nlimitations and a lack of service sensitivity,\u201d said Arif.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is an urgent need, even a moral and legal obligation in\nrealising human rights and the Sustainable Development Goals,\u201d he\nadded.<\/p>\n
For vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, the elderly,\npregnant women, and children, transport development is undertaken with\nan inclusive approach. The efforts are not only on the vehicle side but\nalso through the development of supporting infrastructure and the\nimprovement of service quality.<\/p>\n
A range of physical facilities such as ramps or inclined paths,\nlow-floor vehicles, dedicated wheelchair spaces, guiding blocks for the\nvisually impaired, and disability-friendly toilets are being expanded at\nseveral transport hubs.<\/p>\n
Beyond infrastructure, service aspects are also gaining attention.\nPublic transport operators and drivers are receiving targeted training\nto better understand the needs of passengers with invisible\ndisabilities, and to increase sensitivity to the elderly and pregnant\nwomen.<\/p>\n
Arif emphasised that there are three main focus areas that must be\njointly addressed to realise inclusive transport: accelerating policies\nthat are friendly to vulnerable groups, strengthening the capacity of\nhuman resources in the transport sector, and bolstering cross-sector\ncollaboration.<\/p>\n
\u201cResponsive transport does not arise from infrastructure alone, but\nalso from an enhanced capacity of human resources,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cStaff at terminals, stations, airports, and ports must be equipped\nwith training on serving people with special needs,\u201d continued Arif.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/3t-communities-and-people-with-disabilities-still-struggle-to-access-public-transport-1779545572", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }