'Bemo' drivers want to stay in business<\/p>\n
Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor<\/p>\n
"We demand that the Bogor administration cancel its plan to
\nreplace bemo with public minivans," said Oding Abdul Kadir, a
\ndriver of one of the small three-wheel public vehicles while
\nwaiting for passengers on Jl. Pasir Kuda Ciomas, Bogor.<\/p>\n
"We pay Rp 30,000 (US$3.10) a month in operational fees to
\nofficials," he told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.<\/p>\n
One of the oldest modes of transportation besides becak
\n(three-wheel pedicab) and delman (horse-drawn buggy), the total
\nnumber of bemo in the municipality has reached 3,500.<\/p>\n
The local administration says that bemo contribute to heavy
\ntraffic congestion in Bogor, thus they have been trying since
\n2001 to gradually replace bemo, each of which can carry a maximum
\nof seven passengers, with public minivans, which can
\ncarry at least 12 people.<\/p>\n
However, only a few bemo owners were able to pay the
\ninstallments on a minivan.<\/p>\n
This has prompted the Bogor Transportation Agency to make
\nplans to totally prohibit bemo in the near future.<\/p>\n
Agency head Hari Harsono said that the administration has a
\nnew plan to reduce the number of bemo, by only allowing public
\nminivans to operate.<\/p>\n
"We have to make the drivers understand the problems we are
\nfacing. We don't want to cause unrest among bemo drivers," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
According to Oding, currently there are 116 bemo still
\noperational that serve routes from Jl. Pasir Kuda Ciomas to
\nPancasan Empang, and from Hotel Pangrango to Sukasari.<\/p>\n
"We used to get Rp 30,000 per day, but now we only get Rp
\n20,000 since the administration opened new routes for public
\nminivans from Sukasari to the Bubulak bus terminal.<\/p>\n
"We cannot afford the down payment of Rp 1 million set by the
\ndealer to get a public minivan," Oding said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bemo-drivers-want-to-stay-in-business-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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