'Bus fare hike not to exceed 40 percent'<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The city administration will announce a public transportation
\nfares increase next week, bowing to pressure from the public
\ntransportation operators after the government raised fuel prices
\nby 14.46 percent on May 3.<\/p>\n
Head of the City Transportation Agency Rustam Effendy said on
\nWednesday that the increase would not exceed 40 percent, to keep
\nit affordable to the public.<\/p>\n
He said the Jakarta chapter of the Organization of Land
\nTransportation Owners (Organda) had proposed an increase
\nof 67 percent to 71 percent on current fares.<\/p>\n
\"We'll raise the fares but it must be less than 40 percent on
\naverage. It's hard to meet the Organda proposal as we must
\nconsider the public's ability to pay,\" he said.<\/p>\n
On Friday, officials from the agency will meet the Indonesian
\nConsumers Foundation (YLKI), Organda and other parties to discuss
\nthe planned fares increase.<\/p>\n
The administration announced its most recent public
\ntransportation fares increase last July, at 28 percent to 50
\npercent on previous fares.<\/p>\n
Currently, the fare for regular buses is Rp 700, for medium-
\nsized and limited-seat buses Rp 900 and for students Rp 300.<\/p>\n
Organda has proposed new fares of Rp 1,250, Rp 1,500 and Rp
\n500 respectively.<\/p>\n
Low-income families will suffer most from a fares increase.<\/p>\n
Some public transportation drivers did not want fares to be
\nincreased because they would also have to face an increase in
\nvehicle rental fees, which, in the end, would benefit the
\noperators rather than the drivers.<\/p>\n
\"The operators will also raise the (vehicle) rental fee. We
\nwon't get anything from the increase,\" moaned Salim, a driver of
\na public minivan plying the route from Tanah Abang, Central
\nJakarta, to Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Organda Jakarta chapter deputy chairman Putu Wirta Antara said
\nthat an average 40 percent fares increase would not cover the
\noperational cost of public transportation as the price of spare
\nparts had continually increased.<\/p>\n
\"Before the fuel price hike was announced, spare part prices
\nhad already increased. The price will be higher after the fuel
\nprice hike,\" Putu told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday, adding that
\nthe administration had to consult with Organda before making its
\ndecision.<\/p>\n
\"We hope they will listen to our argument at Friday's meeting
\nand will not make a decision without agreement from Organda.\"<\/p>\n
Putu said Organda has set a deadline of May 18 for the
\nadministration to make a decision.<\/p>\n
\"If no significant action has been taken by May 18, Organda
\nwill decide its own fares. If the police ticket the buses, we
\nhave already decided to stage a total strike,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Organda Jakarta chapter chairman Aip Syaifuddin said earlier
\nthat without a significant increase, public transportation
\noperators could no longer operate their vehicles.<\/p>",
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