Bus fare hikes 'should take public into account'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso said on Tuesday that the
\nincrease in fares of air-conditioned buses should account for
\ntheir service and be in line with the recent fuel price hike so
\nas to avoid burdening society.<\/p>\n
The governor said that his administration would first study
\nthe proposal of the air-conditioned bus fare hike.<\/p>\n
\"The increase should be commensurate with the service provided
\nby the buses and more importantly, it must not be too costly for
\nthe public to bear,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He disclosed that many of the buses had so far provided
\ninadequate service.<\/p>\n
\"I've been informed that the air-conditioning on many of the
\nbuses no longer functions properly. In this case, they are not
\nentitled to raise their fares,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The fare increase proposal submitted by the Organization of
\nLand Transportation Owners (Organda) was based on a unilateral
\ndecision, which lacked in psychological and social
\nconsiderations, he said.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso also maintained that despite the market mechanism
\ncontrolling the bus fares, Organda should have consulted
\nJakarta's executive and legislative institutions.<\/p>\n
The government has rejected the proposed bus fare hike of Rp
\n3,500 per passenger from Rp 2,500. An appropriate increase, said
\nthe governor, would be between Rp 3,000 and Rp 3,100.<\/p>\n
The chairman of the Jakarta chapter of Organda, Aip
\nSyarifuddin, said it had proposed a maximum increase of 40
\npercent or Rp 1,000, even though city bus operators had urged the
\norganization to apply a rate of Rp 4,135.<\/p>\n
Even though there has yet to be a final decision on the hike,
\nsome bus operators have gone ahead with the fare increase.<\/p>\n
A resident of Bumi Serpong Damai housing complex in Tangerang
\nsaid that as of Aug. 1, the fare of air-conditioned buses running
\nfrom Serpong to Blok M had increased to Rp 3,000.<\/p>\n
\"But passengers have to pay Rp 200 more because the bus goes
\nalong the toll road,\" he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a driver of an air-conditioned bus plying the
\nDepok-Kota route, Sutoyo, reacted with surprise when the Post
\nasked him about the bus fare issue.<\/p>\n
\"I haven't heard about it,\" he remarked.<\/p>\n
He said he was worried about a possible decrease in passengers
\nfollowing the fare hike as people might prefer taking regular
\nbuses instead.<\/p>\n
Beni Patria, a passenger on an air-conditioned bus, said he
\nobjected to the fare rise because most of the buses were in poor
\ncondition.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that some buses had air conditioners that
\nfailed to work and that a number of passengers were forced to
\nstand.<\/p>\n
Separately, a commuter from Bekasi, Farhan Mulyana, said that
\nif the bus fare hike went into effect it would cause problems as
\nhe had to take two buses to reach his office in the Kota area.<\/p>\n
\"I don't think I would take an air-conditioned bus to work
\nthen,\" he said, adding that he was taking air-conditioned buses
\nbecause he needed a comfortable trip from Bekasi to Kota. He said
\nif the bus fare was increased, he would take a regular bus
\ninstead, despite its poor condition.<\/p>\n
\"The passengers on regular buses look like sardines packed in
\na tin, but I have no other choice,\" he said, referring to the
\novercrowded condition of non-air-conditioned buses. (arp\/04)<\/p>",
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