Busway evaluation to be delayed by 3 months: CTS<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The much-awaited evaluation of the busway, which was supposed to
\nbe made public last week, could be another three months away.<\/p>\n
The Center for Transport Studies (CTS) at the University of
\nIndonesia (UI) was appointed two weeks ago to assess the busway,
\nsix months after the system's initiation.<\/p>\n
"What report? We have not conducted any surveys because the
\nappointment by the city administration was only two weeks ago,"
\nCTS expert Alan Marino told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
He was responding to TransJakarta Busway Management head Irzal
\nDjamal's statement that the evaluation of the 12.9-kilometer
\nbusway corridor from Blok M, South Jakarta, to Kota, West Jakarta
\nwould be announced last week.<\/p>\n
As the busway has operated since Jan. 15., Alan questioned the
\n"last-minute" appointment of the CTS, saying that it was yet to
\nreceive funds to conduct the evaluation.<\/p>\n
The CTS will need around three months to evaluate the
\noperation of 56 buses along the corridor.<\/p>\n
Last week, the Pelangi Foundation urged the administration to
\nprovide anticipated supporting infrastructure, such as the feeder
\nsystem and pedestrian facilities.<\/p>\n
Six months into its operation, the TransJakarta Busway has
\nrecorded an average 46,000 passengers a day, exceeding its
\nestimated target of 20,000 passengers of the 60,000 people who
\ncommute between Blok M and Kota daily.<\/p>\n
Transportation observer Ahmad "Puput" Safrudin of the Forum
\nfor Cleaner Emission Partnership (MEB) also questioned the
\ndelayed appointment, saying that such a short evaluation period
\nwould affect the validity of the result.<\/p>\n
"I'm afraid the evaluation is only being conducted to respond
\nto pressure from several NGOs, rather than to assess the
\nperformance of the busway," he said.<\/p>\n
He hoped the CTS would conduct a comprehensive and objective
\nevaluation of the busway.<\/p>\n
Citing an example, he said evaluators must look at
\nspecifications for the busway, one of which says that it must use
\nenvironmentally friendly Euro II diesel.<\/p>\n
The Euro II diesel fuel costs Rp 2,700 (30 US cents) per
\nliter, compared to regular diesel fuel which is around Rp 1,650
\nper liter.<\/p>\n
"A diesel fuel dealer told me that the buses' engines are
\ncompatible with regular diesel, though. So, where does the money
\ngo then?" Puput said.<\/p>\n
Alan said the CTS would evaluate the busway's service
\nstandard, traffic management, ticketing system, feeder services,
\npedestrian facilities and management.<\/p>\n
The CTS was hired by the administration to create the city's
\nmacro-transportation system. It had also recommended the city
\ndevelop 14 busway corridors up to 2007.<\/p>\n
However, it was excluded from the development of the first
\nbusway corridor as its recommendation that the route serve
\nPulogadung-Kalideres, rather than Blok M-Kota, was ignored by the
\nadministration.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/busway-evaluation-to-be-delayed-by-3-months-cts-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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