Busway project's frontliners feel neglected<\/p>\n
Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
As the drivers for the soon to be opened busway undergo a week-
\nlong training course at the National Police Traffic Training
\nCenter in Serpong, Tangerang, they remain anxious about what the
\nfuture holds for them and this daring new project.<\/p>\n
Taking a break outside the dining hall of the training center
\nwith fellow bus drivers, Taswar D. expressed his concerns when
\ntalking to The Jakarta Post on Friday.<\/p>\n
\"As the future field personnel for this project, we just ask
\nthat whoever is managing this project pay more attention to our
\nneeds during the training,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Since the start of the training on Thursday, the drivers have
\nnot received any allowances. From their previous experiences of
\nbeing sent by their companies for training at the center, the
\ndrivers received daily allowances, as well as meals and
\naccommodation.<\/p>\n
\"When we asked the Jakarta Transportation Agency about it,
\nthey told us to ask our companies. But when we asked our
\ncompanies, they told us to ask the agency,\" said Taswar.<\/p>\n
\"It's not that we're just being fussy, but we still have to
\nfeed our wives and children at home during our training,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Taswar is a bus driver for Steady Safe. He operates out of the
\npool at Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta, and usually plies a route
\nthat overlaps with the planned busway corridor from Blok M in
\nSouth Jakarta to Kota in West Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Besides Steady Safe, four other transportation companies --
\nRatax, Bianglala, PPD and Pahala Kencana -- have formed a
\nconsortium for the management of the project.<\/p>\n
The consortium, PT Jakarta Express Trans (JET), officially
\nopened only on Thursday, which could explain the administrative
\nconfusion and uncertainty.<\/p>\n
Despite the uncertainty they are facing during their training,
\nthe drivers still have faith in the busway project.<\/p>\n
\"As a busway driver, I'm hoping to earn more money and to be
\nfree from the usual rush-and-chase each day trying to meet my
\ndaily revenue target,\" said Susanto, a PPD driver.<\/p>\n
Regular bus drivers usually have to meet a daily revenue
\ntarget set by their companies. This target often forces drivers
\nto drive recklessly as they try and collect as many passengers as
\npossible.<\/p>\n
Busway drivers will not be required to fulfill a daily revenue
\ntarget, and the consortium will pay drivers a regular monthly
\nsalary. Tempo magazine reported that each driver would be paid Rp
\n2 million (US$235) a month.<\/p>\n
Puput Saripudin, a Steady Safe bus driver who received the
\ncity's best bus driver award in 2003, has other ambitions.<\/p>\n
\"I want to show the public that we bus drivers can be
\nprofessional and provide prime service to our passengers,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
During the second day of training on Friday, the drivers were
\ndrilled on how to properly and smoothly navigate the busway buses
\naround the training center and some nearby housing complexes.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/busway-projects-frontliners-feel-neglected-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}