City to investigate disappearing buses<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Deputy governor of economic and development
\naffairs Tb. M. Rais asked the City Land Transportation Agency
\nyesterday to investigate why some regular buses have disappeared
\nfrom their designated routes.<\/p>\n
Some buses reportedly do not reach their final destinations,
\nwhile some buses are not in evidence at all.<\/p>\n
Bus companies' inability to cover operational costs with the
\ncurrent fare was one of the reasons why the buses were scarce.<\/p>\n
Operational and maintenance costs have increased due to
\nincreases in fuel and oil prices.<\/p>\n
The fare for regular buses was set by the government at Rp 300
\n(12 U.S. cents) in April last year. Gubernatorial decree no.
\n572\/1996 was also issued to back up the Ministry of
\nTransportation's decision on the fare.<\/p>\n
Asked about punishing bus companies for not servicing routes,
\ncouncilor Romulus S. Sihombing of the Indonesian Democratic Party
\n(PDI) faction said yesterday that the administration should take
\nstern action against bus companies that arbitrarily drop routes.<\/p>\n
\"The disappearance of some regular buses is evidence that the
\ncompanies lack social responsibility,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Councilor Amarullah Asbah of Commission C for financial
\naffairs expressed understanding of how the current bus fare did
\nnot allow bus companies to cover their costs.<\/p>\n
\"If there is a need to adjust the fare, propose a new one,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
PDI spokesman Lukman F. Mokoginta claimed people would not
\nobject to an increase in the fare as long as it was commensurate
\nwith the level of services provided.<\/p>\n
\"People wouldn't mind if the fare was set at, for instance Rp
\n1,000, as long as the bus was safe and comfortable,\" he said.<\/p>\n
City Land Transportation Agency data revealed that some
\nregular buses from Mayasari Bakti and Bianglala bus companies had
\ntotally stopped operating quite some time ago.<\/p>\n
Only three of Mayasari Bakti's 19 regular buses plying
\nRawamangun-Blok M route were operating, while according to the
\ncompany 11 of them were operable.<\/p>\n
Mayasari also got permits to operate seven buses on the
\nKampung Rambutan-Kebayoran Lama route, and nine on the Pulo
\nGadung-Pasar Minggu route. However none of the buses operate.<\/p>\n
Records also indicate that only seven of Mayasari's 20 buses
\nwith permits to ply Kampung Melayu-Bekasi route were still
\noperating.<\/p>\n
Another bus company, Bianglala, had failed to operate its
\nregular buses on the Lebak Bulus-Kampung Melayu and Lebak Bulus-
\nManggarai routes. (ste)<\/p>",
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