City to revamp bus system beginning next year<\/p>\n
Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Bus passengers can expect to enjoy better service as the city
\nadministration plans to introduce a new system in which drivers
\nwill be paid monthly, changing the setoran (rental fee) system.<\/p>\n
The setoran system, which requires drivers pay a certain sum
\nof money to the bus company, is believed to be one of the factors
\nthat causes reckless driving. Bus drivers often speed in order to
\nget as many passengers as possible, taking and dropping them at
\nany place.<\/p>\n
Deputy Governor for Development Affairs Budihardjo Sukmadi
\nsaid on Wednesday that a bylaw on the new bus transportation
\nsystem is expected to be approved next year.<\/p>\n
\"Under the new system, bus drivers will no longer have to
\nthink about how to get as much money as possible by maximizing
\nthe number of passengers. They cam just concentrate on driving
\ntheir buses,\" Budihardjo told reporters at City Hall.<\/p>\n
The new system, prepared by Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada
\nUniversity, requires passengers to buy tickets provided by the
\nadministration. Pre-paid tickets are offered so cash transactions
\nonboard will become a thing of the past.<\/p>\n
The administration will pay bus operators a certain amount of
\nmoney depending on the distance of the route.<\/p>\n
A pilot project for the new system will be the Blok M (South
\nJakarta) to Kota (West Jakarta) route, which will be offered to
\nprivate investors through a tender.<\/p>\n
The project will require investment totaling Rp 51 billion
\nwith some Rp 38.6 billion to be used for the purchase of 64 air-
\nconditioned buses.<\/p>\n
The system will be handled by a new body called the city bus
\ntransportation body, which will operate under the City
\nTransportation Agency.<\/p>\n
City councillors gave the green light for the plan, but they
\nhave disagreed over the establishment of the bus transportation
\nbody.<\/p>\n
Councillor Tjuk Sudono of the National Mandate Party said it
\nwould be better to set up a city transportation council, to
\nhandle sea, land and air transport, as had earlier been suggested
\nby City Council.<\/p>\n
Tjuk also said a bylaw was not needed as a new bus system
\ncould be decided by a gubernatorial decree.<\/p>\n
Jakarta has 5,411 large buses, 4,981 medium buses and 11,848
\nminivans. Only 68 percent of the total number of buses currently
\noperate as the rest remain in poor condition.<\/p>",
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