Illegal levies haunt public bus drivers<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): One complaint of drivers who staged sporadic
\nstrikes in the past two weeks was the many official and
\nunofficial fees they are subjected to.<\/p>\n
There is a kind of fee which is not clearly defined as
\nofficial or not -- those collected at terminals. The 'timer', who
\noften collects these fees, are people who are supposed to count
\nbuses along respective routes.<\/p>\n
The City Land Transportation Agency's transportation business
\ndivision head, H.M. Djuhdi, said in terminals, levy collecting is
\nnot allowed. But the practice seems to be tolerated as levy
\ncollectors said they work for public transportation cooperatives.<\/p>\n
Some of these levy collectors at Pasar Minggu terminal, South
\nJakarta, said they should not be blamed for the recent strikes,
\nand that they were \"struggling\" for a decent life.<\/p>\n
Work permits<\/p>\n
The collectors said they had work permits from cooperatives,
\nand their job was to help organize traffic at the busy terminal.<\/p>\n
The head of the terminal, Harnoto, said, \"Drivers pick up
\npassengers wherever they like...passengers are impatient...they
\n(the drivers) prefer to listen to levy collectors.\"<\/p>\n
Drivers often cause congestion when waiting for passengers, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
There are only two access roads to the terminal for medium-
\nsized buses and minivans from 36 routes.<\/p>\n
\"Drivers are sometimes hotheaded people and passengers are
\nimpatient to get to the car at the front of the line,\" Mono, a
\nlevy collector said.<\/p>\n
\"Pasar Minggu is an important transit area,\" Harnoto said.
\nAbout 80,000 people pass through the area daily, while 1,250
\npublic transport vehicles plying 36 routes pass through the
\nterminal.<\/p>\n
\"It's a big headache, so 'timer' are very helpful coordinating
\nthis hectic place,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The terminal, with the sidelines filled with vendors, is in
\nthe center of a market, department stores, a sleazy cinema, a
\nslimy stream and a train station. Shoppers, suspected thieves,
\nbeggars, drivers, students and 'timer' are the spice of the
\nterminal.<\/p>\n
Levy collectors, a few senior ones known as \"masters\", are
\nmostly from North and West Sumatra. Well-known collectors
\nare \"well-connected\", a local military officer said.<\/p>\n
The officer said these senior collectors know everything about
\nthe terminal. When drivers commit traffic violations, levy
\ncollectors are asked by terminal staff to warn drivers not to
\nrepeat the offense.<\/p>\n
Several 'timer' at terminals wear blue or green uniforms and
\nothers assigned outside terminals are sometimes without uniforms;
\nbut all of them carry checklists.<\/p>\n
A source said the levy business was connected to bus and
\nminivan owners, city officials and authorities -- but he would
\nnot elaborate.<\/p>\n
\"The business is a vicious cycle,\" the source said.<\/p>\n
Creative and diligent levy collectors expand their \"business\".<\/p>\n
A 'timer' displayed about 10 drivers' licenses confiscated by
\npolice for traffic violations.<\/p>\n
He had paid a police officer Rp 50,000 (US$20.43) for the
\nlicenses, which drivers purchase from the collector at a higher
\nprice.<\/p>\n
\"Drivers and 'timer' are part of cooperatives' arrangement, so
\ndrivers should not be angry about the levies,\" he said.<\/p>\n
A driver said, \"We can't just blame the 'timer', because they
\nare only terminal workers. Bus fares (currently Rp 300 to Rp 400
\nfor regular buses) should increase to stop strikes,\" a driver
\nsaid. (10)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/illegal-levies-haunt-public-bus-drivers-1447893297",
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