Negligent AC passenger-bus owners warned<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The City Land Transport Agency has threatened to
\nrevoke permits of air-conditioned (AC) limited passenger buses
\nowned by bus companies which decline to fully operate regular
\nbuses.<\/p>\n
The chairman of the Jakarta branch of the Association of
\nPublic Transportation Owners (Organda), Aip Syarifuddin, said on
\nWednesday the agency had set the end of next month as the
\ndeadline for all bus companies to abide by existing rules.<\/p>\n
\"By the end of June all city bus firms are asked to comply
\nwith bus operation regulations set by the government, otherwise
\ntheir permits for AC limited passenger buses will be revoked,\"
\nAip said.<\/p>\n
According to a 1996 government regulation, each city bus firm
\nis required to operate their fleet under a 40-30-30 ratio, namely
\n40 percent for AC limited passenger buses, 30 percent for non-AC
\nlimited passenger buses and 30 percent for regular buses.<\/p>\n
The bus fare is set by the government at Rp 1,800 (U.S. 70
\ncents) for AC limited passenger buses, Rp 700 for non-AC limited
\npassenger buses and Rp 300 for regular ones.<\/p>\n
Reports said that a number of regular buses disappeared from
\nservice along designated routes because they were converted into
\nnon-AC limited passenger buses.<\/p>\n
The agency recently stopped the operations of several bus
\ncompanies because they had breached regulations by charging Rp
\n700 for fares on their regular buses.<\/p>\n
Its findings also uncovered that only 439 of the 1,679 regular
\nbuses, which should be in operation in the city, were operating.<\/p>\n
Aip said that most bus companies attributed the removal of
\ntheir regular buses from designated routes on their inability to
\nrepair damaged buses.<\/p>\n
\"But, we agree with the agency to punish bus companies which
\nfail to operate regular buses, because this act violates
\nregulations,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He warned that most bus companies would suffer great losses if
\nthe agency revoked AC limited passenger bus permits.<\/p>\n
\"Most bus companies heavily depend on profits from AC limited
\npassenger buses to subsidize the operation of regular buses,\" Aip
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Councilor M. Rodja of the United Development Party
\nurged the city to eliminate non-AC limited passenger buses and to
\nconvert them into regular buses.<\/p>\n
By eliminating non-AC limited passengers buses, there will be
\nonly two types left: regular and AC limited passenger ones, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"So far, there's no difference between the services of regular
\nand non-AC limited passenger buses. Passengers who are forced to
\npay more on non-AC limited passenger buses still have to stand up
\nbecause of overcrowding,\" Rodja said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Under city regulations, limited passenger buses are only
\nallowed to carry 10 passengers over capacity during peak hours.
\nThese regulations are often disregarded by bus drivers.<\/p>\n
Latest data shows that 3,691 buses are in operation in the
\ncity. Of these, 1,900 are classified as non-AC limited passenger
\nbuses, 672 as AC limited passenger buses, and the remaining 1,119
\nas regular ones. The buses ply 217 routes throughout the city.<\/p>\n
Transport projects<\/p>\n
In a related development, Minister of Transportation Haryanto
\nDhanutirto said that two transportation projects -- the proposed
\nthree-tier transit system and the Manggarai integrated transport
\nproject -- would go on even though the two were not included in
\nthe revised city planning.<\/p>\n
\"Both projects will be constructed,\" Haryanto told reporters
\nat City Hall.<\/p>\n
He said the construction of the two projects would be in line
\nwith Governor Surjadi Soedirdja's development policy.<\/p>\n
When asked whether city planning should be changed according
\nto the demand, he argued that planning should not be too
\n\"static\". \"Planning can be changed according to progress and
\ndemand,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Both projects, being advanced under different consortia led by
\nPresident Soeharto's eldest daughter Mrs. Siti Hardiyanti
\nRukmana, were not included in the 1985\/2010 revised city planning
\npresented at City Hall earlier this month. (ste)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/negligent-ac-passenger-bus-owners-warned-1447893297",
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