Plan replacement of medium-size buses hailed<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Organization of City Land Transportation
\nOwners has welcomed the municipality's plan to replace medium-
\nsize buses -- Metromini, Kopaja and Mikrolet -- with larger
\nvehicles.<\/p>\n
But the organization's chairman, Aip Syarifuddin, said
\nyesterday that the plan should be publicly announced and
\nconducted in stages.<\/p>\n
\"By socializing the plan first, the city administration can,
\nfor instance, prevent protests from drivers of the medium-size
\nbuses.\"<\/p>\n
The existing buses will be replaced by large-size buses with
\nregular tariff of Rp 300 (US 10 cents) per passenger per trip,
\naccording to the plan.<\/p>\n
Tariffs for Metromini and Kopaja minibuses are Rp 400 per
\nperson per trip while the price of traveling on a Mikrolet ranges
\nfrom Rp 300 to Rp 600 per passenger depending on the distance.<\/p>\n
The head of the City Land Transportation Agency, J.P. Sepang,
\nsaid Tuesday the plan to rid the main roads of the Metromini,
\nKopaja and Mikrolet was aimed at reducing traffic congestion and
\nproviding an affordable but better transportation service.<\/p>\n
\"Several bus companies, such as Bianglala, Hiba Utama and
\nSteady Safe, will launch new bus services for the routes,\"<\/p>\n
He said the medium-size buses will serve other routes which do
\nnot pass through the city's main roads, such as Jl. MH Thamrin,
\nJl. Sudirman and Jl. HR Rasuna Said.<\/p>\n
Aip said the administration should have first consulted owners
\nof the medium-size buses about the new routes for their vehicles.<\/p>\n
\"Without consulting with the owners, I believe they will want
\nto stage a protest too.\"<\/p>\n
He said the owners would refuse the plan if the administration
\ngave them \"dry\" routes.<\/p>\n
\"Buses, which operating on the main roads, usually have lots
\nof passengers and bus owners will certainly reject the proposed
\nroutes, if the new routes mean a lack of passengers.\"<\/p>\n
The city's plan to remove medium-size buses from the main
\nroads has already sparked protests from Metromini drivers who
\nclaim it caused an overlapping of route services.<\/p>\n
But Sepang said that the protests were due to the poor
\nexplanations given by his subordinates to the bus owners and
\ndrivers.<\/p>\n
\"When we explained it clearly later, the bus owners and
\nprotesters understood it.\"<\/p>\n
According to data from Sepang's office, the city now operates
\n3,691 buses, including 1,900 non air-conditioned Patas buses, 672
\nair-conditioned Patas buses and 1,119 regular buses. The buses
\nply 217 routes throughout the city. (ste)<\/p>",
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