PPD to introduce direct payment system on 240 buses<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The state-owned city bus company, PPD, has said
\nthat it will apply a direct payment system on 240 more buses
\nplying 16 routes despite strong protests from conductors.<\/p>\n
\"The board of directors has decided to expand the
\nimplementation of the system because it is the best way to
\nimprove the company's service to passengers as well to increase
\nthe drivers' income,\" said Hamim Busro, a spokesman for the
\ncompany.<\/p>\n
Busro told The Jakarta Post yesterday that the new payment
\nsystem, known locally as RMB, will improve the company's income.
\nThe current deposit system on regular buses forces drivers or
\ntheir crew to pay a certain amount of money to the company every
\nday.<\/p>\n
\"Through the system the company is expected to receive more
\nincome,\" said Busro, adding that drivers will receive monthly
\nwages of Rp 140,000 (US$64).<\/p>\n
The old system requires the drivers or crews to pay the daily
\ndeposit of Rp 130,000 per bus every half-day to the company
\nregardless of how much money they receive.<\/p>\n
Some drivers have used the daily deposit system as an excuse
\nto cram as many passengers into their buses in order to augment
\ntheir income.<\/p>\n
Busro said that 240 buses from six pools, pool A in Ciputat, D
\nin Kedaung, K in Daan Mogot, L in Jelambar, N in Depok and P in
\nTangerang, will introduce the direct payment system in the near
\nfuture.<\/p>\n
`RMB' buses<\/p>\n
Unlike the regular buses where passengers pay fares to
\nconductors who open and close the doors every time passengers get
\nin or out, the RMB buses are equipped with fare boxes and
\nautomatic doors.<\/p>\n
The new RMB buses include P41 which plies the Kota-Kampung
\nRambutan route, P54 which serves the Depok-Grogol route and P1 on
\nthe Kota-Blok M route.<\/p>\n
\"The company will not raise bus fares when the new system is
\nintroduced. They will remain the same--Rp 550 for Patas and Rp
\n250 for non-Patas buses,\" Busro added.<\/p>\n
Busro reiterated that the company would not dismiss a total of
\n775 conductors from the six pools when the new system takes
\neffect.<\/p>\n
\"They will be sent to our training center for additional
\ntraining and then transferred to the technical department or
\nadministrative bureaus. Some will be trained as drivers. So there
\nwill be no massive dismissals as stated by the conductors,\" Busro
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
On Monday a group of PPD conductors claiming to represent
\naround 1,000 conductors asked the House of Representatives (DPR)
\nto drop what they called the new, draconian policy of the state-
\nowned company because they feared for their jobs.<\/p>\n
In actuality PPD has operated the RMB system since 1992. But
\nat the time it was called the RMB 55 and was used only on a
\nspecial route linking Rawamangun in East Jakarta and Pasar Baru
\nbusiness district in Central Jakarta with 10 buses, several of
\nthem air-conditioned.<\/p>\n
The buses stop only at appointed bus shelters to pick up or
\ndrop off passengers, unlike the ordinary buses which often pick
\nup or drop off passengers away from designated bus stops. The
\nbuses also operate on schedule, providing certainty to passengers
\nas well as safety since the drivers are forbidden from speeding.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile city councilors agreed to PPD's plan to retain their
\nidle conductors instead of laying them off.<\/p>\n
\"PPD can train them to become drivers or security guards,\"
\nsaid councilor Muhammad Rodja of the United Development Party
\n(PPP) yesterday.<\/p>\n
Rodja said that PPD needs more security guards to improve
\nsecurity on its buses.<\/p>\n
Councilor Mansyur Achmad from the Golkar faction concurred
\nwith Rodja about PPD's plan to implement the direct payment
\nsystem.<\/p>\n
\"PPD can train the conductors to become mechanics or other
\nmaintenance officials,\" said Mansyur, adding that PPD should
\nresort to dismissal only if all compromise attempts failed.
\n(09\/yns)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ppd-to-introduce-direct-payment-system-on-240-buses-1447893297",
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