Tow truck operators running amok in city<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
It is always annoying when you are forced to use a service or pay
\na much higher price than warranted for something.<\/p>\n
Iwan, who runs a small business selling lubricant oil, had to
\nbe towed when his rented light truck developed an engine problem
\nin Jembatan Tiga, West Jakarta, recently.<\/p>\n
\"How could this happen? They just towed my rented truck
\nwithout asking my permission,\" he told The Jakarta Post in the
\ntow truck compound in Grogol, West Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Iwan is just one of many victims of the vast number of tow
\ntrucks operating uncontrollably in the city. The number of tow
\ntrucks on Jakarta's roads has been growing amid a lack of
\nregulations and monitoring from the city administration, with
\nmany of them freely charging exorbitant prices for their
\nservices.<\/p>\n
The head of the city transportation agency, Rustam Effendi,
\nconfirmed that tow truck cooperative Kopedar sets its own rates
\nand there was no monitoring of the services by the agency.<\/p>\n
Kopedar sets rates ranging from Rp 125,000 (US$13.4) to Rp
\n450,000 for services outside toll roads and between Rp 50,000 and
\nRp 120,000 on toll roads, depending on the distance and the type
\nof vehicle.<\/p>\n
But in actual practice, tow truck owners charge customers far
\nmore that the set rates.<\/p>\n
Julia, who lives in Tangerang, said her husband nearly clashed
\nwith a tow truck owner who demanded Rp 300,000 after towing her
\ncar only two kilometers.<\/p>\n
\"My husband called a friend after realizing that the tow truck
\ndriver had a sharp weapon that might be used to force him to
\npay,\" Julia said, adding that finally her husband had to pay Rp
\n160,000.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the victims' statement, a tow truck driver, who
\nrefused to be identified, said they had to charge a higher price
\nfor the service because they had to pay police officers for
\nsecurity.<\/p>\n
Agus, who works with Kopedar, denied that tow truck drivers
\nforce owners of cars that break down on the road to use their
\nservices and charge them higher prices.<\/p>\n
\"If they force you, report it to the cooperative,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Hermawan, another tow truck driver, said tow trucks were
\nallowed to operate on toll roads although there were free towing
\nservices from toll operator PT Jasa Marga after paying official
\ntow truck drivers who patrol the toll road. But Hengki Herwanto,
\nPT Jasa Marga secretary, denied it.<\/p>\n
Arianto, a communications officer at PT Jasa Marga, advised
\ntoll road users to immediately contact the company's
\ncommunications service if their cars break down on a toll road.<\/p>\n
\"If you don't want an unofficial tow truck to tow your car,
\nyou should not open your car window but instead immediately
\ncontact the toll road communications department,\" he said.<\/p>",
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