Traffic policy plan criticized by commuters<\/p>\n
Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Motorists have expressed their objection to the city
\nadministration's plan to extend the three-in-one traffic policy
\nas they consider it ineffective to cope with the traffic
\ncongestion in the city.<\/p>\n
\"If the final goal is to ease traffic, please take a look at
\nwhat happens now,\" said Era, a customer relations officer from a
\nwomen's magazine, located just off Jl. MH Thamrin.<\/p>\n
\"The traffic now shifts to the side streets parallel to Jl.
\nSudirman and Jl. MH Thamrin,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Under the three-in-one policy, vehicles with less than three
\npassengers are not allowed to drive on the main thoroughfares of
\nJl. MH Thamrin and Jl. Jendral Sudirman from 6:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
\nfrom Monday to Friday.<\/p>\n
Two weeks ago the assistant to the city secretary for
\ndevelopment affairs Irzal Djamal revealed the plan to extend the
\ntraffic policy during rush hour not only in the morning, but also
\nin the afternoon. It would also be extended to other areas in
\naccordance with the implementation of the 12.9-kilometer busway
\nsystem, from Blok M in South Jakarta to Kota in West Jakarta.<\/p>\n
A few days later, however, Governor Sutiyoso, played down the
\nidea, saying that it was revealed just for public discourse.
\nSutiyoso, who left for a 12-day tour of Latin America Saturday,
\nsaid that the final policy would be announced after he returned
\nhome. During his trip he plans to take another look at the busway
\nsystem in Bogota.<\/p>\n
Many motorists, especially those whose work in or near the
\nrestricted zone, have their own way to deal with the three-in-one
\npolicy. There are some who just ignore the rule as the police are
\nnot always on duty at the entrance to the zone. If they are
\ncaught, the police just let them go after taking bribes of
\nbetween Rp 10,000 or Rp 20,000.<\/p>\n
Instead of implementing the car-pooling system, many people
\njust hire a joki. The term for people, usually children, or women
\nwith their babies, who pose as passengers for a small fee,
\nranging from Rp 2,000 to Rp 10,000. Some even take their
\nhousemaids.<\/p>\n
Kitri, a corporate banking officer whose office is located in
\nthe Jakarta Stock Exchange building in South Jakarta, said that
\nshe had to bring her housemaid with her every morning.<\/p>\n
\"It is in fact very silly. The policy is actually made to
\nreduce the traffic in the morning, but if everybody does what I
\ndo, what's the point?\" she said.<\/p>\n
The three-in-one policy was launched in the early 1990s, and
\nso far has only benefited the joki and police.<\/p>\n
Diana, an employee whose office is also on Jl. Gatot Subroto,
\nSouth Jakarta, said that she often hired a joki and paid Rp 2,000
\nfor the service.<\/p>\n
Diana, who lives in Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta, actually knows
\nan alternative road heading to her office, but it takes too much
\ntime.<\/p>\n
\"It is better if I hire a joki rather than taking the
\nalternate route as it takes about 15 minutes longer,\" she added.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Andry, a lawyer whose office is at the Danamon
\nbuilding on Jl. Sudirman, also hires people to sit in his car. He
\npays Rp 3,000 for each joki.<\/p>\n
Andry said that it would be better for the government to
\nimprove the public transportation system, instead of implementing
\nsuch a policy.<\/p>\n
\"I wouldn't mind using public transportation, if it were safe,
\nclean and comfortable enough,\" said Andry, \"But you see now, the
\npublic buses are so dirty with many pick-pockets operating
\ninside.\"<\/p>\n
Most public buses in Jakarta are overloaded with passengers.
\nThey look more like giants cans of human sardines rather than
\nbuses.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, Edward, an expatriate who works at a foreign
\nembassy, said that the three-in-one policy might be a good way to
\nmake new friends.<\/p>\n
\"I often see people stop at bus stops and ask other people to
\njoin them,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/traffic-policy-plan-criticized-by-commuters-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}