YLKI rejects proposed hike in city bus fare<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI)
\nrejected yesterday the City Land Transportation Agency's (DLLAJ)
\nplan to propose a fare hike of regular city buses from Rp 300 (12
\nU.S. cents) to Rp 500.<\/p>\n
YLKI's executive director, Zumrotin K.S., said that the
\nproposed fare hike was not necessary because bus companies still
\ncould profit from the existing fare if they managed their
\ncompanies professionally.<\/p>\n
She cited a 1996 World Bank report, which said that bus
\ncompanies, which were professionally managed, could profit from
\nthe air-conditioned, limited passenger (Patas) bus fare of Rp
\n1,800 and the regular bus fare of Rp 300.<\/p>\n
A 1996 rule allows each bus company in Jakarta to operate 40
\nAC Patas buses and 30 regular buses for every 30 non-AC Patas
\nbuses. The fare for non-AC buses is Rp 700.<\/p>\n
The hike proposal, she said, was apparently made to prevent
\nthe \"disappearance\" of regular buses from designated route.<\/p>\n
She said that many bus companies have been reluctant to
\noperate regular buses and have changed the classification of
\ntheir regular buses to non-AC Patas buses instead.<\/p>\n
The municipality, she said, should tightly control the
\noperation of the non-AC Patas buses.<\/p>\n
The disappearance of regular buses, Zumrotin said, was caused
\nmainly by weak supervision on the part of DLLAJ of the operation
\nof non-AC Patas buses.<\/p>\n
\"Non-AC Patas buses can't just stop anywhere and pick up
\npassengers at will like regular buses. That's not fair to bus
\ncompanies who operate regular buses,\" Zumrotin said.<\/p>\n
Any decision taken by the government to raise bus fares after
\nthe May 29 general election would be deplorable to the public,
\nshe said.<\/p>\n
\"If the government raises fares now after the election, it
\nwould mean the government breaking its promise of not raising
\nthem this year,\" Zumrotin said.<\/p>\n
DLLAJ chief J.P. Sepang said on Thursday that the agency would
\npropose a regular bus fare hike by Rp 200 because the current
\nfare was no longer adequate to cover operational and maintenance
\ncosts of bus companies.<\/p>\n
Minister<\/p>\n
However, Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto
\nreiterated yesterday that the government would not raise
\ntransportation fares before the general assembly next year.<\/p>\n
\"I don't think it is necessary to raise fares (for public sea,
\nland and air transportation). Who said there would be a raise?
\nJust tell me who said that and I'll cengkiwing them (pick them up
\nand shake them by the scruff of the neck),\" the minister told
\nreporters after inaugurating a mosque and Rp 17.5 billion worth
\nof projects of state-owned PT Rukindo in Ancol Barat, North
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
\"Please don't fanaticize (about raising fares).\"<\/p>\n
Haryanto also called on local authorities to concentrate more
\non overseeing bus operators, particularly in the capital.<\/p>\n
\"The local government has to be more firm with bus operators,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\"If there are complaints that regular bus drivers have lower
\nincomes as a result, bus operators should apply a cross-
\nsubsidizing plan,\" Haryanto said, adding that bus operators
\nshould also be careful in management.<\/p>\n
\"This is a marginal business. They should run their companies
\ncarefully to avoid, for instance, leaving regular buses idle,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said that local authorities and other parties should also
\nwork hand in hand to eliminate illegal levies that are imposed on
\nbus drivers.<\/p>\n
The proposed bus fare hike has received a mixed response from
\npassengers. A woman, who works at the Manggala Wanabhakti
\nbuilding in Central Jakarta, and an employee of Exim Bank on
\nJalan Gatot Subroto said they would not object to an increased
\nfare, as long as there was improved convenience for passengers.<\/p>\n
\"Drivers often do not pay attention to whether their buses are
\nalready crowded or not,\" the bank employee said.<\/p>\n
He also said a bus fare hike would mean he would have to set
\naside a bigger budget for transportation.<\/p>\n
\"I think I would have to spend Rp 3,000 a day for
\ntransportation to and from the office, as compared to only Rp
\n2,000 now,\" he said.<\/p>\n
A non-AC Patas bus driver said that he has heard nothing about
\nthe proposed hike.<\/p>\n
\"I don't care as long as I can keep on working,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Ahmad, a bus driver of the Blok M-Rawamangun route, said
\nwhenever there was a fare hike, it would take about three months
\nfor passengers to adjust.<\/p>\n
\"People frequently paid less than Rp 300 for several months
\nafter the bus fare was increased from Rp 250 to Rp 300 last
\nyear,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He predicted a similar practice would take place again if the
\ncurrent fare increased to Rp 500.<\/p>\n
\"Students will keep on paying Rp 100, the same as the present
\nfare,\" he said. (03\/ste\/12\/icn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ylki-rejects-proposed-hike-in-city-bus-fare-1447893297",
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