10 bus permits revoked for route deviations

JAKARTA (JP): The city land transportation control agency has temporarily revoked the permits of 10 public buses for violating regulations, an official said yesterday.

The head of the agency's traffic control division, Oriyanto Supardal, said the buses had breached regulations by diverting from their routes before reaching their final destinations.

"The agency had warned them, but they ignored the warning. So we decided to revoke the permits for two weeks," Oriyanto said.

Of the 10 buses, six are Metromini buses, two Kopaja buses and two Mayasari Bakti buses. All the buses diverted from their designated routes.

He said the agency would continue to take stern action against errant bus drivers, especially those who force passengers to alight before reaching their destination. "They will get no mercy," Oriyanto said.

He was responding to reports of buses not plying their regular routes, mainly on the Pasar Minggu-Pulogadung route.

"I waited for half an hour but the bus did not show up," Hamidah, a passenger at Pulogadung bus terminal in East Jakarta, was quoted by Pos Kota daily as saying.

She said most available buses were air-conditioned buses, which are more expensive than regular buses. " I couldn't afford it," Hamidah said.

The fare of air-conditioned buses is Rp 1,800 (US$0.7) per person compared with Rp 300 for regular buses.

According to the agency's data, the city has 5,002 buses, but only 3,691 of them are operable.

Of the 5,002 buses, 672 are AC Patas buses, 1,900 non-AC Patas buses and 1,119 regular buses. The buses ply 217 routes in the city. (ste)