AC bus owners asked to review decision

JAKARTA (JP): Lacking legal authority to withdraw the recent fare increase for air-conditioned express buses, Governor Surjadi Soedirdja yesterday appealed to bus owners to review their decision on the arbitrary fare hike.

"I urge AC bus operators not to charge passengers the new fare. We've not yet been informed by Organda," Surjadi said after a ceremony to open low-cost apartments in Bendungan Hilir, Central Jakarta. "Organda has broken the consensus," he added.

Surjadi told reporters yesterday that the Organization of Land Transport Owners (Organda) had not consulted the city administration before increasing the fare from Rp 1,300 to Rp 1,800.

A gubernatorial decree can only legalize fare increases for regular bus and other small transport vehicles.

Surjadi said that although the AC bus fare is set by bus companies, there is a consensus between Organda and the city administration requiring that Organda consult the administration whenever it plans to increase the fare.

The fare controversy started last weekend when AC bus crews charged passengers Rp 1,800. Many passengers protested, saying they had not been informed about the increase.

This apparently led city councilors to blame Organda for failing to officially announce the new fare to the public before the implementation date.

Many passengers said the new fare is too high.

"There would not have been any protests if the people had been informed about the matter," Suryadi said. (yns)