AC bus owners asked to review decision

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)