Airport takes over taxi service
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang
In response to complaints over illegal fees and robberies in taxis leaving the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II has introduced a new transportation system.
The new system integrates the management of airport taxis and bus services which initially was managed by an airport task force, Angkasa Pura II president director Edie Haryoto said on Friday.
"The new system is aimed at providing security, safety and comfort for all airport visitors," he said at the launch of the new service at Terminal IID.
The integrated service, according to Edie, will enable the airport operator to take stern actions against unscrupulous taxi companies or drivers.
Only 13 taxi companies who passed a selection test for reliability held by the airport operator were allowed to wait and take passengers out of the airport beginning Friday.
The 13 taxi companies are Blue Bird Group, Taxi Cab, Express, Primajasa, Tiffani, Koperasi Taksi, Gading, Steady Safe, Sri Medali, Ratax, Dian, Royal City and Gamya. The total number of the taxis are 1,530.
Head of the public transportation division at the Ministry of Transportation, Sugihardjo, explained that the operator had stopped the operation of Prestasi Taxi at the airport, "in order for it to improve its performance".
Passengers can now take the taxi of their choice from among the taxis parked in groups at each terminal.
In the old system, airport officers would require passengers to take the first taxi available in the queue, prompting taxi drivers to bribe them to get first in line. The drivers also passed the charge on to the passengers.
"But there will be no more illegal fees because we will also raise the airport officers' salary from Rp 300,000 (US$33.3) to Rp 1 million," Edie said.
The service of the airport shuttle bus has also been improved, allowing passengers to buy tickets at counters outside the terminal lobbies.
Angkasa Pura has also issued identity cards for taxi and bus drivers as well as complaint cards.
"Only the most reliable and comfortable taxis will survive ... There will be an independent team to evaluate the performance of the taxis," Sugihardjo said.
The evaluation team, he said, will include the Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI).
Besides filling in the complaint card, taxi and bus passengers can send their complaints via SMS to 081315908248.