Bus drivers oppose plan to add 1,000 wide-bodied buses
JAKARTA (JP): Bus drivers oppose plans to add 1,000 wide- bodied buses to Jakarta's existing fleet, fearing it will reduce their daily incomes.
The plan was offered late last week by J.P. Sepang, the head of the City Land Transportation and Traffic Control Office (DLLAJR), to cope with the increasing public demand for better transportation services.
Another reason for the addition, according to Sepang, is to counter the lack of buses on certain routes, allegedly as a result of his office's strict traffic dragnet launched on March 22.
Over the last few days the lack of buses has been apparent on Jl. MH. Thamrin, Jl. Jendral Sudirman, Jl. Sutoyo, the Slipi Circle, Jl. Hayam Wuruk and Jl. Gajah Mada.
A total of 17 PATAS air-conditioned buses serving the Lebakbulus-Senen route reportedly were not operational on Friday because 45 employees, including drivers of the buses, went on strike.
B. Pardjoko, 29, a senior high school graduate turned driver of a Metromini-S71 minibus, which serves the Kodam Bintaro - Blok M route, South Jakarta, told The Jakarta Post Saturday the introduction of wide-bodied buses on his route could drastically slash his daily earnings.
Even with the present fleet, a large number of passengers can only be expected at rush hours. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., there are few passengers, Pardjoko said.
Pardjoko said after paying a daily rental fee of Rp 87,000 and Rp 25,000 for fuel, he usually takes home an average daily earning of Rp 10,000.
Jumali, 35, the driver of a Kopaja S-608 minibus serving the Trunojoyo-Tanah Abang route, said meeting the targeted daily rental fee of Rp 80,000 was already difficult, let alone having to compete with wide-bodied buses.
Jumali, who said he earned about Rp 15,000 to Rp 20,000 a day, complained that the number of Kopaja S-608 minibuses was too large.
More alluring
"There are now 40 buses. The ideal number should be 30. Fortunately, the whole fleet cannot operate every day because some of the buses break down," he said, adding that paying the rental fee would be a strain for him if the whole fleet were in operation.
Both Pardjoko and Jumali expressed the wish to become drivers of wide-bodied buses managed by the state-owned bus company PPD because it gives fixed monthly salaries and a number of fringe benefits, including a rice allowance.
The two acknowledged that permanent jobs are apparently more alluring than temporary ones.
Even Ngadimin, 48, a PPD bus conductor serving the Blok M - Senen route said the plan would reduce his income.
Apart from the fixed salary and allowances which he gets, he also benefits from the difference between the amount of money he collects from passengers and the rental fee of Rp 116,000, which he has to pay the company.
In response to the DLLAJR's plan, Mansyur Achmad, the head of the City Council's Commission D on Land Transportation, told the Post, he fully agreed with it.
"I agree and suggest that DLLAJR use articulated buses because they accommodate more passengers. Such buses are particularly useful to carry passengers in wide thoroughfares such as Jl. Sudirman or Thamrin," Mansyur said.
When asked about the dissatisfaction of drivers of smaller- bodied buses over the plan, Mansyur suggested that while DLLAJR proceeds with the plan to ban smaller-bodied buses, it is switching the drivers to jobs with the private companies which operate wide-bodied buses. (06)