Bus drivers oppose plan to add 1,000 wide-bodied buses

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)