Bus drivers say new levies imposed at terminals too steep

Bus drivers say new levies imposed at terminals too steep

BOGOR (JP): Public bus drivers in Baranangsiang intercity bus
terminal complained on Tuesday that the 300 percent increase in
terminal levies was too burdensome.

The drivers said they had considered rallying against the
levies but eventually discarded the idea so as to avoid direct
confrontation with the terminal's authorities.

They said the number of bus passengers had decreased
significantly over the past few months while the cost of goods
and services had skyrocketed, leaving them unable to cope with
the added cost of high levies. They said they hoped that related
officials and the local administration would lessen the amount to
a more affordable level.

On Feb. 16, the terminal authorities quadrupled levies
collected from buses entering the busy terminal.

The levy for a small bus, for example, has been increased to
Rp 1,000 (13 U.S. cents) from the previous rate of Rp 300. A
bigger bus is now charged Rp 2,000 from Rp 700 previously. A bus
parking at the terminal overnight has to pay Rp 7,000 from the
previous Rp 5,000 levy.

Bus drivers and their assistants are apparently finding the
new levies too burdensome since they also have to pay extra to
other officials during trips to their destinations.

"If business was good, Rp 1,000 wouldn't be a problem.

"But when we don't make enough money, such an amount is a big
deal for us, the poor folk," Ombi, a driver of small bus plying
the Bogor-Jonggol route, said.

Ombi said business had been slow over the past few weeks and
he had only managed to make a few thousand rupiah per day.

"Even though it (the levy) is burdensome, I pay it anyway
because I don't want to fight with the officials and I want to
stay out of trouble for the sake of my job," Ombi said.

Hendra, another driver, said the terminal authorities collect
at least four types of levies from the drivers.

"When we enter the terminal, we first have to pay Rp 600. Then
when we leave the site we have to pay another Rp 1,000 at the
gate. We also have to pay if we park a bus overnight at the
terminal.

"Other Rp 5,000 is changed for what they call a levy for the
lane," Hendra said.

Bus drivers also have to spend extra money to pay authorities
at their destination terminals.

"At the Depok terminal, for example, we have to pay again. So
you can imagine the enormous expenses we have in paying levies
all through the day," he said.

Baranangsiang terminal chief Priyatna Wiria said the increase
in levies was based on Bogor City Bylaw No. 6/1999 which allows
the levies charged at terminals to be raised in a bid to gain
more regional revenue.

"We target a Rp 675 million revenue from the terminal alone
this year," Priyatna said.

But, he said, the increase did not necessarily boost regional
revenue as many bus companies had temporarily stopped operating
due to the high prices of spare parts and maintenance.

"We used to have at least 900 buses passing in and out of the
terminals every day, but now it's only about 600 buses per day,"
he said. (24/edt)