Bus drivers shake off old and dirty image

By Imran Rusli

JAKARTA (JP): "They sure make my heart beat faster," says Bonita, a student of a South Jakarta university.

No, she is not talking about Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone, Tom Cruise or Richard Gere. She is referring to Jakarta's bus drivers, the one with shiny shoes, neatly pressed shirts and ties.

Gone is the old, unruly and smelly image of the city's bus drivers. In their place are courteous and self-confident men who not only please the eye but also boost passengers' self-esteem. It is as if passengers are no longer simply a bunch of nobodies. They are respected and treated likewise.

Only last year Jakarta's bus drivers were considered dirty and having little discipline. The old impression has not totally disappeared. Many still look dirty, smell and are rude. However, changes are on the way and 387 new air-conditioned buses operating in the city are now manned by tie-wearing drivers. They are expected to enhance the image of their companies which together provide 1,622 non-air-conditioned buses and 16,091 regular buses.

The drivers wear shiny leather shoes, black striped smooth casual trousers, light-colored long-sleeve shirts and dark- colored ties. They sometimes put on dark glasses. Good-looking, stylish and self-confident is the resulting image.

The conductors are equally well dressed. They are courteous, smile readily but show firmness when collecting the fares. They come quickly to the rescue when a passenger does not know how to adjust the air conditioner above his or her seat.

"On this Bianglala air-conditioned bus I have never been treated rudely as on other buses with inferior service. The conductors also wear freshly laundered uniforms," says Diana, a cosmetics assistant at Pondok Indah Mall in South Jakarta.

Diana lives in Pamulang and has been riding the air- conditioned bus since January. Having no other alternative for her transportation, she previously took crowded non-air- conditioned buses. The fare was about three times lower but the buses were far from comfortable. She could never get a seat, could hardly move once she was crammed among other standing passengers, some of whom pinched her at times. She arrived at her workplace with her dress crumpled, her makeup running and her hair in disarray. She thinks the Rp1,300 fare for air-conditioned buses is worth the service. Formerly she paid between Rp 300 and Rp 550 for her arduous and stifling daily trip.

The motive behind Bianglala's air-conditioned buses and smart is to establish a good reputation for both the company and the drivers. Rusdi, 38, a father of two, used to work for a minibus transport company. He is satisfied with his new job, saying working for his former company was stressful due to the workload, the overheating of the old engine, the small space around the driver's seat, the behavior of passengers and conductors and the Rp 90,000 daily rent. He says, "Now there are few pressures, everything runs smoothly and I feel more appreciated."

Other operators driving Steady Safe and PPD air-conditioned buses have similar experiences. Umar on the Blok M-Pulogadung line says his company, the state-owned PPD, has made a significant breakthrough although that means he has to bring in a compulsory daily payment of Rp 180,000 in order to earn Rp 400,000 a month. He says, "Passengers appreciate well-dressed drivers. We perform better in a comfortable and clean bus."

Installments

The drivers say the uniforms are provided by the companies but must be paid for. They receive three or four changes of uniform, shoes and ties every six months. Payment can be made in installments. A package costs between Rp 80,000 and Rp 100,000. With a monthly income of Rp 500,000 Rusdi says he has no objection to the terms of payment for the uniform. "This uniform gives me self-confidence. My children are not ashamed to welcome their father who looks smart like a pilot." He believes the working conditions enable him to remain active for 10 to 12 hours a day, six days a week.

Rusdi's conductor, Sulfan, 23, says he is happy although he has to get up at dawn every day and iron his uniform for fear of getting fired. "Besides, the bus has a tape recorder playing my favorite dangdut songs. I am not forced to hear the ugly songs of those street singers who do not feel comfortable in air- conditioned buses." He also appreciates the fact that he has no problem anymore in collecting passenger fees and that hardly any passengers remain standing.

Envious

Drivers of ordinary buses are sometimes envious of those in air-conditioned buses. "They are comfortable. They are free from the heat, especially in traffic jams. They are not haunted by having to pay a daily fixed amount due to the commission or salary system. When the vehicle breaks down or they have an accident, the company takes care of it," complains a Metromini driver. He has applied three times to join Steady Safe but has been rejected because his appearance, skill and traffic knowledge are inadequate.

Another driver, Burhan, says the requirements are hard to meet. Being a driver of an air-conditioned bus does not only requires driving skills. A good appearance is a must as is knowing how to communicate with the police, the road transport agency and hoodlums.

"In fact it is all rather complicated and tiring, but I understand its purpose and I like it," says Rusdi.