Bus drivers tested for drugs, alcohol

Bus drivers tested for drugs, alcohol

Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Thousands of holidaymakers were seen swarming the city's bus
terminals, train stations, and seaport on Thursday, heading for
their hometowns to celebrate Idul Fitri which is only four days
away.

It is estimated that over two million Jakartans, and 18.8
million people nationwide, will leave the cities for the holiday
that marks the end of Ramadhan, which falls on Nov. 25 and Nov.
26.

The Lebak Bulus bus terminal in South Jakarta, saw at least
8,411 passengers depart, mostly destined for Central Java.

Thousands of passengers, including those without confirmed
seats, packed the overcrowded trains at Senen railway station in
Central Jakarta, with some occupying the couplings between the
cars. The station managed to send off as many as 4,574 passengers
on Thursday.

The Tanjung Priok port in North Jakarta has been dispatching
two or three ships daily, carrying around 2,500 passengers in
each. State-owned shipping firm PT Pelni has prepared 17
passenger vessels and 10 vessels which can transport vehicles as
well as passengers.

However, heads of terminals and stations expect the peak to
occur on day four and day three before the holiday, which is
Friday and Saturday.

The government has taken several measures in a bid to make the
journey easier for vacationers.

The head of the Cikampek toll road, Ahdiat, said that he would
start applying a one-way route for outbound traffic from Jakarta
on Friday, so vehicles wishing to enter Jakarta would be re-
routed through other locations. This is to take effect at 2 p.m.
on Friday.

The National Police will also deploy over 120,000 personnel
nationwide and set up security posts at terminals and stations
under the security operation called Operasi Ketupat 2003.

The city police are working with PT Jasa Raharja life
insurance company to establish health posts at several train
stations and bus terminals. Each post is equipped with medical
supplies, doctors, supporting medical staff and ambulances. Other
agencies joining the effort are the Indonesian Red Cross and the
Jakarta Health Agency.

Police are conducting random urine and blood tests on bus
drivers to determine whether they are fit to drive, checking for
the possibility of drug and alcohol use.

Up to Thursday, not all of the bus terminals were conducting
the mandatory tests. The head of the Lebak Bulus terminal, S.
Sarbini, said the police, who were supposed to conduct the test,
had not arrived.

Meanwhile, two major bus terminals, the Pulo Gadung terminal
in East Jakarta and the Kampung Rambutan terminal in South
Jakarta, have been conducting the tests. However, the number of
tested drivers is minuscule compared to the actual number of
drivers.

"We checked 21 drivers on Tuesday and another 15 yesterday.
The drivers were picked randomly," said the head of the terminal,
Pardjiman. He claimed over 300 drivers were connected with the
terminal.

"I think it'd be impossible to test all of the drivers because
of time constraints. At least, random testing would elicit fear
and anxiety among the drivers and discourage them from consuming
alcohol or drugs," he added.

Tulus Abadi of the Indonesian Consumer Foundation (YLKI)
however said, "A urine test is a must for all drivers." He added
that 70 percent of traffic accidents occurred due to human error.

Tulus, who leads a monitoring team on the exodus, added that
even if the drivers were tested randomly, up to 30 or 40 percent
of the total drivers would have to be checked to make this
effective.

"This shows the lack of seriousness on the part of the
responsible parties in providing passenger services. This is very
serious because it concerns millions of lives," he told The
Jakarta Post.