Bus owners pledge improved service in line with fare hike
Bus owners pledge improved service in line with fare hike
JAKARTA (JP): While insisting that their proposal for a bus
fare increase be accommodated, the Jakarta chapter of the Land
Transportation Owners Association (Organda) vowed on Saturday to
improve service for city residents in return for the hike.
"We can provide new buses every seven years if our proposal is
endorsed, and new buses will provide more comfort for
passengers," chairman of Organda's Jakarta chapter Aip
Syarifuddin said in a media conference at his office on Jl. Kyai
Maja in South Jakarta.
"We will also be able to pay our drivers and their assistants
through a monthly salary payment system, instead of imposing a
daily target on them," he added, citing the current payment
system.
The condition of public transportation has been criticized for
a long time, especially by residents.
Lack of financial sources have forced the owners to
"cannibalize" their buses since the beginning of the monetary
crisis in mid-1997 because of the skyrocketing prices of spare
parts.
Most city buses are currently in bad condition. Only 60
percent are operational, while the rest are grounded and their
parts have used to repair and maintain those buses still running.
The target system has also forced drivers to meet a projected
daily quota, and they thus pay less attention to the safety of
passengers.
"Our load factor is more than 140 percent, while it should be
only 90 percent in order to provide better services to
passengers," Aip said recently.
Organda's proposal was based on operational cost components
for maintenance and spare parts, overheads, and fuel consumption.
The new fare will be established through a formula that will
include bus operational costs with a 10 percent additional
margin.
The agency proposed that regular bus fare should be Rp 1,000
(13 U.S. cents) from Rp 300, minibuses Rp 1,200 from Rp 500,
Patas buses Rp 1,550 from Rp 700, and Patas AC buses Rp 3,250
from Rp 2,300.
"It's also important to hike the student fare from Rp 100 to
Rp 500. The student fare hasn't been increased since 1989," added
Aip.
Commenting on the fuel subsidy, Aip suggested the government
should transfer the subsidy directly to owners bank accounts
rather than using fuel coupons.
"The fuel subsidy only covers 2 percent of our operational
costs. The majority of our costs are generated by maintenance and
spare parts," he said.
He also stated that Organda members would go on strike on
April 10 unless their demands were met.
"We are not threatening the government, for we have given them
more than enough time to consider our proposal," he said. (nvn)