Bus owners punished

Bus owners punished

BANDUNG: The local government has frozen the operation permits for 46 buses from various companies for increasing their fares beyond the permitted level during the February Idul Fitri holiday season.

The buses had their permits frozen for between one week and 30 weeks as of yesterday, depending on the extent of the offense.

"We want to show that the government is serious about enforcing regulations. Bus owners should better educate their drivers," chief of the local agency for traffic and transportation Gumbira Suganda.

Agency officials removed license plates from the buses and locked up their steering wheels. They vowed to take harsher actions if the bus owners operate the buses again.

"We can't do anything but accept the punishment," said Ginting, the manager of PO Parahiyangan, one of Bandung's main bus companies. (17/pan)