Bus stations to take action against unsafe buses
Bus stations to take action against unsafe buses
JAKARTA (JP): All city bus terminals have been authorized to
fine unsafe buses and unlicensed bus drivers.
"I have asked the heads of all Jakarta terminals to
immediately ticket every bus they find guilty of not fulfilling
the prescribed regulations," said J.P. Sepang, the head of the
City Land Transportation and Traffic Control Office, at the City
Council yesterday.
Sepang added that 194 Metromini buses have been impounded by
his office for a number of violations by their drivers.
The most common violations are driving without a uniform,
driving without a license and not having their route
identification card (kartu trayek), Sepang said.
"Yesterday I caught red-handed a Metromini driver without
driving documents who had driven the bus for three days," Sepang
pointed out, "which makes it clear that he is an illegal part-
time driver".
Sepang, when asked by The Post to respond to the Metromini
owners' complaints of overly harsh public scrutiny of the
company, said it was their own fault.
The public are tired of the firm because they too often
neglect the driving regulations and endanger public safety,
Sepang said.
Eleven owners of Metromini minibuses blasted the continual
public scrutiny of their company on Wednesday as "cruel".
In a meeting with city councilors the minibus owners said it
was detrimental to the survival of their company.
Attacked
Six Metromini minibuses were burned and damaged in Jagakarsa,
South Jakarta, on March 18. The incident took place when an angry
mob, misled by reports that an area resident found dead at the
minibus pool had been struck by a Metromini, attacked the buses.
The public wrath directed towards Metromini came following the
Metromini crash on March 6 which left 33 passengers dead and
several more injured.
"Is it fair that we should bear the burden of the deed of that
reckless driver, and that because of him our company, which
involves the livelihood of many people, has fallen into
disrepute?" Siantar Nainggolan, one of the owners, said in anger.
Members of the public have pointed out that poor central
administration and other structural factors at the firm are a big
part of the problem.
Siantar also questioned the motives behind the plan of North
Jakarta Mayor Suprawito to erect a monument named "The Deadly
Metromini Monument".
According to Siantar, such a monument would only remind people
of the March 6 accident and stir up their hatred and vengeance
every time they see it.
Suprawito said should the monument be erected, it will serve
as a warning to all drivers, especially Metromini drivers, that
such an accident should never happen again.
"So, what's wrong with it?" Suprawito said, adding that he
does not mean to discredit Metromini owners.
Mulyono Hadi, another owner, was angry with the sub-divisional
head of the Land Transportation and Traffic Office (DLLAJR),
Herman Tonglo Langi.
It was he who said that it was not clear whether Metromini was
a limited liabilities company or whether it was a cooperative.
According to Mulyono, Herman's statement, which appeared in
Kompas daily on Monday, has caused reluctance on the part of
banks to provide them with new loans or prolong their loans. (06)