Buses, taxis to run on CNG next year

Buses, taxis to run on CNG next year

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

In an effort to reduce vehicular emissions in the capital, the
Jakarta administration will require all new public transportation
vehicles to use only compressed natural gas (CNG) starting next
year.

Head of the City Environmental Management Agency (BPLHD)
Kosasih Wirahadikusumah said on Wednesday a draft of a
gubernatorial decree on the requirement would be finished late in
January.

"The policy will take effect soon after being signed by
Governor Sutiyoso," he said on the sidelines of an event to
recognize those who were involved in the Clean Air campaigns in
the city.

He estimated that the decree would be effective by March.

Kosasih said the decree would require all operators of public
transportation vehicles to gradually replace the vehicles --
taxis, buses, and minivans -- to new vehicles compatible with CNG
fuel.

State-owned oil and gas company Pertamina will be ready to
supply the fuel, he said.

Unfortunately, only seven out of 17 stations that provide CNG
are in operation due to few customers.

"For the time being, we will facilitate the reopening of 10
other gas stations. In the long run, the administration will
supply CNG at all gas stations along the routes taken by public
transportation vehicles," Kosasih added.

Chairman of the Organization of Land Transportation Owners
(Organda) Dadan Irawan Sarpingi welcomed the initiative, but
stressed that the administration should prepare the technology
that can expedite the use of CNG fuel. He said that currently
many operators were reluctant to use gas because it needed around
30 minutes to fill up.

"The most important thing is that the administration should
give a tax reduction to us, because the price of vehicles that
are compatible with CNG can be up to 70 percent higher than the
ones that use gasoline," Dadan told The Jakarta Post.

Jakarta is one of the most polluted cities in the world, with
vehicular emissions being responsible for around 70 percent of
the air pollutants.