Buses with New Model Route system

Buses with New Model Route system

From Neraca

I commend the PPD city bus company's introduction of its New
Model Route (RMB) on its Patas AC buses. It has been found to be
effective in discouraging drivers to fill their buses with too
many passengers and to drive recklessly in the city's traffic.

The drivers of the ordinary buses usually have to earn as much
money as they can in order to pay the daily rental fee. That is
why these drivers race around picking up as many passengers as
possible.

The maintenance cost under this system is much less because
the drivers do not over work their buses.

Newspaper and TV reports often say that the company is
suffering a great operational loss. However, this does not make
sense to me because a great number of people still badly need its
service. I never see any of its buses empty. I am sure the
company must have made a profit.

I would like to voice my support for the new system, but I
believe this system still needs some improvements.

For example, many people still say that the method of paying
the fare is not practical because not all the passengers have the
exact change of Rp 1,300. It would be better to compel the
passengers to buy tickets or special coins instead of inserting
the cash directly into the box.

There are several advantages to this idea. First, the
passengers will not bother other people for small change and
second, it will prevent the drivers from pocketing the cash.

INDRIYATNO

Jakarta