Busway feeder buses not yet ready

Busway feeder buses not yet ready

Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Around two weeks before the TransJakarta Busway is fully
operational on Feb. 1, the feeder buses are still not ready.

The Jakarta Post observed on Monday at the Blok M bus terminal
in South Jakarta that few buses had "feeder" stickers on their
front and rear windows. Those displaying the stickers were the
Mayasari Bhakti air-conditioned bus plying Tangerang-Blok M, the
Mayasari Bhakti air-conditioned bus plying Bekasi-Blok M and the
Metromini bus plying Ciledug-Blok M.

Apart from sporting the large, orange stickers, no
improvements were observed in any of the buses. A Metromini
Ciledug-Blok M feeder bus was perceived to be as shabby and
smoke-emitting as ever.

Drivers and conductors of the buses also said they still did
not know what operating a busway-feeder bus entailed,
particularly in regards to ticketing. They said their companies
had not yet informed them of possible changes.

"All I know is that passengers still have to pay the regular
fee," said Edi, a conductor of the Tangerang-Blok M bus.

Initially, the City Transportation Agency had said that it
would provide air-conditioned and comfortable buses for the
busway's 16 chosen feeder-service routes.

However, the bus companies could not provide such buses and
did not have the funds to refurbish their old buses. The agency
then said that the operators' existing buses would be used.

The busway management also intends to alter ticket prices for
the existing buses. Prices will be determined according to zoning
and whether the bus is air-conditioned or not.

Bus passengers who usually take one bus from a terminal or
shelter nearby their home to an area within the busway corridor
-- like passengers of the Bianglala AC Ciputat-Kota bus -- spoke
of inconveniences resulting from the new system . They said that
besides a possible hike in their daily transportation fee, they
would have to transfer to the busway at Blok M, whereas usually
they stayed on one bus for the duration of their journey.