City approves Rp 1,800 as new fare of AC bus
City approves Rp 1,800 as new fare of AC bus
JAKARTA (JP): The fare on air-conditioned Patas (express)
buses increased on Saturday from Rp 1,300 to Rp 1,800 (78 US
cents) after the city administration gave its approval. The City
Council however criticized the policy, saying the approval is
only verbal made and thus unofficial.
The fare for AC Patas buses increased without official
announcement by either the administration or the land transport
owners organization (Organda).
Sahala Sinaga, deputy chairman of the Indonesian Democratic
Party faction of the City Council said yesterday he regretted the
increase, which was approved by the city administration without
official (written) notification to the council.
"It is not proper for the administration to give such a non-
formal nod in such a case. The public should have been informed
about the increase in the bus fares through official
announcements," Sahala said.
Sahala said the city administration should order Organda to
cancel the new fare as soon as possible and start the whole
process all over again.
"I urge the city administration to stop the practice in order
to publicize the raise to the public," he said.
Sahala warned the city administration that such practices
could encourage owners of other types of public transportation to
arbitrarily raise their fares.
Organda has been trying to increase the fare of AC buses since
the government raised the fares of other public transportation in
April.
The head of Organda, Aip Sjarifudin, said yesterday that
Governor Surjadi Soedirdja has already approved the new fare be
implemented on May 25.
Aip said the association originally proposed a new fare of Rp
2,000 per person, but the governor rejected the idea.
He said that law No. 14/1992 on traffic stipulates that the
fare of AC buses is determined by the owners and approved by the
city administration.
"The AC bus fare is not decided by the minister of
transportation, therefore it is not included in the new fares of
public transportation regulated by the ministerial decree," he
said.
He admitted that many passengers were shocked at the new fare
but Aip refused to explain why either the association or the city
administration did not announce the new fare before May 25.
Some passengers said yesterday the new fare was too high for
them.
"I think Rp 1,800 is too high for us. Maybe, Rp 1,500 is
enough," Lilis, a housewife, told The Jakarta Post in a Mastranss
AC bus plying the Senen-Lebak Bulus route yesterday.
She said she chose an AC bus for safety and comfort reasons.
"The old fare was actually high enough, but we have no power to
oppose the administration's decision," she said.
Elly, a college student, said even the old fare was too high
for students like her. (yns/jun)