City 'needs guidelines' for non Jakarta taxis

City 'needs guidelines' for non Jakarta taxis

JAKARTA (JP): Officials and a taxi company stressed the need
for guidelines to regulate the operation of taxis from outside
the capital.

Head of the City Land Transportation Agency (DLLAJ) Buyung
Atang and Blue Bird vice operation director Ateng Aryono, along
with a special team consisting of senior officials from his
office, representatives from taxi companies, executives of the
Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda) and
authorities from the neighboring areas of Bekasi, Tangerang,
Bogor and Depok discussed the matter over the weekend.

So far, they said, the team had three possibilities for
dealing with the problem; having no restrictions at all, allowing
taxis from outlying areas to drive Jakarta-bound passengers on
condition that the vehicles leave the capital immediately
afterward or collecting penalties from taxis which are not based
in Jakarta but are operating within the capital.

"The discussion was held in the spirit of the new law on
regional autonomy. The parties involved in the discussion tend to
allow taxi operators based in Jakarta and its surrounding areas
to operate freely," Ateng said on Saturday.

He agreed that taxi operators are subject to annual fees
imposed by respective administrations, which also issue permits.

However, unlike bus operators, taxis do not follow a specific
route as drivers go to destinations at the request of passengers,
Ateng said.

Buyung said in an interview on Wednesday that with the options
Jakarta-based taxi firms would no longer have to compete with
rival companies from other (neighboring) cities.

"Aside from that, our objection is based on the fact that taxi
operators are subject to fees imposed by administrations in their
respective areas from which they obtain their permits.

"If they received a permit and paid fees to their respective
administration, they should make their earnings in that area, not
elsewhere," he said.

Buyung said it was hard for him to believe that several taxi
companies in Jakarta had aired a strong protest to the plan,
which, he said, was merely aimed at protecting their market and
to limit the number of taxis in the Greater Jakarta area.

He said the protest was apparently voiced by taxi operators
who had also set up similar businesses in Bogor, Tangerang and
Bekasi areas.

He suspected that they were upset after his office rejected
their applications for new taxi companies.

"Our study reveals that there are enough taxis in Jakarta, and
that's why we have not issued permits for new taxi operators
since 1998," he said.

Official data shows that there are 30 taxi operators in the
capital, including PT President Taxi, PT Steady Safe, PT Blue
Bird, PT Gamya and PT Kosti Jaya with a total of 22,000 vehicles
roaming the streets of Jakarta. Another 17 operators are based in
Bogor, Tangerang and Bekasi.

Some come from companies which were well-established in
Jakarta.

Separately, head of the National Land Transportation Owners
Organization GT Soerbakti welcomed the plan, saying that the
guidelines were badly needed.

"We know that an increasing number of taxis in the capital
could lead to an overabundance of them. Taxi operators in Jakarta
should be grateful with the plan," he said.

However, Soerbakti explained that imposing the guidelines
would not be easy work since many people working in Jakarta live
outside the capital and taxis are a necessity for them.

The guidelines are slated to be signed by Jakarta Governor
Sutiyoso and West Java Governor R. Nuriana. (lup)