City to revamp bus system beginning next year
City to revamp bus system beginning next year
Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Bus passengers can expect to enjoy better service as the city
administration plans to introduce a new system in which drivers
will be paid monthly, changing the setoran (rental fee) system.
The setoran system, which requires drivers pay a certain sum
of money to the bus company, is believed to be one of the factors
that causes reckless driving. Bus drivers often speed in order to
get as many passengers as possible, taking and dropping them at
any place.
Deputy Governor for Development Affairs Budihardjo Sukmadi
said on Wednesday that a bylaw on the new bus transportation
system is expected to be approved next year.
"Under the new system, bus drivers will no longer have to
think about how to get as much money as possible by maximizing
the number of passengers. They cam just concentrate on driving
their buses," Budihardjo told reporters at City Hall.
The new system, prepared by Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada
University, requires passengers to buy tickets provided by the
administration. Pre-paid tickets are offered so cash transactions
onboard will become a thing of the past.
The administration will pay bus operators a certain amount of
money depending on the distance of the route.
A pilot project for the new system will be the Blok M (South
Jakarta) to Kota (West Jakarta) route, which will be offered to
private investors through a tender.
The project will require investment totaling Rp 51 billion
with some Rp 38.6 billion to be used for the purchase of 64 air-
conditioned buses.
The system will be handled by a new body called the city bus
transportation body, which will operate under the City
Transportation Agency.
City councillors gave the green light for the plan, but they
have disagreed over the establishment of the bus transportation
body.
Councillor Tjuk Sudono of the National Mandate Party said it
would be better to set up a city transportation council, to
handle sea, land and air transport, as had earlier been suggested
by City Council.
Tjuk also said a bylaw was not needed as a new bus system
could be decided by a gubernatorial decree.
Jakarta has 5,411 large buses, 4,981 medium buses and 11,848
minivans. Only 68 percent of the total number of buses currently
operate as the rest remain in poor condition.