Clean bus project resumes in April

JAKARTA (JP): Swisscontact, a Switzerland-based nonprofit organization, will hold the second phase of its Rp 1 billion (US$125,000) clean bus project in the capital in April next year in a bid to help improve air quality, an environmental consultant said on Tuesday.

Hugo Sager, the deputy project leader of Swisscontact, said that basically the project was aimed at keeping vehicles' emission at the lowest level, reducing fuel consumption, maintaining bus condition and improving safety on the roads.

The project will include the provision of vocational training for drivers and technicians on how to check exhaust pipes and air filters, how to drive safely and how to save more fuel, he said.

"For instance, many drivers here still do not know that they do not have to step on the accelerator pedal too hard when warming up the vehicle's engine," Hugo told a seminar on the project.

He said the project was to enter its preparation stage in January next year.

"We will cooperate with five bus companies in the project," he said.

The first stage of the project was conducted jointly by the consultant and two prominent bus companies, PT Hiba and PT Blue Bird, earlier this year.

Under the first stage of the project, which involved 965 buses from PT Hiba, another 690 buses from PT Blue Bird and 150 Silver Bird taxis, some 192 people have been trained with various programs, such as maintenance management and driving safety, he said.

Based on the evaluation of the buses involved, each vehicle could save 8 percent to 10 percent on fuel consumption, Hugo said.

"We believe that the program is important as many buses here are increasingly becoming one of the major sources of air pollution as they were poorly maintained. But we have to be selective in choosing the partners here.

"Up to this moment it is hard for us to run this program with other bus companies, such as Metromini or Mayasari Bhakti because they do not have a solid management.

"Who would be responsible enough to run this project with commitment there? We do not want to waste money for nothing," Hugo said, adding that Swisscontact is still trying to contact the Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda), City Land Transportation Agency (DLLAJ)) and other related parties. (edt)