Closed-door rule for minibuses starts next year
Closed-door rule for minibuses starts next year
JAKARTA (JP): Police have given owners of public transit
vehicles, including the 12-seat minibuses, until early next year
to fully comply with the closed-door policy.
"Starting January, 1994, we shall fully enforce the policy,
inclusive of minibuses," City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Mochammad
Hindarto told reporters Tuesday after receiving executives of the
Jakarta chapter of the Land Transport Owners' Organization
(Organda) at city police headquarters.
During the meeting, M. Hutabarat, the head of Organda's
division for minibuses, said that some owners of the 12-seat
minibuses across the city, such as Mikrolet and KWK, had
installed additional apparatus allowing their drivers to open and
close the doors automatically.
The implementation of the policy in May this year has been
postponed by the police in the wake of outcries from minibus
owners.
The closed-door policy as dictated by the 1992 Traffic Law
obliges the crew of public transit vehicles throughout the
capital city, including minibuses, to close their doors while
their vehicles are in motion.
All public transport companies abided by the rule, except
owners and drivers of minibuses, such as KWK, Mikrolet, and
Angkutan Perkotaan, whose crews went on strike in protest of the
implementation of the regulation.
The owners and drivers of the minibuses argued they could not
afford conductors solely for opening and closing the doors, that
they could not do the job themselves due to lack of the equipment
to do so.
In response to protests which paralyzed traffic and stranded
thousands of passengers in some areas, police have given the
owners and drivers of minibuses until December to outfit a
special door apparatus.
The new system will make life easier for drivers since a new
lever-like device will allow them to open and close the door
without having to leave the driver's seat.
Prepared
During Tuesday's audience, Hutabarat said owners and drivers
of the small minibuses were now prepared to fully comply with the
closed-door policy.
Hutabarat said the minibuses will be equipped with a special
"handle" positioned next to the driver, which can be easily used
to open and close the vehicle's door.
"Of the 9,450 small minibuses across the city, 50 have been
equipped with the special equipment," Hutabarat said.
The handle, which can be installed in a hour and is priced at
Rp 75,000 (US$34.9) each, is available from FX Jacobus Jut, the
owner of "Ave Maria" workshop in Bekasi.
In anticipation of the full implementation of the closed-door
policy, Hindarto said that all small minibuses operating in the
city have been required to install the device in order to pass
the roadworthy tests.
"Thus, we expect all of the minibuses to have installed the
device by the end of the year," Hindarto said.
Hindarto stressed that the closed-door policy was aimed at
improved passenger safety, not to impose a burden on the owners
and drivers of minibuses. (jsk)
JAKARTA (JP): Police have given owners of public transit
vehicles, including the 12-seat minibuses, until early next year
to fully comply with the closed-door policy.
"Starting January, 1994, we shall fully enforce the policy,
inclusive of minibuses," City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Mochammad
Hindarto told reporters Tuesday after receiving executives of the
Jakarta chapter of the Land Transport Owners' Organization
(Organda) at city police headquarters.
During the meeting, M. Hutabarat, the head of Organda's
division for minibuses, said that some owners of the 12-seat
minibuses across the city, such as Mikrolet and KWK, had
installed additional apparatus allowing their drivers to open and
close the doors automatically.
The implementation of the policy in May this year has been
postponed by the police in the wake of outcries from minibus
owners.
The closed-door policy as dictated by the 1992 Traffic Law
obliges the crew of public transit vehicles throughout the
capital city, including minibuses, to close their doors while
their vehicles are in motion.
All public transport companies abided by the rule, except
owners and drivers of minibuses, such as KWK, Mikrolet, and
Angkutan Perkotaan, whose crews went on strike in protest of the
implementation of the regulation.
The owners and drivers of the minibuses argued they could not
afford conductors solely for opening and closing the doors, that
they could not do the job themselves due to lack of the equipment
to do so.
In response to protests which paralyzed traffic and stranded
thousands of passengers in some areas, police have given the
owners and drivers of minibuses until December to outfit a
special door apparatus.
The new system will make life easier for drivers since a new
lever-like device will allow them to open and close the door
without having to leave the driver's seat.
Prepared
During Tuesday's audience, Hutabarat said owners and drivers
of the small minibuses were now prepared to fully comply with the
closed-door policy.
Hutabarat said the minibuses will be equipped with a special
"handle" positioned next to the driver, which can be easily used
to open and close the vehicle's door.
"Of the 9,450 small minibuses across the city, 50 have been
equipped with the special equipment," Hutabarat said.
The handle, which can be installed in a hour and is priced at
Rp 75,000 (US$34.9) each, is available from FX Jacobus Jut, the
owner of "Ave Maria" workshop in Bekasi.
In anticipation of the full implementation of the closed-door
policy, Hindarto said that all small minibuses operating in the
city have been required to install the device in order to pass
the roadworthy tests.
"Thus, we expect all of the minibuses to have installed the
device by the end of the year," Hindarto said.
Hindarto stressed that the closed-door policy was aimed at
improved passenger safety, not to impose a burden on the owners
and drivers of minibuses. (jsk)