Commuters object to high busway fares
Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Arsi, 22, took out Rp 1,200 (14 U.S. cents) from her pocket to pay the fare for a bus from Blok M, South Jakarta, to Kota, West Jakarta, not realizing that it was probably one of the last times she would to pay such a low fare.
When the busway project kicks off on Jan. 15, commuters like Arsi will have to pay Rp 2,500 to ride one of the 56 air- conditioned buses.
"I'm gonna have to pay Rp 2,500? That's crazy. I thought the city administration was just going to shift the path for the buses without increasing the price. It will raise my transportation expenses," she groaned.
Arsi, who works as a waitress at a fast-food restaurant on Jl. Thamrin, lives in a rented house in Bendungan Hilir, Central Jakarta. It normally takes her 15 minutes to reach her workplace, at a cost of about Rp 2,500 a day. When the busway opens, Arsi will have to pay double for transportation at Rp 5,000 a day.
"I don't need an air-conditioned bus. This bus, that I always take, is enough. I know I don't make much. That's why I'm fine with the regular buses," she said.
The Jakarta administration has argued that the busway, which occupies a 12.9-kilometer corridor, would encourage people who work in buildings situated along the route to leave their private cars at home and use the busway instead. The city has promised to provide feeder services to and from busway shelters and residential areas on the outskirts of the capital.
Commuters will have to pay Rp 2,900 for city zones and Rp 3,800 for outer zones.
"It's a total waste of money. There are already (regular) buses from Blok M to Kota that only cost me Rp 1,200. Why would anyone get on a bus on the same route at a higher fare?" asked Yudi, a security guard at a hotel on Jl. Hayam Wuruk, West Jakarta. He lives in Kebon Sirih, Central Jakarta, and usually catches a bus on Jl. Thamrin.
Another commuter, Anastasia, was enraged and skeptical about the project.
"It is inefficient and a total waste of money. My bus intersects the busway corridor in front of the State Palace. Do I have get off my bus and take the busway to get to my office and pay Rp 2,500 more? That's nonsense," said the 23-year-old woman.
Anastasia lives in Bekasi and works at an insurance company in Harmoni, West Jakarta, near the State Palace. She usually spends Rp 5,000 on transportation daily from her Rp 1.3 million monthly salary.
"If I have to take the busway, I'll have to spend at least Rp 10,000 per day. What about the buses that intersect the corridor? People will have to change buses several times then. Those officials are really illogical.
"What if a bus stalls? Where will they tow it? Or what if passengers lose their tickets? Has the administration thought about that?" she grumbled.
At least 149 buses currently serve the Blok M-Kota route. The four operators along the corridor will have their licenses for that route revoked to make way for the busway project.
Meanwhile, the administration has only prepared 56 buses with a capacity of 20,000 passengers in the initial phase. The Blok M- Kota route normally serves 60,000 passengers. By mid-2004, the city plans to add 50 more buses, but until then, 40,000 daily commuters along the route will have to find alternative means of transportation so they can continue to make a living.