Commuters stranded by driver strike

Commuters stranded by driver strike

PADANG, West Sumatra: Thousands of commuters were left
stranded on Tuesday when public transportation drivers plying the
Pariaman-Padang route went on strike to protest the local
administration's decision to relocate a bus terminal.

This was the first action since the drivers took to the
streets four days ago to protest last week's opening of Jati
Pariaman bus terminal, some five kilometers from the old bus
terminal.

The drivers gathered on Tuesday in front of the office of the
Pariaman regent, claiming their incomes had fallen because fewer
passengers were willing to go to the new terminal to catch their
buses.

"Passengers who want to go to Padang prefer to take the buses
from Pasaman and Lubuk Basung," one of the protesters said.

The protesters also asked the drivers of buses plying the
Pasaman-Pariaman and Lubuk Basung-Pariaman routes to stop their
operations to show support for the action.

The drivers said they no longer could earn even the Rp 150,000
a day they had to pay the bus owners.

"We have to give the vehicle owners between Rp 150,000 and Rp
200,000 each day, but now we make less than Rp 150,000 a day,"
one of the drivers said.

Pariaman Regent Muslim Kasim said the administration would
consider the drivers' complaints. (28/sur)