Drivers oppose plan to phase out 'bemos'

Drivers oppose plan to phase out 'bemos'

JAKARTA (JP): Most of the city's bemo (three-wheeled motorized vehicles) drivers objected yesterday to the administration's plan to replace the vehicles with other types of vehicles this month.

"We cannot afford to pay the downpayment for the new vehicles," Tarimo, a bemo driver based at the Manggarai terminal, told The Jakarta Post yesterday.

Tarimo, who gained full support from his fellow bemo drivers, said the plan would only serve to benefit large-scale businessmen at the expense of the little people such as him and his friends.

He said they don't believe that the Land Transport Organization (Organda) will fight for their interests.

"There have been many instances in the past when the organization only defended a few people," Tarimo said.

Another driver, Silaen, agreed with Tarimo, saying that the city administration should take the fate of their families into consideration. "If bemos are to be completely removed from the streets we will be jobless. And this will be terrible for us since most of us are the only breadwinners in our families."

Instead of phasing out bemos he suggested that the drivers should make some changes to their vehicles to make them more appealing.

"I think the drivers would agree to paint them all the same color. We can probably paint the vehicles yellow," Silaen said.

He said that instead of removing all bemos the city administration should only remove the vehicles which have no licenses.

"Forty percent to fifty percent of the vehicles are operating without licenses. Most of them come from Bogor, West Java, Malang, East Java and Medan, North Sumatra ," he said.

But, Silaen added as the little people he and fellow drivers could do nothing if the city administration insists on going ahead with the plan.

The drivers earn an average of Rp 15,000 (US$6.52) to Rp 30,000 a day.

The plan was announced on Thursday by the head of the city Land Transport Control Agency (DLLAJ), JP Sepang who said the governor had issued the necessary instruction to back up the plan.

Sepang disclosed that a type of minivan would probably replace the bemos. (04/bas)