Drivers protest route changes

Drivers protest route changes

JAKARTA: Representatives of public transportation drivers
visited the City Council in Central Jakarta on Monday to protest
changes to public transport routes, which they said adversely
affected their income.

Diono, 35, a driver of a medium-sized bus serving the Blok M-
Lebak Bulus route in South Jakarta, said many of his passengers
shifted to big buses serving the Manggarai-Lebak Bulus route.

"Before the route change, our income could reach between Rp
40,000 (US$4) to Rp 50,000. Currently our income has dropped to
only Rp 15,000 to Rp 20,000," said Diono.

"The problem is that the buses pass along the same route as
ours. It has caused our income to drop significantly," said
Diono.

The Jakarta Transportation Agency changed 12 public bus routes
to adjust to the busway corridor. The P10 buses previously
serving the Senen-Blok M route were rerouted to serve the Lebak
Bulus-Manggarai route, both in South Jakarta.

The drivers were received by Deputy chairman of City Council's
Commission D for development affairs Muhayar, who promised to
discuss the problem with the transportation agency. --JP