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