Drivers suffer from lack of passengers

JAKARTA: Public bus and public minivan drivers plying routes from Pasar Minggu have been cutting short their journeys due to a lack of passengers.

Bus drivers put the blame for the lack of passengers on an excessive number of public transportation vehicles serving the routes.

There are currently 120 buses serving the Tanah Abang-Pasar Minggu route and 85 on the Manggarai-Pasar Minggu route, excluding those serving similar routes from Cililitan, East Jakarta.

The fierce competition has led to drivers racing each other in an irresponsible bid to get to the passengers first.

Meanwhile, public minivan drivers said the number of passengers had declined as many of the houses along their routes had been converted into apartments, whose tenants usually drove their own cars. -- Antara