Expert supports bus fare increase

Expert supports bus fare increase

JAKARTA (JP): An expert on transportation engineering says he
supports bus owners' demand to increase fares immediately, but
has suggested the government share the burden through a subsidy.

Alan Marino from the University of Indonesia (UI) said on
Sunday that it would be unfair to put the burden of fare
increases solely on passengers because they would not receive
better services for the extra amount they paid.

"The fare increase is needed merely to keep the transportation
business keep running.

"It would be unfair for passengers to bear the full fare
increase, while they will not enjoy improved bus services," he
told The Jakarta Post.

"In this case, there is no other way but for the government to
intervene in the matter by providing a subsidy," he said.

Alan, a lecturer in UI's civil engineering department, said
the present fare of Rp 300 for regular buses, Rp 500 for
minibuses and the Rp 100 student fare were no longer reasonable
compared to the increasing operational expenditure of bus
companies.

He said that under such a condition, it would be impossible to
expect better public bus services.

"That's why I support the bus owners' demand for fare
increases," he said.

Alan said there should be research done on people's purchasing
power prior to a making decision on fare increases.

"In this matter, the ratio between the people's expenses on
transportation and their income should be calculated and taken
into consideration to decide on new fares," he said.

The Jakarta chapter of the Organization of Land Transportation
Owners (Organda) has repeatedly demanded that bus fares be
increased, saying bus owners could no longer cover their
operational costs with their income from the current bus fares.

The owners have announced they will go on strike on Monday to
press for fare increases.

The organization has proposed that the fare for regular buses
be increased to Rp 1,000 from Rp 300, minibuses to Rp 1,200 from
Rp 500, limited passenger Patas buses to Rp 1,550 from Rp 700 and
Patas AC buses to Rp 3,250 from Rp 2,300.

While student fares were proposed to increase from Rp 100 to
Rp 500.

Organda executives have repeatedly promised that they would
eventually improve services if fares were increased.

However, Alan said he did not believe Organda could fulfill
its promise.

He said low fares were not the only factor affecting services,
saying poor infrastructure and the existing transportation system
also contributed to the problem.

"Under such conditions, service improvement would cost a lot,
while fare increases cannot cover the cost for such improvement,"
he said. (ind)