Fears of scalping haunt busway
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The TransJakarta Busway management has yet to make a decision on the ticketing system for feeder buses, fearing that tickets would be resold by scalpers.
"We are still studying how to avoid any reselling of the discounted tickets by people who want to make a profit out of it," management head Irzal Z. Djamal said on Wednesday.
Starting on Feb. 1, the Busway feeder buses will be fully operational. Each ticket costs Rp 2,900 (34 U.S. cents) for travel on non-air-conditioned feeder buses and the Busway and Rp 3,800 for air-conditioned feeder buses and the Busway. Tickets for only the Busway that plies the Blok M, South Jakarta, to Kota, West Jakarta, route costs Rp 2,500 each.
The feeder bus ticket has two stubs, one of which must be given to the feeder bus driver and the other to be exchanged for a one-way Busway ticket at the shelters.
"We're afraid that some people will sell the Busway ticket stub to other passengers at higher prices," Irzal said.
Four companies have submitted their proposals on the ticketing system for the Busway and the feeder service: PT Mitra Usaha Harapan, PT Prawedi Cipta Karsa Informatika, PT Iloni Indonesia and PT Lestari Abadi.
The Jakarta Transportation Agency has set up 17 routes along the Busway corridor for the feeder service, which will have a fleet of 220 buses.
"Instead of providing new air-conditioned buses for the feeder service, the agency has chosen the best of existing buses provided by five bus operators. The buses are in good condition," said Irzal.
Each feeder bus will have two orange Bis Pengumpan Busway, or Busway feeder, stickers on the front and rear windows to enable passengers to differentiate the feeder buses from regular buses.
In addition to the five bus operators -- Bianglala, PPD, Pahala Kencana, Steady Safe and Mayasari Bhakti -- the Busway management are also looking at medium-sized buses like those run by Kopaja and Metromini.
"It's difficult to contact them, because the bus owners are mostly individuals," Irzal said.
The seven bus operators run existing bus routes across the city and have transit points that connect to the Busway.
17 Busway feeder routes
To Blok M: Bekasi-Blok M, Bintaro-Blok M, Cibinong-Blok M, Ciledug-Blok M, Ciputat-Blok M, Lebak Bulus-Blok M, Pasar Minggu-Antasari-Blok M, Pondok Labu-Fatmawati-Blok M, Tangerang-Tomang-Blok M, Warung Buncit-Blok M
To Kota: Muara Angke-Pluit-Kota, Tanjung Priok-Ancol-Kota
To Harmoni: Kalideres-Daan Mogot-Harmoni, Pulogadung-Harmoni
Other destinations: Grogol-Pasar Rebo, Kampung Melayu-Cideng, Rawamangun-Tanah Abang