Govt to stop issuance of more inter-city bus routes
Govt to stop issuance of more inter-city bus routes
JAKARTA (JP): The government plans to stop issuing new-route
permits for inter city buses in Java to ease traffic jams and
minimize violations of transport regulations.
Director General of Land Transportation Soejono said yesterday
that new routes would be opened only in the outer islands where
more buses are needed to improve access between towns.
"The number of public buses in Java is already adequate and
traffic congestion across the island is already heavy," Soejono
told reporters after attending a commemoration of the 48th
anniversary of the state-owned bus company, DAMRI.
According to Soejono, most public buses in Java violate
transportation rules such as by jacking up passenger fares
illegally.
He explained that the government will issue permits for inter-
island transportation, for example from Banda Aceh in Aceh to
Serang in West Java.
"But we will turn down applications for permits to serve new
routes that cross Java, such as from Banda Aceh to Surabaya
because the buses will worsen traffic jams in Java along the
way," he added.
No harm
Soejono believes the policy will not harm the land
transportation business, such as the selling of buses, as many
areas outside of Java need more transportation.
"The government will open the Trans-Sulawesi highway soon, and
some others in Maluku and Irian Jaya, and I am sure it will need
buses," he said.
Soejono also explained that the government planned to buy more
buses for DAMRI. He declined to specify how many but said that
the government would proceed according to the available budget.
DAMRI director Anas Mars also said that the ministry of
finance had given the company the green light to invest its
capital in new buses.
"We have sought Rp 20 billion (some US$9 million) in bank
credit to buy a total of 250 busses," Anas said, adding that 40
percent of the vehicles would be airconditioned.
Mars said the company would get 100 new buses this year to be
used in airports and tourist areas as well as to ply inter-city
routes.
DAMRI is the oldest state-owned bus company with various land
transportation services.
DAMRI made a profit of Rp 5.1 billion (about US$2 million)
last year, which was 12 percent higher than the previous year, a
company executive said.
According to S. Syafrudin, the company's operation director,
DAMRI buses operating in Surabaya, Bandarlampung and Jember were
the ones which were the most profitable.
"The management expects that the profit this year will be 15
percent higher than last year," Syafrudin said.(yns)