Jakarta-Cirebon bus fare
Jakarta-Cirebon bus fare
From Kompas
On behalf of myself and my friends from the low income bracket I would like to draw the attention of the authorities to the indiscriminate bus fares imposed on us who are regular Jakarta- Cirebon commuters.
On May 17, 1994 I was charged Rp 5,000 although the official price of Rp 3,500 was clearly printed on the ticket of PO Warga Baru.
After some time another bus company, PT Armada Jaya Penunjang Sari, charged me Rp 6,000.
The mark-up price for Warga Baru is at least Rp 75,000 one way per bus load, according to our rough calculation and the Armada Jaya Penunjang Sari Rp 125,000 per load. That is the money that goes to the pocket of the drivers and the bus conductors.
On Aug. 17, 1994 the Independence Day holiday, a friend of mine was forced to pay Rp 15,000 one way by a bus conductor who was apparently colluding with a con-man who looked scary and carried a machete. The exorbitant price applied to all passengers on the bus.
Most of us are lowly paid construction workers, manual labors or side street vendors who put aside a little amount of the money we earn in Jakarta to send to our village. Our income, even to support a very simple way of life in Jakarta, hardly makes our ends meet. Yet, the bus crew have the heart to squeeze us.
Name and address
withheld.