Jakarta to have a new vehicle test center

Jakarta to have a new vehicle test center

JP/3/KIR/0

New vehicle test center coming soon

JAKARTA (JP): With the opening of a new vehicle testing center
in South Jakarta later this year, owners of public transit
vehicles from South or Central Jakarta will no longer have to
travel to East Jakarta to have their vehicles tested.

At present, vehicle tests are performed manually only at the
government-owned testing centers in Ujung Menteng and Pulogadung,
East Jakarta.

"The new center, whose construction started early this month
on Jl. Srengseng Sawah, will serve vehicle owners from South and
Central Jakarta mayoralties," said Noto Widigdo, the assistant
director of PT Suar Adhika Wahana Ujindo, one of the two private
companies appointed last year by the city administration to
handle vehicle tests.

The other private company, PT Nakia, will operate in
Kalideres, West Jakarta, to serve those from West and North
Jakarta.

With the operation of the new testing center, public transit
drivers will also no longer have to wait for hours or days to get
their vehicles tested for roadworthiness, because it will take
the center only 15 minutes to complete all the tests required for
each vehicle.

"Nine tests will be performed simultaneously within 15
minutes," Kreshna H. Ismail, the company's technical manager,
said, adding that he once had to wait five hours to get his pick-
up tested in Ujung Menteng.

The tests will cover exhaust gas, speedometer, noise, side
slip, shock absorbers, brakes, wheel suspension, headlights and
visual checking tests, Kreshna said.

For those tests, drivers will not have to leave their
vehicles, Kreshna said.

"All they have to do is drive their vehicles to the entrance
point where a conveyor belt will carry them for the simultaneous
tests and deliver them to the exit point after all the tests have
been completed," Kreshna explained, adding that this system will
make it impossible for go-betweens to operate.

Parking lots

Thus, no parking lots will be needed, Kreshna said, adding
that the center will have five testing lanes, where each lane
will be able to serve 188 vehicles a day.

Kreshna said each lane will be serviced by 10 personnel, five
technicians from the City Land Transportation and Traffic Control
Office and five computer operators from his company.

According to Kreshna, any applications for renewing expired
plate licenses will not be served by the City Police Office if
the vehicles have not passed his company's tests.

Kreshna also said that the fees would remain at present
levels, that is, Rp 20,000 for four-wheel vehicles weighing three
tons and above, Rp 18,000 for four-wheel vehicles under three
tons and Rp 16,500 for three-wheelers.

"Fees can be paid in cash prior to arriving at the entry point
or at the Bank DKI, which is owned by the city administration,"
Kreshna added.

When asked what percentage the city administration will earn
from the fees, Kreshna said that the city administration will get
Rp 2,000 for each vehicle tested.

Kreshna said the center, which is estimated to cost about Rp
10 billion (US$4.6 million), will be able to accommodate vehicles
up to 15 tons.

But at present, Jl. Srengseng Sawah is able to accommodate
only lighter buses such as Metromini minibuses, Kreshna added.

When asked about the type of agreement it had made with the
city administration, Operation Manager Soelaeman Soeriawidjaja
said his company will operate the center on a
build-operation-and-transfer (BOT) basis where it will submit the
center to the city administration after 15 to 20 years of
operation. (arf) Editorial - Page