Kebayoran Lama drivers protest new bus operation

Kebayoran Lama drivers protest new bus operation

JAKARTA (JP): At least 2,000 public transport drivers plying
the Tanah Abang-Kebayoran Lama route went on strike yesterday
after a new bus route was discovered to pass a similar route.

Drivers displayed copies of route permits for new red Kijang
vans issued for the Koperasi Wahana Kalpika (KWK) cooperative by
the City Land Traffic and Control Agency.

"The new drivers violate our route, they should not pass
Kebayoran Lama," a driver from the M09 route said. The driver,
Andi, said the permits did not allow the new vans to pass by
Kebayoran Lama.

Bewildered passengers, including elderly couples and those
carrying heavy burdens, were asked to leave M09 buses on Jl.
Palmerah Barat, and were forced to continue on foot before they
found other means of transport.

The strike started at noon with drivers telling others to stop
taking passengers, while other drivers and bus owners went to
meet Agency authorities at the Jatibaru office in Central
Jakarta.

"We have already tried complaining to the Agency, but we're
forced to go on strike because there was no response," a driver
who has worked 35 years said. He refused to identify himself.

Income has dropped from Rp 15,000 (US$6.14) to Rp 5,000 a day
since the new vans went into operation, while drivers have to pay
a daily average of Rp 50,000 per bus to owners, drivers said.

Route M09 drivers also urged drivers from routes 9A and M11,
which have similar routes, to join the strike.

"M11 (which plies the Kebon Jeruk-Tanah Abang route) is also
harmed by KWK's violation," another driver, Ardi, said.

Drivers said there were around 800 M09 buses, with up to three
drivers separately operating each vehicle every day, as well as
90 9A buses and 400 M11 buses.

The permit for the new buses, according to a copy of a form
called a "supervision card", showed the route going between the
Grogol River in West Jakarta and Kreo in South Jakarta, passing
among others, Kebon Jeruk toll road, Pos Pengumben, Cidodol and
Jl. Raya Ciledug.

An employee requesting anonymity said the KWK vans, which
started operating a month ago, only amounted to 16 vehicles.

"We're only on a trial period," the employee said. KWK
management staff were not available for comment.

The driver who claimed he had worked 35 years said the M9
route was the oldest existing route in the area, "since the time
of wooden cars," in reference to Austin oplet vehicles.

Drivers said one M09 bus owner has driven up to 10 different
vehicles over the years. M09 buses are owned by several
cooperatives -- Kopamilet Jaya, Purimas Jaya, Kojang, Komilet
Jaya, among others.

"Yesterday at the Jatibaru office (of the Land Transport
Agency) we saw permits for 390 buses. But there are at least
twice that many," another driver said, saying that they had no
idea how the difference in figures could have happened.

In response to how long they were going to strike, the drivers
said they would continue until there was a satisfactory answer
from a meeting between bus owners and authorities. (anr)