Kopaja bus drivers complain at council
JAKARTA (JP): All the Kopaja minibus drivers and their conductors plying the Lebak Bulus-Kota route went to the City Council yesterday demanding the banning of Steady Safe's regular buses that overlap their route.
The 100 drivers and conductors, who went to the council in 50 minibuses, said the Steady Safe buses, which began operating on the route Thursday, overlapped along 21 kilometers of the 30- kilometer route.
The drivers carried banners and posters declaring their opposition to the Steady Safe buses. Their arrival caused heavy traffic jams in nearby roads.
Some of the drivers had stopped working Thursday to protest the new buses' arrival.
Four drivers representatives were received by Ali Wongso, Saud Rachman and Lukman Mokoginta from the council's Commission D for development affairs.
The four representatives were identified as Nata, a driver, Benny Purba, a driver, Syarifuddin, an official of the Kopaja cooperative and Lilian, a bus owner.
Syarifuddin told the councilors that the operation of 15 Steady Safe regular buses plying the Lebak Bulus-Grogol route had significantly reduced their incomes.
He said Kopaja minibuses, which charge Rp 400 (14 US cents), could not compete with the regular buses' fare of Rp 300.
"Since the operation of the regular buses, our incomes have dropped by more than 50 percent," Syarifuddin said.
Besides the Steady Safe, other buses that overlap the route are those owned by AJAP (plying Blok M-Grogol route), Koantas Bima (Ciputat-Tanah Abang) and Kowanbisata (Ciputat-Pulogadung), all of which are managed by private owners, they said.
Yesterday's strike left hundreds of passengers stranded for hours in Lebak Bulus bus terminal.
One said he was obliged to pay Rp 1,000, double his ordinary fare, to take two Mikrolet minivans to reach his office in Palmerah in Central Jakarta.
Ali Wongso's call for the drivers to end the strike met with a hostile reception. "It's up to our friends. We can't possibly survive in such a situation. We want the authorities to solve this problem immediately," Syarifuddin said.
Ali promised to discuss the case with the City's Land Transportation Agency (DLLAJ) and the Association of Land Transportation Owners Organda.
DLLAJ's director, J.P. Sepang, said the Steady Safe buses overlapped for only about four kilometers of the Kopaja minibuses' route.
"I don't agree with their protest against the regular buses," Sepang said.
The protesters were unrealistic, he said, adding that he would summon the protesters to discuss the issue.
He said Kopaja buses and Steady Safe regular buses had different passengers. (jun/ste/07)