Minivan drivers cry foul over buses

Minivan drivers cry foul over buses

JAKARTA: Some 100 public minivan drivers and owners gathered
at the City Council in Central Jakarta to protest overlapping
routes with public buses, which they said had cut into their
income.

The protesters, who work the route from the Kali Deres bus
terminal in West Jakarta to Kota Station, asked the City
Transportation Agency to intervene and force the buses to return
to their original routes.

Edi Pasaribu, one of the minivan drivers, said Metro Mini
buses had taken most of the minivans' passengers.

"Since the opening of temporary routes for Metro Mini 84 buses
in late 2001, our income has dropped from Rp 80,000 (US$9.40) a
day to just Rp 15,000," Edi said.

The original route for these buses was from the Kali Deres
terminal to Daan Mogot, Pesing, Tubagus Angke, Tembatan III,
Bandengan Utara, Pasar Ikan and Kota. The current route is the
Kali Deres terminal to Daan Mogot, the Cengkareng-Kamal Raya toll
road and Kota.

Edy said commuters from Kali Deres, Cengkareng and Kamal Raya
preferred the buses because they took the toll road, which made
the trip shorter. -- JP