Minivans can't afford to operate

TANGERANG (JP): At least half of about 5,000 public minivans that once operated in Tangerang regency have been taken off the roads due mainly to a scarcity of spare parts, the owner of a public transportation company, Darmanto, said on Tuesday.

Darmanto said the lack of spare parts was caused mainly by skyrocketing prices as a result of the prolonged economic crisis.

"We are forced to stop operating part of our fleet as we cannot afford the high prices of the spare parts," he said.

Harun Alrasyid, head of the Tangerang office of the Association of Land Transportation Owners (Organda), confirmed that many public transportation vehicles have become inoperable.

Some public transportation owners have been forced to stop their operations altogether after suffering huge losses, he said.

"Rental fees from the drivers do not match the prices of spare parts, which have jumped by between 200 and 300 percent ... and some even by 500 percent," Harun said.

The situation was worsened by the fact that the drivers' incomes dropped sharply due to the scarcity of passengers. "A driver's income is only Rp 25,000 per day at the moment, a sharp drop from about Rp 45,000 a day before," Nuralamsyah, a minivan driver plying the Pasar Anyar-Jatake-Tangerang route, said.

Muh. Sanusi, the owner of another public transportation firm, said businessmen were forced to utilize used spare parts, including tires, to survive.

"Using the used parts can help reduce the operation costs," he said.(41/hhr)