More busway drivers being tested

JAKARTA: At least 70 drivers are in the third phase of the process to become busway drivers at the Pinang Ranti busway terminal in Pondok Gede, East Jakarta.

According to a director at busway operator PT Jakarta Express Trans, Ibnu Susanto, only 40 drivers would pass through to the next phase.

"We only pass the best drivers ... the ones who are not reckless and can meet our standards," he said on Thursday as quoted by the city administration's official website, BeritaJakarta.com.

The drivers are being put through their paces by a team made up of officials from the City Communications Agency, the traffic police and city-sanctioned busway management group TransJakarta.

TransJakarta official Suparmono said the 40 drivers who advanced to the next stage of screening would have to undergo five days of training, to be followed by a driving test in the exclusive busway lane.

Since the opening of the busway, 25 of the 165 busway drivers have been dismissed for reckless driving or resigned. All of the current busway drivers are former intercity bus drivers. --JP