More minivan drivers go on strike over additional buses
More minivan drivers go on strike over additional buses
JAKARTA (JP): Dozens of public transportation minivan drivers
went on strike yesterday causing hundreds of passengers between
Pasar Minggu and Kampung Melayu areas to be stranded.
But passengers still had the option of taking other buses
passing similar routes.
Several drivers planned to complain to the House of
Representatives over too many additional vans plying similar
routes.
They said there were already 400 vans plying route M16 and the
strike was triggered by the addition of 20 new vans.
Similar strikes were staged by drivers plying between the
Kampung Melayu and Pulo Gadung terminals, in East Jakarta and in
Bogor.
Streets along Pasar Minggu in South Jakarta and Kampung Melayu
in East Jakarta were absent of M16 vans, since drivers pooled
their vehicles at the Kampung Melayu terminal at about 6 a.m.
The Kampung Melayu terminal looked less crowded than usual and
traffic congestion was less between the two terminals.
One of the drivers, Darno, said his income had significantly
dropped since the addition of the new vans.
Soembogo, a staffer of a cooperative which had several M16
vans, blamed the Organization of Land Transportation Owners
(Organda), who determined the route, and the City Land
Transportation Agency (DLLAJ), who issued the permits, without
considering possible consequences.
Organda and DLLAJ have acknowledged that there were too many
overlapping routes and buses, "but they have behaved
inconsistently," Soembogo, of the East Jakarta branch Purimas
Jaya cooperative, said.
Soembogo, also a driver, demanded that the agency evaluate
every possible route to prevent unhealthy competition.
"Drivers would like to serve the public but drivers demand a
better planned public transportation system," he said.
The head of the Kampung Melayu terminal, Mufreini, said there
were many public transportation vehicles with overlapping routes
which lead to Pasar Minggu.
He expected conditions would return to normal today.
In Bogor, 300 minivans went on strike because too many new
buses were operating the Sukasari-Merdeka route.
Bagio, one of the drivers, said his income had dropped from Rp
15,000 a day to Rp 10,000 a day.
Rumors were spreading about new medium-sized buses operating
on a similar route, but the local transportation agency said
their office had not issued any permit for a new route since
December.
Endang Tabroni, the head of the agency, said the Bogor
township had 1,885 public transport vehicles. Endang promised to
conduct a survey on public transportation in the township.
(jun/10/24)