Most city buses remain at pool

JAKARTA (JP): Seventy percent of 15,390 city buses normally serving the capital did not operate during the election campaign period from May 19 to June 4, as bus crew members feared clashes between party supporters.

Aip Sjarifuddin, head of the Jakarta chapter of the Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda), said on Saturday that bus crew members were unwilling to work as "they may have lost their lives if they did.

"This is what executives of bus companies have reported to me. The executives did their best to persuade the crew members to go to work... but to no avail," Aip told The Jakarta Post over the phone.

"The crew members were even offered bonuses, but they apparently didn't care about the money. They were more worried about their lives and families. They even suggested that city residents, who usually take the bus to work, stay at home."

Data from the Organda office revealed that the 15,390 buses still described as road worthy fell sharply, from 21,987 buses, due to the scarcity of spare parts.

Public transportation has been severely affected by the economic crisis, which commenced in July 1997.

Out of the 15,390 buses, 4,013 are big buses, 4,952 metrominis and 15,022 minivans or mikrolets.

An executive of the Koantas Bima minibus company, A.S. Simbolon, said that during the campaign period only 60 of the company's 150 buses were operational.

"I hope the crew members, who have been on holiday during the campaigning activities, come back to work by Monday or Tuesday at the latest. Otherwise, how will the company run?"

Simbolon refused to divulge company losses resulting from the nonoperating buses. (ylt)