Motor Senyum Serves Homebound Travellers with Humanitarian Approach During 2026 Eid Exodus
JAKARTA – Preparations for the 2026 Eid holiday exodus and return migration are being finalised across various regions with a primary focus on humanitarian service and travel safety.
In West Java, the West Java Regional Police (Polda Jabar) has launched an innovation in traffic management teams named Motor Senyum. Raydian Kokrosono, Director of Traffic at West Java Regional Police, explained that this naming represents an effort to enhance the image of the traffic management team to be more friendly and close to the public, whilst also forming a core part of Operation Ketupat 2026.
Motor Senyum personnel are assigned duties that go beyond mere traffic management. They are present at critical locations such as rest areas, security posts, and arterial routes to provide direct assistance to homebound travellers experiencing difficulties.
Notably, team members also carry basic provisions including dates and light snacks to distribute to drivers still on the road when iftar (breaking of fast) time arrives.
Beyond comfort aspects, the Motor Senyum team also provides technical solutions for travellers experiencing vehicle problems or running out of fuel. Personnel are deployed to escort homebound travellers to the nearest workshop or petrol station, ensuring no residents are left stranded amid traffic congestion on West Java’s migration routes. This friendly approach is expected to reduce psychological tension that often emerges from the density of traffic flow on West Java’s migration routes.
Meanwhile, in East Java, Malang City Government is also preparing to conduct the 2026 free migration programme. Despite adjustments to the regional budget, Widjaja Saleh Putra, Head of the Transportation Department of Malang City, affirmed that the programme will continue through strategic collaboration with the private sector, namely PO Bagong and Bank Jatim. Three bus units with total capacity of 120 passengers are prepared to serve popular routes such as Madura, Pacitan, and Trenggalek.
Registration for the free migration programme in Malang City is planned to open seven days before departure scheduled for March 2026. Members of the public can register online or offline with the main requirement being to present a Malang City ID card.
Although the fleet size this year is more limited than the previous year due to minimal budget support from the provincial government, Malang City Government remains committed to facilitating residents to return to their hometowns safely and orderly.
Similar steps have been taken by the Bandung Regency Government in West Java, which has actually increased its free migration programme quota.
Due to high public enthusiasm in the first wave, the Bandung Regency Transportation Department has increased capacity by an additional 100 seats thanks to cooperation with Bank BJB. With two additional bus fleets, the total number of participants to be dispatched now reaches 700 people.