Night transportation lacking in Tangerang

TANGERANG (JP): Commuters living in Tangerang are still finding it difficult to reach home from their workplaces in Jakarta.

Frequently, it takes a couple of hours before they acquire buses to the Cimone or Cikokol terminals.

Despite earlier reports in the media on the problem, people can still be seen waiting every night around the Tomang intersection, which leads to the Tangerang-Jakarta toll road.

As buses are scarce, the only alternative is hitching a ride from a private car.

"I waited two hours for a bus. I finally got home in a private vehicle," Wati, a bank employee in Slipi, said Wednesday.

After finally reaching the Tangerang bus terminals by bus, employees must still look for minibuses to take them home.

Wati, 24, who lives in the Perumnas I housing complex, said she was forced to take a motorcycle taxi which charged a high fare compared to the Rp 300 to Rp 400 fare for public minivans.

The head of the local Land Transportation and Traffic Agency, Mamat Rahmat, said public transportation vehicles are licensed to operate 24 hours.

"But we cannot force them to operate continuously, because maybe their passengers are less at night," he said.

Meanwhile, Ayat Sudayat, the chairman of the local chapter of the organization of private-owned public transportation firms (Organa), appealed to owners to heed the complaints. (28)