Organda objects to non-AC bus removal

JAKARTA (JP): The chairman of the Land Transportation Owners Association, Organda, is against the idea of eliminating non-AC Patas express buses, saying that its members may go bankrupt if the idea is converted into an official decision.

"It will be difficult for private bus companies to rely on regular buses only. Unlike the state-owned PPD bus company, Organda doesn't have any financial back-up," Aip Sjaifuddin said.

Aip said members of the association were very much financially dependent on non-AC express buses, and that eliminating the buses will not solve the problem

"The city administration must be firm against companies which refuse to operate regular buses. Just revoke their permits when they violate the regulations issued by the minister of transportation. But don't eliminate non-AC express buses," he said.

According to a ministerial regulation, a public transportation company is obliged to operate 30 percent of its fleet as AC buses, 30 percent as non-AC express buses and the remaining 40 percent as regular buses.

Many people have asked the city administration to eliminate non-AC express buses, whose services have been steadily deteriorating. The service of the buses, with a Rp 700 (US 30 cents) fare, is practically the same with that of regular buses, whose fare is only Rp 300.

Gubernatorial decree No. 572 stipulates that express buses may only take as many passengers as there are seats available, except during peak hours, when they may take up to 10 standing passengers.

Aip said yesterday that eliminating the short routes of non-AC express buses would be more realistic than eliminating the buses.

"Organda will not object to any idea to wipe out short routes, which are also served by regular buses," he said.

"The Blok M-Kota route is too short for non-AC express buses," he cited, adding that regular buses usually serve short routes of between eight and 12 kilometers, while express buses serve routes twice that distance.

"The association will propose this option to the city administration," he said.(yns)