Organda urges increase in public transportation fees
JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta Chapter of Public Transport Owners' Organization (Organda DKI) has proposed a 23 to 120 percent increase in the fares of public transit vehicles, including taxis, despite signs that the government will not endorse any fare hike demands this year.
"We have submitted the proposal to the governor's office," the organization chairman, Aip Sjarifuddin, said, referring to his letter dated on July 11 to Governor Surjadi Soedirdja.
Aip said yesterday that the increase was unavoidable because the prices of vehicles, spare parts, lubricants, and other elements have increased substantially.
"However, if the government refuses the proposed increase, it should do something to help us. For instance, it can give us tax exemptions and other discount facilities," Aip said.
According to Aip, the organization proposed an increase of Rp 300 (14 U.S. cents) from the current Rp 250 per passenger in the fares of regular buses, of Rp 350 from the existing Rp 550 for express buses, of Rp 300 from the present Rp 1,300 for air- conditioned buses and of Rp 250 from the current Rp 300 for middle-sized buses or minibuses.
As for taxis, Aip said, Organda proposed an increase to Rp 1500 from the present Rp 900 from the flagfall and an increase to Rp 550 per kilometer from the present Rp 450. Organda also proposed that fees for taxi waiting time be increased from the present Rp 4,500 per hour to Rp 7,500 per hour.
The last increase in the fares of all public transports was made on Jan. 22, 1993 while the latest increase in the fares of taxis was on Aug. 2, 1991.
The governor's office could not be reached for comment on Organda's proposal.
But Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto said last month during an inspection to the Blok M bus terminal, South Jakarta, that there would be no increase in the fares of public transit vehicles in the city this year.
Haryanto considered that public transport operators could still make profits at the current fare rate. (arf)