Passengers Complain About Unroadworthy Public Minivans in Depok, Urge Crackdown

Public minivans (angkot) in Depok, West Java, are still serving passengers despite being in a dilapidated state, with some missing licence plates and body parts. A number of passengers have complained about these conditions.

A survey along Jalan Margonda Raya to Citayam on Tuesday (14/7/2026) found an angkot on route 04 (Depok Timur-Pasar Minggu) operating without a rear bumper and with an expired licence plate. Another angkot on route 05 (Terminal Depok-Citayam-Bojonggede) was observed with a faded, rusty roof, while several others were missing windows, doors, and licence plates, with exhausts emitting foul-smelling smoke. Despite this, the vehicles continued to carry passengers.

Passenger Rifki (30) assessed that the condition of angkots in Depok is no longer roadworthy. “As a passenger, sometimes the condition is not roadworthy. Many angkots have worrying front bodywork, and some are even missing their rear bumpers,” he said. Rifki expressed fear of riding in such vehicles, worrying that their poor condition could lead to accidents, such as brake failure.

He hopes the Depok city government will crack down on unroadworthy angkots while also providing a solution to improve the system so that operators can continue working. “Please get the bad angkots off the road, but also provide a solution, like maybe a TransDepok system or something similar,” he added.

Another resident, Dewi (61), said the average condition of angkots in Depok is poor. “There are a few good ones, but on average they are bad,” she stated. Dewi hopes the angkots can become more modern and orderly, suggesting a system like Jakarta’s JakLingko to prevent drivers from overcharging passengers.

An attempt to contact the Head of the Safety and Order Guidance Division at the Depok Transportation Agency, Ari Manggala, for further information did not receive a response.