PPD to introduce direct payment system on 240 buses
JAKARTA (JP): The state-owned city bus company, PPD, has said that it will apply a direct payment system on 240 more buses plying 16 routes despite strong protests from conductors.
"The board of directors has decided to expand the implementation of the system because it is the best way to improve the company's service to passengers as well to increase the drivers' income," said Hamim Busro, a spokesman for the company.
Busro told The Jakarta Post yesterday that the new payment system, known locally as RMB, will improve the company's income. The current deposit system on regular buses forces drivers or their crew to pay a certain amount of money to the company every day.
"Through the system the company is expected to receive more income," said Busro, adding that drivers will receive monthly wages of Rp 140,000 (US$64).
The old system requires the drivers or crews to pay the daily deposit of Rp 130,000 per bus every half-day to the company regardless of how much money they receive.
Some drivers have used the daily deposit system as an excuse to cram as many passengers into their buses in order to augment their income.
Busro said that 240 buses from six pools, pool A in Ciputat, D in Kedaung, K in Daan Mogot, L in Jelambar, N in Depok and P in Tangerang, will introduce the direct payment system in the near future.
`RMB' buses
Unlike the regular buses where passengers pay fares to conductors who open and close the doors every time passengers get in or out, the RMB buses are equipped with fare boxes and automatic doors.
The new RMB buses include P41 which plies the Kota-Kampung Rambutan route, P54 which serves the Depok-Grogol route and P1 on the Kota-Blok M route.
"The company will not raise bus fares when the new system is introduced. They will remain the same--Rp 550 for Patas and Rp 250 for non-Patas buses," Busro added.
Busro reiterated that the company would not dismiss a total of 775 conductors from the six pools when the new system takes effect.
"They will be sent to our training center for additional training and then transferred to the technical department or administrative bureaus. Some will be trained as drivers. So there will be no massive dismissals as stated by the conductors," Busro said.
On Monday a group of PPD conductors claiming to represent around 1,000 conductors asked the House of Representatives (DPR) to drop what they called the new, draconian policy of the state- owned company because they feared for their jobs.
In actuality PPD has operated the RMB system since 1992. But at the time it was called the RMB 55 and was used only on a special route linking Rawamangun in East Jakarta and Pasar Baru business district in Central Jakarta with 10 buses, several of them air-conditioned.
The buses stop only at appointed bus shelters to pick up or drop off passengers, unlike the ordinary buses which often pick up or drop off passengers away from designated bus stops. The buses also operate on schedule, providing certainty to passengers as well as safety since the drivers are forbidden from speeding.
Meanwhile city councilors agreed to PPD's plan to retain their idle conductors instead of laying them off.
"PPD can train them to become drivers or security guards," said councilor Muhammad Rodja of the United Development Party (PPP) yesterday.
Rodja said that PPD needs more security guards to improve security on its buses.
Councilor Mansyur Achmad from the Golkar faction concurred with Rodja about PPD's plan to implement the direct payment system.
"PPD can train the conductors to become mechanics or other maintenance officials," said Mansyur, adding that PPD should resort to dismissal only if all compromise attempts failed. (09/yns)