'Public buses pollute the air'

Public transportation here is often neither convenient or very nice. In fact, many Jakartans might tell you it more harmful than helpful. Public transportation riders complain not only about the poor service and the lack of security on buses, but they also say it quite literally stinks. This is because of the huge black clouds of exhaust fumes that trail most buses as they make their rounds of the city.

Odi, 25, an employee at a company in Slipi, West Jakarta, who moved from Padang, West Sumatra, two years ago. He rides a motorbike to his office from his house in Kebun Jeruk, also in West Jakarta:

I hate public transportation vehicles! The drivers are crazy, they always ignore traffic signs. As a result, they endanger other motorists.

I also hate the pollution they produce. Most of the vehicles should be grounded or sold for scrap iron. I have to wear a mask whenever I ride my motorcycle, otherwise I would have to breathe in the polluted air.

I wonder why the administration ignores the problem. They are supposed to summon public transportation operators and order them not to use vehicles that are in poor condition.

Sumiati, 39, a food vendor who works on the side of a street in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta. She has been doing the job for over 10 years:

Well, pollution from passing vehicles has become a part of my life. I always inhale polluted air because my business is just off a busy street. I don't blame anybody for it, though I sometimes get a cough because of it.

To tell you the truth, public transportation is one of the main sources of pollution. You can see the fumes the buses emit. I guess its because the vehicles are too old.

I don't like riding public transportation but I have no other choice. It's the only mode of transportation I can afford. There is no need to fuss about the pollution.

Marlina, 45, an employee at a foreign bank on Jl. Sudirman, Central Jakarta. She drives to her office from her house in Cilandak, South Jakarta:

Public transportation contributes to the city's air pollution. Why? It's because most of the buses should not be let out of the garage. The old buses produce more carbon dioxide because they don't work properly.

I think the administration must do something about this soon. They must see how awful the condition of our public transportation system is.

I don't know about transportation management, but I think the administration has the authority to suspend the permits of public transportation operators if they continue to deploy polluting vehicles.

Atik, 28, is a counselor at Pembangunan Jaya school in Bintaro. She was born and still resides in Condet, East Jakarta, with her family:

Public transportation is not safe at all. The public is frightened by the frequency with which crimes take place aboard buses.

I had a traumatic experience when I was threatened with a knife on a public minivan heading to Cililitan. I lost Rp 20,000, the only money I had in my wallet. Luckily my valuables and my camera were safe in my bag and the crooks -- five of them who pretended to be passengers and who were in cahoots with the driver -- didn't see them.

The experience taught me to always be on the alert. Now I prefer going by taxi, especially after 9 p.m.

It's useless to rely on the police. The best thing to do is to look poor, because if you flash your valuables you are just inviting robbers.

It's good to make a quick plan when you want to go out so that you can arrange what to bring, where to go, how much to spend and so on. Good planning will, at least, minimize the possibility of becoming a crime victim.