Public transportation

Public transportation

From Warta Kota

The recently introduced fuel price hike has prompted the
Jakarta chapter of the Organization of Land Transportation Owners
(Organda) to demand that public transportation fares be similarly
raised on the grounds that, for example, maintenance costs and
the price of spare parts have also risen.

Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso agreed to this demand and approved a
bus fare hike of 30 percent as of July 3, 2001, much lower than
the 100 percent hike that Organda has asked for.

Though relatively small percentagewise, the public has reacted
strongly to this public transportation fare hike.

For people who earn enough only to keep body and soul
together, life is getting increasingly difficult as fuel price
hikes and the increase in public transportation fares will be
followed by price hikes for practically all commodities.

Public transportation users are usually upset to find that
despite the higher fares, Organda has not improved its services.
Buses in poor condition are still allowed to take passengers,
while hardly any control is exercised upon the behavior of bus
crews when doing their jobs.

Let me give an example of this poor service. On July 2, I took
a bus plying the Kampung Rambutan-Blok M route through Mampang.
There were about 15 passengers on the bus and when we got stuck
in a traffic jam somewhere in Mampang, the bus conductor quite
thoughtlessly asked all the passengers to get off the bus and get
on another one. That was really a bad day for me, as on the same
day I had the same experience somewhere in Gajah Mada while
traveling by bus from Blok M to Kota.

Upon the complaints of the passengers, the bus conductor
simply said that they would be taking a different route. Organda
should realize that professionalism is sorely needed in the
public transportation sector. Please, do not just reap profits
from this business at the expense of service.

TROY SAPUTRA

Jakarta