Public urged to accept new fares

Public urged to accept new fares

JAKARTA (JP): Arguing a fare hike was unavoidable, Governor
Sutiyoso appealed to residents on Friday to understand the city
administration's decision to start implementing new bus fares on
Sunday.

"The city administration considered the hike very carefully in
order not to overly burden the residents," he said at City Hall.

"We, however, will be ready for any protests."

He said the fare hike would provide benefits to the public in
the long term.

"I ask city residents to thoroughly consider greater benefits
of the fare hike. If we do not do so, bus operators will have to
stop their operation, which will eventually cause greater losses
to the residents."

Sutiyoso announced earlier this month that the city
administration would hike fares from Rp 300 (4 U.S. cents) to Rp
500 for regular buses, Rp 500 to Rp 700 for minibuses, Rp 2,300
to Rp 2,500 for Patas AC buses, and Rp 100 to Rp 200 for
students.

Patas buses will retain the current fare of Rp 700, while
being allowed to operate for two more years before they will be
converted into either regular buses or Patas AC ones.

Minivans will also retain the fare of Rp 1,200 for a maximum
distance journey of 14 kilometers.

Interviewed later on Friday afternoon, head of the City
Traffic and Land Transportation Agency Buyung Atang made a
special appeal to school and university students to understand
the fare hike.

"Students in Yogyakarta have to pay Rp 300 per trip, while
students in Jakarta pay less than their friends there," he said.

Buyung and executives of the Jakarta chapter of the
Organization of Land Transportation Owners were waiting for
students' delegates to discuss the fare hike at City Hall.

The meeting was scheduled for 3 p.m. but when no students
appeared by 3:30 p.m., the officials decided to call off the
meeting. (nvn)