Replacement of 'bemo' begins

Replacement of 'bemo' begins

JAKARTA (JP): Forty-seven minivans were launched at a ceremony
in East Jakarta yesterday by the chief of the Land Transportation
and Traffic Control Agency, JP Sepang.

The ceremony marked the first wave of new vehicles which will
replace three-wheeled bemos.

The Suzuki, Daihatsu and Mitsubishi minivans have permits to
serve five routes in North, West, and East Jakarta.

Thirty-six minivans will serve the Pasar Embrio-Tanjung Priok
terminal route in North Jakarta and six will serve the route from
Tanjung-Priok to Pasar Pagi in Mangga Dua, West Jakarta.

The remaining five will serve the Rawamangun terminal-Kayu
Manis route in East Jakarta.

The new minivans are part of a policy to phase out bemos,
which have operated since 1961.

Irzal Z. Djamal, the head of the team in charge of phasing out
bemos, said out of 1,096 registered bemos in the city, owned by
717 people, 733 had been earmarked for replacement.

However, owners are still complaining. Sepang urged bemo
owners to speak up if they had any doubts about the policy.

Owners have said the replacement is unfair. The latest
complaint was that they have to pay Rp 24 million (US$10,200) for
the minivans which have a market price of Rp 18 million.
Distributors said the minivans were more expensive but included
public transport permit fees. (anr)