Residents complain of illegal fare rise

TANGERANG: Hundreds of passengers who usually use public minivans serving the route from Bumi Serpong Damai (BSD) housing estate to Cikokol complained on Thursday over an illegal increase in the fare from the official Rp 1,200 to Rp 2,000 since the first day of the fasting month of Ramadhan.

Nana, a staff member at the municipal tax office (Samsat) who lives in BSD housing estate, said that he was forced by a driver to pay Rp 2,000 from BSD to Cikokol.

"Since I usually pay Rp 1,200, I refused to pay Rp 2,000, but the driver insisted that I have to pay Rp 2,000," he said.

Herawati, a resident of Lengkong village near BSD also said that she was forced to pay Rp 2,000 from BSD to Cikokol.

"At first, I paid Rp 1,200 as usual, but the driver asked for another Rp 800 so I unwillingly gave it to the driver," she said.

All passengers heading to Cikokol from BSD who had experienced the same fare increase requested the municipal transportation agency to stop the minivans' drivers from extorting money from passengers. Many even asked the agency to revoke the operating licenses of the minivans.

Chief of traffic control at the agency office Haris Muhammadun was surprised to hear the complaints. "I will check it out soon," he told reporters at his office.--JP