Restriction on taxi operations draws criticism

Restriction on taxi operations draws criticism

JAKARTA (JP): Officials at the Jakarta office of the Ministry
of Transportation and Bekasi administration have expressed
concern over a decision to prohibit taxis from the capital's
outskirts from operating in Jakarta.

A. Karim Tjokroprawiro, head of the office, was quoted by
Antara as saying over the weekend that such a decision is not
justifiable because it is feared to cause many negative impacts.

J.P. Sepang, head of the City Land Transportation Control
Agency, announced on Wednesday that taxis from Depok, Bekasi and
Tangerang are not allowed to operate in the city.

"Based on the agreement, which was signed last year by
representatives of the agency and officials from the West Java
provincial government, taxis from Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi,
are allowed to drop passengers they transport into the city, but
are prohibited from picking up passengers in the city," he said.

However, in practice, agency officials forcefully stopped out-
of-town taxis heading for Jakarta at the borderline between
Jakarta and its buffer zones. The taxis were not allowed to enter
the city. The taxi drivers were forced to let their passengers
get off. The passengers had to take other Jakarta taxis to
continue their journeys.

The agency's data shows that 18,207 taxis, owned by 27 Jakarta
companies, operate in the capital, while about 95 percent of the
estimated 4,000 taxis from other cities "invade" Jakarta
everyday.

Karim expressed fear that this indiscriminate action will
severely affect both the taxi drivers and passengers.

"Taxi drivers will be reluctant to take passengers to the
outer areas because their taxis will be empty on the return trip,
while passengers will receive bad services because taxi drivers
will prefer not to use the taxi meter, thereby causing the
passengers to pay much more than the usual rate," he said.

Karim explained that taxis are a public transportation means
for middle class people, who mostly live in the outskirts of the
city but work in the capital.

"If taxi drivers refuse to take them home, these people will
tend to use their own vehicles," he said, adding that the use of
private vehicles will worsen the already crowded traffic
condition.

In a related development, Atang Sudjana, spokesman for the
Bekasi administration, also questioned the one-sided decision.

"Will restricting taxis from entering the capital also mean
that Jakartans are not allowed to use facilities or own houses in
Bekasi?" he asked.

"How, if all vehicles from Jakarta are not allowed to enter
the buffer zones, especially Bekasi, will they operate? This will
cause a national problem, right?" he asked again, reported the
Kompas daily on Saturday.

Over 1,000 taxi drivers in Bekasi are becoming increasingly
restless because the restriction of the taxi operation affects
their incomes.

Both Karim and Atang urged the Jakarta administration to
discuss the problem jointly with representatives of the Bogor,
Tangerang, and Bekasi regencies.

According to Atang any administrative and operation problems
could be settled through the Greater Jakarta development
cooperation agency, which was issued under a Presidential decree
in 1977.

Through such a coordination the problem is expected to be
settled effectively, he said. (32)