Seizure of city buses defended
JAKARTA (JP): The head of the City Land Transportation and Traffic Control Office (DLLAJ), J.P. Sepang, explained that the impoundment of city buses is solely a disciplinary action and is not meant to inflict financial losses on the bus companies.
Sepang told reporters here yesterday that at least 1,547 buses were impounded last month for various traffic infractions.
Many were impounded because they were not road worthy, they violated their routes or failed to obey the newly implemented policy requiring public transit vehicles to keep their doors closed while in motion.
The owners of the bus companies recently lodged a strong complaint through the City Transport Owners' Organization (Organda DKI Jaya), claiming the impoundment inflicts profit losses.
As quoted by Antara, Sepang tried to calm criticism by saying "the impounded buses are only being reprimanded, none of them have had their operating permits revoked."
Nevertheless, he indirectly admitted the companies had experienced financial losses since their buses had not been allowed to operate. Organda DKI Jaya has also recently objected to a Rp 10,000 (US$4.63) daily parking fee for each bus collected by the DLLAJ.
Commenting on efforts to increase discipline among drivers of public transportation, Sepang said DLLAJ, in cooperation with owners of privately owned transportation companies, will continue a policy requiring bus companies to enroll their drivers in education and training classes.
These efforts are now beginning the second group, with each group having some 100 drivers. The municipal authority is planning to finance the first five groups, after which the private sector is expected to continue the financial responsibility of educating its drivers.
Sepang lauded the success of the program by saying that up to now, none of the program graduates have been fined or ticketed for traffic infractions or other violations.
He further reiterated the government's plan to reorganize and replace the three-wheel motorized Bemo and the 12-seat Omprengan public transit vehicles.
Located mainly in the city's suburbs, the Omprengan will gradually be phased out and replaced by a new type of suburban transportation.
Authorities also intend to reorganize other informal forms of transportation, especially those operating at night.
Sepang acknowledged that the existence of these informal means of transport were caused by the lack of conventional buses for people coming home from work late in the evening.
He thus welcomed any initiative from private companies interested in setting up evening transportation routes. (mds)