Standard buses cannibalized for express fleet

Standard buses cannibalized for express fleet

JAKARTA (JP): The head of the Land Transportation Control
Agency, JP Sepang, promised yesterday to get buses back on the
street and to make sure they are serving the public properly.

Passengers have been complaining of a decrease in the number
of standard buses, which charge a fare of Rp 300 (13 US cents),
and too many Express (Patas) buses charging Rp 700 per trip.

Sepang said the probable cause of the decrease is the
cannibalizing of standard buses and the use of their parts to
keep the more profitable Express buses the road.

Recently, the Association of Public Transportation Owners said
that the number of regular buses in the city had dropped by 50
percent because members lacked the funds necessary for
maintenance and repair.

Sepang said yesterday that most of the companies, which do not
have enough money to repair their damaged standard buses, use the
good parts from Patas buses for their more lucrative Express
fleets.

Agency data indicate that bus companies prefer operating the
Express buses because the fares are higher and allow them to make
more money.

The result is that the number of privately-owned standard
buses serving routes across the capital has decreased by half in
the last 12 months.

The association has confirmed that most of its members have no
funds to repair damaged buses.

Sepang promised that his office would rectify the situation by
monitoring the use of public buses.

"We want to make sure the public bus firms are obeying the
regulations. So we are focusing on the problem in a special
operation as of today," he said.

The operation is aimed at upholding Gubernatorial Decree No.
572/1996 on public transportation. Under the decree, buses which
abandon passengers before their final destinations are to be
impounded.

During the operation, agency officials will ensure that bus
crews adhere to capacity regulations and transport students, who
pay Rp 100 per trip.

"According to the decree, Patas buses can only pick up 10
passengers beyond their seating limit during peak hours," he
said, adding that officials will make sure that the buses comply
with the regulation.

Agency figures show that of the city's 20,215 buses, there
are 16,678 standard buses, half of which are considered operable.

The data also indicate that the number of state-owned standard
buses has dropped from 1,479 to 664.

City Council Speaker M.H. Ritonga said earlier that the agency
should force transit companies to repair and operate standard
buses.

"The agency should take prompt actions to settle this matter
and make certain that the companies obey the regulations," he
said. (yns)