Starting date delay angers minivan owners

JAKARTA (JP): Thirty owners of minivans, which are scheduled to replace the three-wheeled bemo, held a protest yesterday after plans for the changeover were delayed for a third time.

They went to the City Land Transportation Agency (DLLAJ) to demand consistency in its plan for the minivans to ply a number of routes in East Jakarta.

Pungki Sampurno, one of the minivan owners, said the fleet, which is called Angkutan Pengganti Bemo or APB (literally meaning the vehicles to replace bemo), were scheduled to start operation on Aug. 30.

The plan, however, was postponed without any explanation, Pungki said.

"Later the Organization of City Land Transportation Owners (Organda) made a new announcement allowing us to start operating on Sept. 3."

He said this plan was also canceled, much to the disappointment of minivan owners, because DLLAJ was not ready to provide traffic signs for the minivan routes.

Later the agency announced that the minivan operation would be launched on Sept. 6 but this plan was also delayed without explanation, he said.

"We've gone through many troubles and wasted much time, money and energy. How can we survive if we're not able to operate? Our family needs to eat."

At 6 a.m. the minivan owners and their drivers, in 35 vans, went to the agency's office at Jati Baru, Central Jakarta. The procession caused heavy traffic congestions on roads around the area.

The head of DLLAJ, J.P. Sepang, agreed to meet them yesterday and promised to complete the vans' traffic signs and make a new arrangement for the launch.

"You can start operating at least by Sept. 13," Sepang said. "Don't worry because I will take full responsibility."

Believing Sepang's words, the van owners agreed to wait but threatened to hold another protest if the agency failed to meet the deadline again.

Pungki said: "If the plan is delayed again we will bring this complaint to the City Council."

Out of 1,096 minivans only 534 are ready to operate. The replacement of bemo was originally scheduled to start last January.

Based on the Gubernatorial Decree No. 33/1996, all outdated vehicles currently operating in the city will be phased out, including bemo and becak (pedicabs).

Governor Surjadi Soedirdja said earlier that the plan was aimed at providing sufficient and effective public transportation and to fulfill residents' needs for public transportation. (07)