Starting date delay angers minivan owners

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Based on the Gubernatorial Decree No. 33/1996, all outdated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)