'State-owned PPD, Damri violate regulations'

'State-owned PPD, Damri violate regulations'

JAKARTA (JP): Two state-owned transportation companies, PPD
and Damri, were among the six bus companies which violated
transport regulations during the Idul Fitri exodus, an official
said yesterday.

City Land Transportation Control Agency Head J.P. Sepang, said
yesterday the other four companies were Mawar Selatan, Sinar
Jaya, Timbul Jaya and Giri Indah Andalan.

Giri Indah Andalan was one of several companies suspended for
a week last year for failing to meet an agreement made with the
agency to provide additional buses.

Sepang said the other three companies had illegally raised
fares above the government-set 25 percent fare hikes for the Idul
Fitri holidays, effective to Feb. 19.

Damri cheated prospective passengers by selling tickets for
two buses which were not available, said Sepang.

The head of the Rawamangun bus terminal in East Jakarta had to
give money back to the passengers, he said.

The PPD bus crew violated the rules by taking passengers
outside the bus pool.

Sepang said punishments would be decided by the Ministry of
Transportation, his office was only responsible for recording
violations.

Sepang said Mawar Selatan was guilty of selling tickets at
air-conditioned bus prices, but providing non-air-conditioned
buses.

"We took passengers to another terminal and helped them get
other buses (with suitable fares)," Sepang said.

The city operated 9,397 buses for Idul Fitri, 2,095 were city
public buses.

Conditions in terminals and train stations returned to normal
as soon as crowds left for their hometowns.

The land transportation agency recorded 1,015,570 Jakartans
left for their hometowns from the four main terminals and 15
extra terminals between Feb. 2 and Monday. Idul Fitri was on
Sunday and Monday.

On Wednesday 151,944 left on buses, and Thursday 138,793.

Spokesman for state-owned railway company Perumka, Bambang
Walujodjati, said 440,487 people left on trains from Feb. 2 to
Sunday.

"The peak was Thursday and Friday," Bambang told The Jakarta
Post yesterday. He said 71,308 people left on trains on Thursday
and 66,532 on Friday.

The land transportation control agency had estimated 1.6
million people would leave for their hometowns by bus for Idul
Fitri.

The City Population Office estimates 3.5 million people leave
Jakarta for their hometowns each Idul Fitri and return with
300,000 relatives and friends looking for jobs. (ste)