Steady Safe deploys regular buses

JAKARTA (JP): In fear of punishment, private-owned bus company PT Steady Safe started yesterday to operate 22 of its 248 air- conditioned buses as regular buses.

The buses which will ply two routes, Kampung Melayu-Blok M and Kampung Melayu-Kalideres, were officially launched yesterday by the head of the city land transport control agency, JP Sepang, at Kampung Melayu bus terminal, East Jakarta.

"This is the implementation of the ministerial decree which stipulates that all private-owned bus companies must operate 30 percent of their total fleets as regular buses," Sepang said in his address.

The city has lacked regular bus services for some time as all bus companies prefer operating AC express buses to regular buses for financial reasons. The current fare on AC express buses is Rp 1,800, while the fare is only Rp 300 (13 US cents) on regular buses.

The scarcity of regular buses recently triggered public outcry until Sepang announced on May 29 that bus companies which fail to operate 30 percent of their fleets as regular buses by the end of this month would be punished.

"I hope these buses can help deal with the scarcity of regular buses in Jakarta and I hope PT Steady Safe will fulfill its obligation to operate the remaining 53 regular buses soon," Sepang said.

PT Steady Safe obtained a permit to operate 248 buses in 1993. Like other bus companies, however, Steady Safe had yet to abide by the regulation on the operation of regular buses until yesterday.

Sepang urged yesterday that other private bus companies follow PT Steady Safe's example soon.

There are now six bus companies, including Steady Safe, which have permits to operate a total of 873 buses, 272 of which should be operated as regular buses. (yns)