Steady Safe deploys regular buses

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)