Stop issuing new bus route permits: Organda

JAKARTA (JP): The Organization of Land Transportation Owners' (Organda) city branch yesterday urged the municipality to stop issuing new routes for buses until a feasibility survey has been completed.

Speaking at a meeting with the City Council's Commission D for development affairs, Organda's chairman Aip Syariffuddin said disregard for the survey could trigger more driver protests.

"The city should not issue new routes, or even permits, to new buses because it will cause further overlapping on existing routes," Aip told the meeting.

The city's leniency in issuing permits would prompt owners to exploit "every possible way" of obtaining the lucrative routes, he said.

"The leniency will lead to collusion between owners and officials."

The City Land Transportation Agency (DLLAJ) is in the process of surveying the existing bus routes with the help of the Bandung Institute of Technology. Organda has also had some input.

The chairman of Commission D for development affairs, Councilor Ali Wongso H. Sinaga, praised the administration for involving Organda in the survey.

"The survey should be based on the need to increase services for people and not create more, or new, problems," Ali said.

Future problems could be avoided if there was strong coordination between bus owners and officials, he said.

"Good coordination can prevent further driver strikes."

Earlier this month, about 100 drivers of the S604 Metromini (medium-size) buses plying the Pasar Minggu-Tanah Abang route staged a protest outside City Council.

Drivers of the Rp 400 (13 US cents) Metromini buses blamed the presence of Rp 300 regular buses on the same route for causing a decrease of up to 80 percent in their income.

During the meeting, Aip also asked councilors to support the organization's call for a reduction in loan interest as part of the government's assistance plan for public transportation providers.

"The reduction will help the owners cover their operational costs."

Public transportation operators have to pay loan interest of between 30 percent and 36 percent, the same as owners of private vehicles, he said.

"We believe the loan interest can be reduced to 18 percent or 20 percent."

Aip urged the government to offer soft loans to bus owners and reduce taxes.

"Even those who buy minivans must pay a luxury tax," he said.

He admitted that public minivan owners could apply for a tax reduction but "it would cost them time, money and more cash in the form of illegal levies".

Councilor Lukman F. Mokoginta from the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) faction said that Organda's request was reasonable as long as it offered compensation, in the form of professional services, to people.

"Without better services the request is not acceptable," Lukman said. (ste)