Sutiyoso announces 16.6% increase in 'Angkot' fares

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration increased on Wednesday fares for angkot public transportation vans by 16.6 percent from the current Rp 1,200 for the longest distance to Rp 1,400, but urged public bus operators to be patient and to resist raising their fares.

"I think the increase is fair for public and van operators. We will monitor the application of the decision, starting today (Wednesday)," Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso announced.

Sutiyoso said the decision to raise angkot fares had been discussed with City Council.

The Jakarta Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda) initially proposed an increase of between Rp 100 and Rp 300, or at least 15 percent from current fares.

Before the increase, angkot fares were between Rp 500 and Rp 1,200, depending on the distance. The maximum distance is 14 kilometers.

An increase for short distances has not been determined.

Jakarta Organda chairman Aip Syaifuddin welcomed the increase.

He said his proposal to increase fares was based on the 30 percent fuel prices hike, tire price increase of 12.5 percent and the increased prices of spare parts.

He claimed that the 16.6 percent increase was low compared with the increase in public van fares in other cities across the country, which reaches between 25 percent and 30 percent.

"With the increase of angkot fares, we will soon announce an increase in fares for air-conditioned buses," Aip was quoted by Antara as saying.

He said his organization was still discussing the fare increase for air-conditioned buses with the city administration and the Ministry of Communications.

Several bus operators proposed on Tuesday an increase in bus fares. They proposed air-conditioned bus fares be increased to Rp 3,500 from the current Rp 2,500.

They also proposed a fare increase for regular buses from Rp 500 to Rp 1,200 and a rise for minibuses (Metromini and Kopaja buses) from Rp 700 to Rp 1,400.

Sutiyoso has urged bus operators not to increase their fares since they will be subsidized by the central government.

"They should be patient and wait for the subsidy. Hopefully the government will soon disburse the money," he said.

He said that if the subsidy was insufficient and did not enable bus companies to cover operational costs, the operators could then increase their fares.

Announcing fuel price increases on Friday, the government also promised to spend Rp 216.4 billion on a subsidy for public transportation operators. Many, however, are skeptical that the subsidy will reach the intended recipients intact. (jun/04)