Sutiyoso approves 45.54% increase in taxi fares

JAKARTA (JP): After two months of postponement due to strong opposition from the public and many taxi drivers, the 45.54 percent hike in taxi fares in the capital takes effect today.

Governor Sutiyoso signed his approval for the significant hike on Tuesday but was only announced on Friday by head of the taxi unit of the Jakarta Chapter of the Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda), Izak Rumeidy.

"Under the new tariff, the flagfall and first kilometer will be Rp 3,000 (around 30 US cents) up from Rp 2,000 and each subsequent kilometer to increase to Rp 1,300 from Rp 900 per kilometer.

The waiting fee will also be increased to Rp 13,000 from Rp 10,000 per hour," Izak told journalists.

The new fare is in accordance with Gubernatorial Decree No. 2503/2000 on the new taxi tariff for Jakarta signed on Aug. 22 by Sutiyoso.

Due to protests from the public and drivers, the implementation of the decree was suspended and therefore, this time only an approval letter from the governor was required, instead of another decree.

On Sept. 1, the day of the implementation of the gubernatorial decree, drivers from several taxi companies refused to charge their passengers the new tariff, saying that the hike would only give more earnings to their employers and cause passengers to turn away.

Their actions received strong support from city councillors, who said they had yet to give their approval for the hike.

The city authorities then ordered all taxi companies to stop charging passengers under the new tariff and netted those who violated the instruction.

In October, the city councillors okayed the Organda proposal for the hike on the grounds that taxi companies have suffered badly from the crisis and the skyrocketing prices of imported spare parts and vehicle maintenance.

According to Izak, only two of the 32 taxi operators in the capital have declared their refusal to implement the new hike, with another taxi company yet to make its decision.

"PT Citra Taxi and PT Steady Safe have rejected the fare hike, saying that they will delay it until sometime next year. PT Kosti Jaya has yet to decide its stand whether they are going to follow the new rate or not," Izak added.

Organda, he said, would not force these three companies to follow suit because Governor Sutiyoso has stated that each taxi operator may decide whether or not they want to implement the fare hike.

It was reported that the two taxi operators still considered the current fare to be sufficient for them to survive and to maintain their companies.

"The taxi companies also agreed that they will not increase the daily rental fee, paid by the driver to the company, within the next three months to anticipate a possible drop in passengers which could burden the drivers," Izak remarked.

Meanwhile, City Land Transportation Agency Chief Buyung Atang said his office -- in line with the implementation of the new tariff -- would impose strict measures against taxi operators, who failed to improve their services to the public.

"I expect that taxis here should be in good condition, fully air-conditioned and pass the vehicle roadworthiness test.

I will not conduct raids on them for the fare but for the condition of their vehicles," Buyung said.

Out of the 22,000 cabs registered in the capital, only 16,000 are still serving passengers, while the remaining 6,000 failed to pass the vehicle roadworthiness test.

The 6,000 taxis should undergo the test again next month or their licenses will be revoked and offered to other companies, Buyung said.

Also outlined in the governor's letter, are several requirements to be fulfilled by taxi companies, including closing off the space between the trunk and the underside of the back seat for passenger safety and providing a wastebasket. (dja)