Tangerang drivers fail to stage planned protest

Tangerang drivers fail to stage planned protest

TANGERANG (JP): Some public transportation drivers on the
Pasar Anyar-Perumnas II and III housing estate routes in
Tangerang yesterday failed to stage their protest against the
presence of other vehicles operating with no route permits.

The drivers initially planned to stage a protest at Tangerang
city hall and at the office of the Tangerang Land Transportation
Agency in their vehicles. However, the authorities succeeded in
blocking their way and calmed them down.

Many officers were deployed to persuade the drivers to return
to work.

Speaking to the reporters, one of the drivers complained that
the illegal cars, with the code numbers of 02, 03 and 05, operate on
routes longer than legally allowed, costing them a loss in income.

The public transportation cars with code numbers 02, 03 and 05
are plying Pasar Anyar-Perumnas I routes.

"They frequently take our customers by operating on our
routes," said Suherman.

The problem is only getting worse since the Tangerang
authority, according to them, has done nothing to solve the matter.
Many illegal public transportation vehicles are still operating
freely.

However, Mamat Rachmat, the Chief of Tangerang Land
Transportation Agency, denied the allegation that the agency has
never done anything to curb the operation of illegal transportation.

"This month the agency has seized around 50 illegal cars in two
raids," he said, adding that the drivers of the legal vehicles have
never submitted formal complaints to his office.

According to the Chairman of the Organization of Tangerang Land
Transportation Owners, H. Holil, the presence of illegal public
transportation cars is probably the action of some irresponsible car
dealers.

"They have persuaded people to buy their cars that are the same
color as the legal ones and assure them that route permits are easy
to get," Holil said.

The aborted driver protest, which was to have taken place from
8 a.m. to 9 a.m., left the many passengers who wanted to go to
either Pasar Anyar or Perumnas II and III complex deserted. (13/mas)