Taxi fare hike demanded

BANDUNG: About 160 Gemah Ripah taxi drivers marched to the provincial council building here on Monday, demanding a taxi fare hike.

Gemah Ripah is the only taxi operator here using the meter.

"We can no longer survive since the taxi company just raised the collection fee from Rp 76,000 per day to Rp 82,000 per day. We cannot meet the target if we use the old fares," said Endang Sutaryan, 44, one of the drivers.

The group met with several councillors, among them head of Commission D for economic affairs Fred G. Serhalawan.

"We will channel their aspirations but so far we have not received any official request from the local administration to hike the taxi fare," Fred said.

Taxis in Bandung are notorious for refusing to use taxi meters.

The taxi drivers are demanding the flag fall be raised from Rp 1,500 to Rp 2,000, and the fare per kilometer increased from Rp 900 to Rp 1,300. (25/edt)