'Taxi fare hike no problem if service is good'

The Jakarta administration raised the taxi fare ceiling by 36 percent, effective as of April 1. Many Jakartans depend on taxis to get around because of the unreliability of most other forms of public transportation. The Jakarta Post asked residents for their opinion on the issue.

Ipung, 35, is a public relations consultant in Kemang, South Jakarta. He lives with his family in Cipete, South Jakarta:

Almost every day I take a taxi to the office. I have no other choice but use taxis because I don't want to get sweaty and jostled around in a packed bus. Not to mention that you have to deal with the ubiquitous pickpockets.

Of course, the recent fuel price hike has forced me to dig deeper into my pocket. I have to pay up to 30 percent more now for my taxis.

Personally, I have no problem with the fare increase as long as the service is good.

But what concerns me is that the administration never consults the public before raising fares. And, in many cases, such one- sided policies favor business at the expense of the public's interests.

Dhani, 30, is a lecturer at the nursing academy at St. Carolus Hospital. She lives with her husband in Salemba, Central Jakarta:

I take a taxi when I have to go to the airport on business. I always use a taxi company that I know has relatively disciplined drivers.

For me, the taxi fare increase is not in line with promised improvements in the service to passengers.

Passengers have to pay higher fares but still have to deal with undisciplined drivers who unscrupulously take advantage of the passengers' ignorance.

For instance, I often find drivers who pretend to forget to turn on the meter and then later demand a higher fare. Or sometimes they took the long way to a destination to get more money from people who are unfamiliar with the city.

--The Jakarta Post