Taxi fares at Gambir station

Taxi fares at Gambir station

From Media Indonesia

The taxi services at Gambir railway station are very disappointing. Most of them do not want to use their meters and charge the potential passengers twice or three times what the metered fare would be. They argue that they have to wait long periods in the station and have to pay a parking fee of Rp 1000.

Passengers having only hand luggage can go a little further away from the station and take a taxi that happens to be passing by. But for those who have many pieces of luggage, hard bargaining with a taxi driver is necessary. This can be a very unpleasant experience. More so for foreign tourists.

My question is: Who has the authority to discipline these taxis? Head of the Gambir Station, the Jakarta Metropolitan Administration, Jakarta Land Transport Office, the Metropolitan Police or the Jakarta Military Command? Please, do something about it.

In my opinion, something can be done about it. Make the taxi drivers line up and supervise them. Legalize the parking fee and use the funds for the benefit of the officials who supervise the area. Allow the driver to increase the taxi fare by, say, 10 to 25 percent of the normal fare. I don't think the passengers will object to this ruling.

SUHARSONO HADIKUSUMO

Jakarta