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