Traffic crackdown nets 109 bus crews

Traffic crackdown nets 109 bus crews

JAKARTA (JP): The chief of the South Jakarta office of the City Land Transportation Control Agency, Bubung Burhana, announced that a total of 109 bus crews were netted during a recent traffic crackdown on public transit vehicles in that mayoralty.

"Of the 109 buses, 48 belong to the Metro Mini transportation company and 29 to the Kopaja transit service. The crews of the buses will be brought to court soon on charges of breaching traffic discipline," Bubung told reporters over the weekend.

He said that the operation was fully supported by South Jakarta Mayor Pardjoko.

Pardjoko himself, together with agency officials, personally joined the operation on Thursday and supervised traffic flow on Jl. Tarunajaya, where his office is located. The mayor gave stern warnings to bus crews who were not wearing their uniforms while on duty.

Bubung said that since President Soeharto launched the National Discipline Movement on National Awakening Day, May 20, he has taken stern measures against any of his subordinates found imposing unauthorized fees on bus crews at inter-city bus terminals, including those at Lebak Bulus, Pasar Minggu and Blok M.

On Monday, Governor Surjadi Soedirdja vowed that he would wipe out the rampant collection of illegal levies at inter-city bus terminals throughout the capital. The governor said that officials of the city administration would not tolerate the unchecked growth of such practices.

Surjadi made the remarks in response to reports that the collection of unauthorized fees was still rampant at the vehicle testing centers and at bus terminals.

The illegal fee collection reportedly involves not only brokers, but also officers of the agency. (31)