Transport body gears up for holiday exodus

JAKARTA (JP): The City Land Transportation Agency has arranged for 7,801 buses to accommodate the estimated 1.26 million travelers in the holiday seasons of Christmas, New Year and Ramadhan fasting month.

Head of the agency, J.P. Sepang, said in a statement here yesterday that the buses would be carrying passengers to cities and towns in Java and Sumatra.

The buses would be pooled at the city's four main bus terminals, namely the Pulo Gadung and Kampung Rambutan terminals in East Jakarta, Kalideres terminal in West Jakarta and Lebak Bulus terminal in South Jakarta.

Other terminals would also be used to support the exodus, such as Damri Station in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, Rawamangun terminal in East Jakarta and Tanjung Priok terminal in North Jakarta.

"If necessary, we'll set up other supporting terminals in strategic places in the city," Sepang said.

The annual exodus of city people, mostly housemaids and other casual workers, to their hometowns for their holidays would increase about 5 percent this year because the festive seasons were back to back, he said.

The Ramadhan fasting month is expected to start at the end of this month.

In an effort to supervise ticket distribution, passenger flow and the roadworthiness of the buses, the agency has opened public hot line (telephone number: 021 3457471).

"We will not allow any unroadworthy bus to transport passengers for the safety of the people," Sepang said.

The hot line also provides information about routes and ticket sale outlets.

"We will coordinate this program with other related parties such as City Police, City's Public Order Office and Jasa Raharja, a state-owned transportation insurance company," Sepang said. (edt)