YLKI rejects proposed hike in city bus fare

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) rejected yesterday the City Land Transportation Agency's (DLLAJ) plan to propose a fare hike of regular city buses from Rp 300 (12 U.S. cents) to Rp 500.

YLKI's executive director, Zumrotin K.S., said that the proposed fare hike was not necessary because bus companies still could profit from the existing fare if they managed their companies professionally.

She cited a 1996 World Bank report, which said that bus companies, which were professionally managed, could profit from the air-conditioned, limited passenger (Patas) bus fare of Rp 1,800 and the regular bus fare of Rp 300.

A 1996 rule allows each bus company in Jakarta to operate 40 AC Patas buses and 30 regular buses for every 30 non-AC Patas buses. The fare for non-AC buses is Rp 700.

The hike proposal, she said, was apparently made to prevent the "disappearance" of regular buses from designated route.

She said that many bus companies have been reluctant to operate regular buses and have changed the classification of their regular buses to non-AC Patas buses instead.

The municipality, she said, should tightly control the operation of the non-AC Patas buses.

The disappearance of regular buses, Zumrotin said, was caused mainly by weak supervision on the part of DLLAJ of the operation of non-AC Patas buses.

"Non-AC Patas buses can't just stop anywhere and pick up passengers at will like regular buses. That's not fair to bus companies who operate regular buses," Zumrotin said.

Any decision taken by the government to raise bus fares after the May 29 general election would be deplorable to the public, she said.

"If the government raises fares now after the election, it would mean the government breaking its promise of not raising them this year," Zumrotin said.

DLLAJ chief J.P. Sepang said on Thursday that the agency would propose a regular bus fare hike by Rp 200 because the current fare was no longer adequate to cover operational and maintenance costs of bus companies.

Minister

However, Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto reiterated yesterday that the government would not raise transportation fares before the general assembly next year.

"I don't think it is necessary to raise fares (for public sea, land and air transportation). Who said there would be a raise? Just tell me who said that and I'll cengkiwing them (pick them up and shake them by the scruff of the neck)," the minister told reporters after inaugurating a mosque and Rp 17.5 billion worth of projects of state-owned PT Rukindo in Ancol Barat, North Jakarta.

"Please don't fanaticize (about raising fares)."

Haryanto also called on local authorities to concentrate more on overseeing bus operators, particularly in the capital.

"The local government has to be more firm with bus operators," he said.

"If there are complaints that regular bus drivers have lower incomes as a result, bus operators should apply a cross- subsidizing plan," Haryanto said, adding that bus operators should also be careful in management.

"This is a marginal business. They should run their companies carefully to avoid, for instance, leaving regular buses idle," he said.

He said that local authorities and other parties should also work hand in hand to eliminate illegal levies that are imposed on bus drivers.

The proposed bus fare hike has received a mixed response from passengers. A woman, who works at the Manggala Wanabhakti building in Central Jakarta, and an employee of Exim Bank on Jalan Gatot Subroto said they would not object to an increased fare, as long as there was improved convenience for passengers.

"Drivers often do not pay attention to whether their buses are already crowded or not," the bank employee said.

He also said a bus fare hike would mean he would have to set aside a bigger budget for transportation.

"I think I would have to spend Rp 3,000 a day for transportation to and from the office, as compared to only Rp 2,000 now," he said.

A non-AC Patas bus driver said that he has heard nothing about the proposed hike.

"I don't care as long as I can keep on working," he said.

Ahmad, a bus driver of the Blok M-Rawamangun route, said whenever there was a fare hike, it would take about three months for passengers to adjust.

"People frequently paid less than Rp 300 for several months after the bus fare was increased from Rp 250 to Rp 300 last year," he said.

He predicted a similar practice would take place again if the current fare increased to Rp 500.

"Students will keep on paying Rp 100, the same as the present fare," he said. (03/ste/12/icn)