YLKI rejects proposed hike in city bus fare
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)