YLKI to help monitor Idul Fitri bus ticket prices

YLKI to help monitor Idul Fitri bus ticket prices

P.C. Naommy, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Three main bus stations in the city are working with the
Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) to monitor illegal hike of
ticket prices prior to the Idul Fitri holiday, which falls on
Nov. 25 and Nov. 26.

"We have set up a coordination center in this station and,
along with YLKI staff members, we will monitor the situation to
make sure that everything is under control," Endi Lastyo, head of
Kampung Rambutan bus station, said on Thursday.

He emphasized that he and his staff would not compromise with
anyone found to be violating the rules.

"There is no place for ticket scalpers at this station," he
explained to visiting members of House of Representatives
Commission IV overseeing infrastructure and transportation.

The management of Kampung Rambutan bus station has already
collected sample tickets from all bus operators in the station.
The tickets have the correct fare printed on them and will be
used as controls.

"If passengers are suspicious about the price of a ticket they
have bought, they can come to us and we will check it against the
correct prices," said Endi.

He said if it is proved that a bus company has arbitrarily
increased their fares, station staff will take their operating
license and report to the City Transportation Agency. The agency
has the authority to issue and rescind the licenses.

The agency will also randomly distribute forms to bus
passengers in order to gather feedback and complaints, including
any irregular incidents experienced before and during the trip.

YLKI chairwoman Indah Suksmaningsih said most passengers were
too passive. "They just accept everything as is and are reluctant
to report any unjust actions they have experienced, especially
anything to do with ticket prices."

The YLKI encourages all consumers to be proactive in reporting
any and all irregularities they encounter.

In the past, the consumer protection foundation had a visible
role in actively monitoring ticket sales. This year, they will
focus their activities on registering complaints at the
coordination center.

The foundation has undertaken the new measure due to death
threats made against Erna Rosida, a YLKI staff member. The
threats were delivered by bus operators Erna was monitoring.

This is the their fifth year the YLKI is collaborating with
the Pulo Gadung, Kampung Rambutan and Lebak Bulus bus stations.

House Commission members checked buses, train stations,
seaports and airports, bus ticket prices and bus emergency
equipment during their visit, led by Commission chairman
Soemaryoto and accompanied by head of City Transportation Agency
Rustam Effendy.

They found that not all buses, particularly old buses, had the
mandatory two hammers to break windows, emergency exits and fire
extinguishers.

It was the lack of such basic emergency equipment that
contributed to the deaths of 51 students from a Yogyakarta-based
vocational school last month when their bus collided with a truck
and burst into flames in Situbondo, East Java.

However, TR Panjaitan of the Jakarta Organization of Land
Transportation Owners (Organda DKI) said the agency was lenient
in regards the fire extinguisher requirement, because the
regulation just went into effect on Oct. 15.