Owners defy plan to free arteries from minibuses

The Jakarta Post, JAKARTA | Fri, 03/13/2009 12:09 PM  

Minibus operators are opposed to the city’s plan to ban the vehicles from entering the capital’s main thoroughfares, pointing out their incomes would be decimated. 

Situmorang, 43, a Metromini 640 minibus driver, said he was opposed to the ban because he stood to loose a big chunk of his income. 

“I work from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day, but only earn a maximum of Rp 80,000 [US$6.60],” Situmorang, who has been driving the minibus for 20 years, said Thursday.

“The ban means I’ll get less [money], because almost all my passengers work at buildings or offices along the city’s main roads.”

The Metromini 640 serves the route between Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, and Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta. It passes down Jl. Gatot Subroto, Jl. Sudirman and Jl. Thamrin, which are among the busiest roads in the city.

According to Situmorang, more than 130 units of Metromini 640 currently run on the route. Every bus is operated by one, sometimes two, pairs of driver and bus crew.

Mamat, 40, the driver of a Kopaja 66 minibus, called the plan untimely.

“The prices of spare parts and car maintenance have soared recently,” he said.

“How can I afford it if I make less money?”

The Kopaja 66 plies the route between Blok M Terminal and Manggarai Terminal, both in South Jakarta. The bus runs across Jl. Sudirman, Jl. Gatot Subroto and Jl. Rasuna Said.

Mamat, who has been plying the route for 15 years, said he only managed a daily profit of Rp 50,000 after having to pay Rp 350,000 in rental fees to the owner of the bus.

“I don’t know what I’d do if the administration really banned us from operating on those busy streets,” he added.

On Wednesday, the Jakarta Transportation Agency said it would ban minibuses — Metromini and Kopaja — from entering the city’s main thoroughfares, in a bid to reduce traffic jams and maximize space for Transjakarta buses.

The affected minibuses include the Metromini 640, Kopaja 66, Kopaja 19 (Blok M—Tanah Abang) and Kopaja 620 (Blok M—Pasar Rumput, South Jakarta).

The agency said it would only allow large buses to pass down these streets, once the regulation came into effect, expected in 2010.

The minibuses owners, however, doubted the administration would stick to its guns, pointing out it had a long history of not implementing regulations fairly.

“The administration must ensure it implements the ban on all minibuses operators without exception,” said Ujang, the owner of 10 Metromini buses in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta.

“If all operators get the same treatment, I think we can be more cooperative in abiding by the regulation.”

Siagian, another Metromini owner, expressed similar sentiments.

“The administration must ensure the business competition remains fair,” he said.

Most minibuses owners in the city charge their drivers daily rental fees of between Rp 250,000 and Rp 300,000.

Last year, the Jakarta branch of the Land Transportation Owners Organization (Organda) estimated there were 60,000 public transportation vehicles in Jakarta.

Of that number, there were 4,200 large buses, 4,800 minibuses, 13,000 minivans, 23,300 taxis and 15,000 bajaj (three-wheeled taxis). (hwa)

Bogor launches minibuses to ease traffic congestion

The Jakarta Post, Sat, 03/07/2009 2:19 PM  

BOGOR: Bogor city-owned transportation service provider Trans Pakuan launched Friday six minibuses to ply the Baranangsiang-Rancamaya route in a bid to muscle out the ubiquitous minivans in the city and ease traffic jams. 

Administration secretary Bambang Gunawan said the six minibuses would replace 18 minivans now plying the route. 

The minibus fare is Rp 2,500 per trip. Unlike the minivans, these minibuses will stop only at designated shelters. The administration has prepared 15 shelters for the minibuses. - JP

My two-way-street affair with ubiquitous, reckless, unruly `angkot'

Widhyawati Ambara, The Jakarta Post, Tue, 02/17/2009 2:05 PM  

Driving along Jakarta's roads, it is not uncommon for drivers and passengers to get pissed off at the sluggish traffic and, particularly, the angkot (public minivan). 

Most can't resist the temptation to swear - Oh angkot @!*$%! (Please, feel free to translate that according to your own stock of swearwords). 

The public minivan is incredibly ubiquitous. 

A friend of mine says angkot are like bacteria; they are found everywhere. But unlike bacteria, which can only be seen under a microscope, angkot are far and wide and everywhere in between. They are proud and move confidently around. They maneuver fearlessly, alongside ordinary and luxury vehicles. 

When you are behind the wheel, you feel your soul become detached as an angkot skims by so close that you feel like your car is getting an unwanted deadly kiss. 

The angkot must get cursed at the most, compared to other forms of transportation around the city. 

Is that so? Maybe not so much, maybe not all. It depends on whether you have ever tried to get one. (I know some people have never caught one before.) But some people are members of the angkot fan club. I happen to be a fan, not voluntarily, but out of necessity. 

I use angkot to get to the office multiple times a day. I have enjoyed riding them for a long time. In between my grumbles - about how there are too many on the roads and the ignorance of drivers, among other things - I am thankful that we have angkot around. 

It is fair to describe angkot as useful. Imagine living in Jakarta without a private car to take you to work, school or elsewhere. True, there are buses and now we have the busway, but their routes do not penetrate the corners of neighborhoods in the middle of the labyrinth that is Jakarta. The angkot becomes the savior. 

Sometimes I laugh at myself for being ambivalent. 

On the weekends, when I drive my car around, the angkot is an object to avoid so I don't become emotional as a result of its reckless movements. But on weekdays, when I need them most, I am happy to see one. Once inside, I hope it races, beating the traffic, so I can get to my office quickly. 

These days, I think I love the angkot more. The financial crisis has erected hurdles, preventing me from doing my hobby, traveling. I usually rented a car to get around parts of Indonesia. I have now lowered my standards and use angkot instead. I travel to new places in Indonesia by using angkot. 

Can you find a minivan in the cities of Malaysia and Singapore willing to take you to far-reaching corners? No way. In Sukabumi, West Java, for example, if you want to hike to Mount Pangrango or trek around Situ Gunung, the angkot will serve you well. And they are much cheaper than renting a car. 

Of course they can be irritating when you are driving, as they wait for passengers at curbs. But they make my life easier. I don't have walk very far to a bus stop. Instead, I can wait anywhere and raise my fingers when I see one approaching. 

Nevertheless, I wish the city provided a transportation system that could accommodate everyone's needs. That would be nice. 

But for now, I have a love-hate relationship with the angkot. And that is fine, too. 

Bus fares won’t be cut: Operators

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, 12/20/2008 9:07 AM 

GOING NOWHERE FAST: A traffic police officer ignores public minivan drivers loitering illegally for passengers near the busy Slipi intersection, West Jakarta, on Monday. Transportation operators are reluctant to cut fares, despite lower fuel prices. (JP/Arief Suhardiman) 

 

The Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda) remains adamant it will not reduce public transportation fares in Jakarta after the government slashed fuel prices twice this month.

On Friday, Eddy Toet Hendratno, head of the Jakarta Transportation Council, said operators were still mulling a possible cut but had not decided yet. 

“We have also not given any recommendations on this,” Eddy told The Jakarta Post. 

“The fuel price factor accounts for only 34 percent of operational expenditure. That is why the companies are still debating reducing fares.” 

Rudy Thehamihardja from Organda insisted fares would not be cut just yet because the group was still reeling from a spate of recent expenditures. 

“We’ve had many expenses, such as buying spare parts, paying taxes and even paying drivers’ salaries. The decrease in the fuel price only solves one of our problems,” he said. 

At the beginning of December, the government reduced the price of subsidized Premium gasoline to Rp 5,500 from the initial Rp 6,000, but did not lower the price of subsidized diesel. 

On Dec. 15, the government again lowered the price of Premium, this time to Rp 5,000, and also diesel, from Rp 5,500 to Rp 4,800. 

On Thursday, Organda said it would cut inner-city public transportation fares by Rp 200 (2 US cents), or about 5 percent, following the latest fuel price cuts. 

Eddy pointed out fuel was only one of several expenses incurred by public transportation operators, along with spare part costs, fees and taxes, and even protection money for street thugs. 

“We are still discussing the matter and have not decided yet,” he said with a shrug. 

Eddy added he would recommend the owners reduce fares only if the government made yet another cut in fuel prices. 

“We hope fuel will be even cheaper, so we can do something to help people here,” he said. 

Public transportation drivers are also undecided on whether fares should be cut. 

“To be honest, we lose money every day,” Diman, who plies the Tanah Abang-Kemayoran route, told the Post.

“The government only cut fuel prices by a total of Rp 1,000, but we still have to pay the same vehicle rental fees to the owners.” 

Eddy concurred, saying this often led conductors and drivers to charge commuters higher fares than those set by government. “This is probably because the drivers have to pay rental fees to the owners. The decrease in the fuel price doesn’t affect rental fees.” 

The insistence of public transportation owners not to reduce fares has drawn many complaints.

Lisa, a university student, said she was disappointed that fares had not gone down along with fuel prices. 

“I’m surprised everything’s still the same,” she said. (naf)

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