Passengers prefer CNG 'bajaj', owners reluctant to switch

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Mon, 04/07/2008 11:17 AM  |  City

The city administration's efforts to reduce air pollution from vehicles are facing a major obstacle--the owners of some 14,000 toxic-smoke-belching Bajaj are reluctant to upgrade their vehicles.

The new Bajaj model, however, uses compressed natural gas (CNG) which causes less pollution, and are more popular among passengers.

Wahyudin, who has been driving a new CNG-fueled Bajaj for the past three months in Mangga Dua, Central Jakarta, said passengers preferred to use the CNG Bajaj.

"With less noise inside the cabin, they can chat. There's also more space in the new Bajaj," said the 29-year-old, who has been a bajaj driver for five years.

The newer Bajaj have two fuel tanks; one for CNG and another for gasoline. The vehicle was introduced in 2006 by the administration, to reduce the number of polluting Bajaj which use a mixture of gasoline and machine oil.

Previously the administration had introduced other Bajaj substitutes, like the Kancil (a four-wheeled mini taxi) and Mahator (three wheeled motorcycle), but without success.

It had targeted to upgrade 5,000 Bajaj to newer CNG vehicles by the end of 2007, but recent data showed there were currently only around 250 of the newer Bajaj in operation.

Wahyudin said, while he had to pay more to rent a CNG Bajaj, he spent less on fuel and could charge passengers higher fares.

"With people preferring the CNG bajaj--which looks better, I can charge 10 to 20 percent more," Wahyudin said.

Bajaj owners, however, say they are reluctant to replace their old Bajaj (which cost between Rp 15 and 25, million) with the new model which is pricier and harder to maintain.

"At Rp 40 million (US$2,725) a unit, a new bajaj is too expensive. I can't readily afford it, even if I paid in installments," said Royani, owner of 15 Bajaj and a repair shop at his home in Pondok Bambu, East Jakarta.

The CNG bajaj uses a different engine and there are still very few mechanics that fully understand it, Royani added.

"(The old ones) are truly poor men's vehicles. Bajaj drivers can learn the engine easily and have no problems fixing it themselves. Mechanics are only needed for really serious damage which can take a long time to fix," Royani said.

Another Bajaj owner, Romli Burhanudin, decided not to replace his 17 Bajaj after realizing the new Bajaj spare parts were much more expensive and not readily available.

"The price gap is significant. An old Bajaj clutch cable, for example, costs less than Rp 5,000 while a new one costs more than Rp 80,000," he told The Jakarta Post on Friday at his repair shop in Cideng, Central Jakarta.

Fuel availability is also a concern for Bajaj owners. Governor Fauzi has recently demanded officials provide more CNG stations to guarantee the operation of public transport vehicles that use it.

"I think I'll wait three or four more years before I buy the new Bajaj. Let's just see whether things get better then," Romli said. (dre)

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