The Transportation Ministry estimates some 2.5 million motorcycles will be used for the exodus. This figure is 18.08 percent higher than last year's.

"The police have to ensure the motorcyclists obey traffic laws, to minimize the number of accidents. However, we will take into account the human aspect of the exodus," National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Abubakar Nataprawira said at a press conference on Friday.

Traffic police have set up a checkpoint in Bekasi to monitor motorcyclists. Officers have so far ticketed 76 motorcyclists for violating traffic regulations -- most of those ticketed were carrying more than two passengers on a motorcycle.

"The police will ticket motorcyclists carrying more than two passengers. If they insist on continuing with their journey, they must take public transportation," said Soeripno, the Transportation Ministry's director for land transportation safety.

The policy is being enforced in several key areas.

Abubakar warned motorcyclists of the potential dangers they faced during the trip along Java's northern coast road, popularly known as pantura.

During last year's mudik, 256 people died in motorcycle accidents in Java, Bali and Sumatra.

To minimize traffic accidents this year, the police have worked with the Transportation Ministry to provide a special train for transporting travelers with motorcycles, especially families traveling with children.

"The train can transport about 9,000 motorcycles almost every day," Abubakar said.

Besides motorcycles, police are also paying close attention to pickup trucks, which are meant for transporting goods and not passengers.

On Friday, eight passengers of a pickup truck died when their vehicle collided with a Puspa Jaya bus in Subang, West Java.

"We are investigating the cause of the accident. However, the truck driver clearly violated the law by carrying passengers," Abubakar said.

Travelers are not limiting themselves to the nation's roads. Senen Railway Station in Central Jakarta and Tanjung Priok Port in North Jakarta were packed with passengers since early Friday.

Budi Utoyo, assistant manager at the port, said Friday was the peak of this year's exodus. He said six ships carried over 7,000 passengers from Jakarta to Batam, Bangka, Pontianak in West Kalimantan, Makassar in South Sulawesi, and Ambon and Ternate in Maluku.

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