But this year, would-be bikers need not take that risk because state-owned insurance company PT Jasa Raharja, together with Land Transportation Owner Organization (Organda) is providing free buses for bikers and their families.

"We hope to bring down the number of holiday travelers on motorcycles to reduce road accidents," Transportation Minister Jusman Syafii Djamal said Thursday.

According to data from the Jakarta Police traffic division, last year's holiday exodus claimed 27 lives from a total of 112 injured in road accidents.

Police fear more accidents this year if the number of bikers heading home does not decline. They are predicting 2.5 million motorcycles will roar out of town in this year's exodus, an increase of 15 percent from last year.

"I am urging state-owned companies to join in providing free transportation," Jusman told The Jakarta Post.

Eri Ali, 30, said he always used to ride his motorcycle home to Tegal, Central Java, with his wife to celebrate Idul Fitri, the most festive annual holiday for Muslims.

"My wife is pregnant so we definitely can't go to Tegal by bike. I'm relieved we have the chance to go home by bus, free of charge," he said.

He said he hoped the company would also arrange free travel back to Jakarta.

Jasa Raharja's president director Diding S. Anwar said the company had set aside about Rp 1 billion (US$106,000) to organize this first-time effort.

"Motorcycles are not designed for long journeys. I hope the free mudik will send the message to bikers to use public transportation," he said.

Of the Rp 1.3 trillion budgeted for claims this year alone, the company had already disbursed Rp 491,57 billion for victims of road accidents as of July.

Another company arranging free transportation is Jaya Board, a multinational company specializing in building and interior construction materials.

Company representative Tigor Silitonga said the firm has arranged free transportation for its construction workers for the fifth year running.

"We actually planned to rent 50 buses, but now we can only rent 30 for the 1,530 people who registered to set out on Saturday. Many of our construction workers have already gone home by motorbike," he said.

Tigor said the company promised to plan the next free mudik to involve more workers determined to go home by motorcycles.

"We may rent train coaches to transport motorcycles next year," he said.

Free holiday transportation for herbal medicine company Sidomuncul employees has been an annually scheduled event since 1991.

The company's spokesperson Sri Wahyuni said the number of herbal drink sellers in the city and their families who went to their hometowns usually increased by 2 percent every year.

In their 19th free exodus travel Friday, the company provided 260 buses for 18,000 people.

Both Sidomuncul and Jaya Board stated they only included a small portion of their employees in the company-arranged travel because most of their employees did not go home for the holidays.

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