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Owners defy plan to free arteries from minibuses
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
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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)
