W

ith the city lacking an adequate public transportation system, being a responsible traveler in Jakarta becomes a challenge.

To reduce one's carbon footprint, one can opt to use public transportation or non-motorized vehicles. This would reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions, as well as ease traffic by reducing the number of vehicles on the streets.

The challenge, however, begins here. Using bicycles may be noble, but is very hard work, as there are no bicycle lanes in the city.

Meanwhile, a trip on public transportation from the outskirts of the capital to business districts downtown would include minivan rides before transferring to public minibuses like Metro mini or Kopaja, or the Transjakarta.

Minivan drivers pick up passengers from wherever they want along their route. The driver often halts for a couple of minutes to wait for passengers, at the expense of other passengers' time. On a bus, the conductor pushes people in like sardines in a can, despite the bus being overcrowded. The Metro mini and Kopaja minibuses, which don't have their own lanes, crawl along in traffic jams alongside air-conditioned private cars. Bus passengers, meanwhile, are left cramped and sweating profusely.

The Transjakarta is only slightly better. However, an increase in passengers and no new buses added to the fleet mean there are more long and dangerous queues where people push and shove to get into the bus.

According to the Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda), the government's halfhearted attempt to provide public transportation is the source of the problem.

"There's no political will from the government to prioritize public transportation over private vehicles," says Rudy Tehamihardja, head of Organda's land transportation and infrastructure division.

He adds private motorists are still given preferential treatment, with the city administration even allowing cars to use some busway corridors.

Under the new traffic law, passed this year, the task of providing public transportation lies with the government. Rudy, however, says the law does a shoddy job of detailing just how the government should do this.

With the exception of the Transjakarta system, in which the government is fully involved, with the help of a private consortium, the government's only role in public transportation is to establish routes and issue permits to transportation companies, leaving the management of public transportation to them.

"We have to pay vehicle tax, import duty tax and all kinds of fees," Rudy says.

"The government, which is supposed to be responsible for public transportation, taxes those who actually provide the service. Isn't that funny?

"They tax us and don't subsidize any transportation services whatsoever," he goes on.

"And when they talk about transportation services, they always paint us as the culprits, while they're the ones not doing their job."

Rudy adds the poor quality of transportation services, where drivers pick up passengers wherever they please, is a result of the lack of government help.

"We have to cover the investments we make," he says.

The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy's (ITDP) Deni Prasetyo Nugroho says the system in which drivers hand over their daily earnings to bus owners is to blame. He points out that ideally, drivers should only be responsible for driving the vehicle safely, comfortably and quickly, to avoid accidents, and should not be mired in the financial aspect of the business.

"This is what needs to be changed," Deni says.

"The government should be the ones bearing the brunt of the responsibility, because they have the greatest capacity and the most complex task. And obviously public services should be provided by the government."

He adds a new system in which the government buys services has been implemented with the Transjakarta, where operators work based on mileage, and not the number of passengers.

"If this can be implemented in all public transportation services, we can reach a desirable level of service," Deni says.

The ITDP's Harya Satyaka blames the current rent-seeking revenue system for all the shortcomings of the transportation system. He also points out it violates the labor law.

He says the government must establish a minimum service standard and "go out of its way to reform inside out. They must live up to the mandate and be a strong enforcer."The city administration, in a discussion about a transportation feeder system, said it would develop feeder lines to integrate the Transjakarta bus system with regular public buses starting next year.

It remains unclear what the arrangement will be like between the government and private transportation companies.

Hendah Sunugroho, head of the Jakarta Transportation Agency's land transportation division, says the administration and technical restructuring of buses and minivans will not be the same as for the busway system, where transportation operators are paid by mileage.

"But the service should be the same," he says.

He added an integrated ticketing system will allow passengers to buy one ticket for their entire route, even if they have to transfer between regular buses and Transjakarta buses.

Hendah says the feeder system will be developed after the city administration has completed the construction of the busway system. To date, the city has finished 10 of 15 planned busway corridors, and says it will complete all the construction by next year.