S

everal public minivans stop to wait for passengers, blocking the busy road and causing the already snail-paced traffic to jam.

That is the situation motorists have to deal with every time they use Jl. Palmerah Utara near the Slipi intersection in West Jakarta, and countless other logjams in the city.

Sam, 56, is just one of these drivers who violate traffic regulations by picking up and dropping off passengers in inappropriate places.  

“I do it if there is no police around,” he told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

But there have been times when he has been caught red-handed.

“If that happens I just give Rp 10,000 [US$1.07] to the police officer and he would let me go instead of giving me a ticket,” said Sam, who serves the Meruya-Tanah Abang route.

The 2009 Traffic Law carries fines of between Rp 250,000 and Rp 1 million for drivers who violate road rules.

The city police spokesman had earlier called upon the public to report such cases to the proper authorities.

Many minivan drivers told the Post that they violated traffic regulation because they had to compete with each other to get enough money to pay the minivans daily rent and gasoline.

Sam usually gets an average of Rp 100,000 daily but could take home as little as Rp 15,000.

He must pay the minivan rent fee of Rp 50,000 daily and spent some for gasoline and meals.

He drives a minivan with broken left front door that needs a rope to keep it from swinging open.

There are many public minivans passing Jl. Palmerah Utara with two different routes, which are numbered M09 and M11.

According to the Post’s observation on Friday, some minivans were running without any passengers.
Isti, a commuter on her way to work in a M11 public minivan said the empty seats often drew out her travelling time.

“When I get in the van at Rawabelong it’s usually still empty.

“I have to wait for a long time on board because the driver doesn’t want to leave with only one or two passengers.”

The Jakarta Land Transportation Unit head, Hendah Sunugroho, explained that the city often experienced public transportation backlogs in certain spots because Indonesia has a so-called Poissonian distribution transportation system.

Under the system, Indonesia has many public transportation operators without any fixed or organized schedules. (rch)