Kopaja, Metromini operators get ready to join BRT system

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Public minibus operators have come out in support of the Jakarta administration’s policy to limit the use of private vehicles and encourage people to shift to public transportation.

Chairman of PT Koperasi Angkutan Jakarta (Kopaja), Nanang Basuki, said on Wednesday that the company started to improve services last year in order to attract motorists.

“We have already equipped new buses with air-conditioners and WiFi. The number is low but we regularly expand our fleet,” he said.

There are currently a total of 45 air-conditioned Kopaja minibuses serving No. P20 route from Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta to Senen in Central Jakarta and No. S13 from Ragunan in South Jakarta to Slipi in West Jakarta.

Nanang said that based on a survey regarding passenger satisfaction, they were mostly satisfied with the service but not with the bus’ travel times.

“It is because the buses are often trapped in traffic jams. Perhaps this can be fixed if the plan to allow Kopaja buses to use Transjakarta lanes takes effect,” he said.

The city’s plan to limit the number of cars on the road based on their license plate numbers will commence in March. It also recently introduced the integrated bus network (APTB) feeder system. In the system, the APTB buses are allowed to get in the Transjakarta Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) exclusive lane and share bus stops.

In the near future, the city administration could include public minibuses such as Kopaja and Metromini in the APTB.

Transjakarta Corridor VI that links Ragunan to Dukuh Atas in Central Jakarta is one of the corridors that could possibly be used by several Kopaja routes.

Nanang said that the design of the new Kopaja buses made it possible to stop at Transjakarta shelters.

“The buses have doors on the right, just like Transjakarta buses. We are still discussing further details of the implementation, including ticketing procedures.” Kopaja has a total of 1,479 buses with around 1,000 that serve its 29 routes throughout the city every day. More than half of the buses are over 20 years old.

The Jakarta administration will begin renovating the public transportation fleet next year.

Separately, Azas Tigor Nainggolan, who is the owner of several Metromini minibuses, said that some Metromini operators would agree to the administration’s plan as long as the revitalization was also followed by improvement of the system.

“There should be training for drivers as well as regulation to ensure the improvement of the system, such as ticketing or driver salary,” he said.

The planned integrated feeder system has received a warm response from the public.

Anita, 28, of Ciputat, South Jakarta, said that the APTB bus has helped to get downtown to where she works, despite the higher fare.

“I guess all commuters would agree that we pay for comfort and punctuality,” she said. “We just want the city administration and the police to be consistent keeping the Transjakarta lane off limits for private vehicles.”

She currently pays Rp 6,000 (63 US cents) for a trip from Ciputat to Kota, West Jakarta to her workplace in Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan, Central Jakarta. (fzm)