Jakarta is one step closer to an integrated mass transportation network, with the launch of the Transjakarta Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system’s prepaid ticketing system on Tuesday.

In the future, the electronic ticket (e-ticket), which is actually a card, can also be used for people travelling by other mass transportation means.

“Commuters will be able to use the card to buy tickets for Kopaja [PT Koperasi Angkutan Jakarta], Metromini and Transjakarta buses in the future,” Governor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said during the system’s launch at the National Monument (Monas) in Central Jakarta. He added the system was expected to reduce lines at ticket booths.

New Kopaja and Metromini minibuses will be able to share Transjakarta’s exclusive lanes and bus stops in the future.

Commuters can purchase the electronic cards at 13 Transjakarta bus shelters in Manggarai, Ragunan, GOR Sumantri, Mampang and Kuningan Barat, Blok M in South Jakarta; Dukuh Atas, Sarinah and Harmoni in Central Jakarta; Kota in West Jakarta; and Pulogadung, Arion and Utan Kayu in East Jakarta.

The ticketing system that serves Transjakarta commuters is supported by a consortium of five major banks — privately owned Bank Central Asia and city-owned Bank DKI, as well as state banks Bank Mandiri, Bank Rakyat Indonesia and Bank Negara Indonesia.

Commuters can also use e-payment cards issued by the five banks, such as BCA’s Flazz card, BRI’s Brizzi card and Mandiri’s e-Toll card, in place of the Transjakarta e-ticket.

The five banks are allowed to set up ATMs at Tranjakarta bus shelters in acknowledgement of their investment in the system.

Currently, only Transjakarta’s Corridor 1, serving the Blok M–Kota route, is equipped with the e-ticketing system, while the remaining corridors will follow suit from February to April this year.

“Our aim is to achieve 1 million transactions [equal to 1 million paper tickets] per day,” Jokowi said.

Jakarta Transportation Agency head Udar Pristono said Transjakarta currently sold 320,000 paper tickets every day. With each ticket priced at Rp 3,500 (36 US cents) — the Transjakarta Management Agency (BLU) books Rp 1.12 billion daily. To achieve the target, BLU has added 102 articulated buses, also launched on the same day.

Of that number, 66 articulated buses will operate in Corridor 1 to replace the current fleet of buses that have run for nine years. The remaining buses will operate in Corridor 12 serving the Pluit–Tanjung Priok route that has yet to commence operations.

State-owned bus company Damri will take over the operations of Corridor I, replacing PT Jakarta Express Trans (JET), whose contract to operate the corridor expired in late 2012.

Jokowi promised that 450 new buses (150 articulated buses and 300 single buses) will be added to the existing fleet of 524 buses by the end of the year to improve Transjakarta’s declining services.

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