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strong>Oct. 22, p2

A 15-year-old boy (name withheld), who works as a driver, waits for passengers on his Metro Mini public bus at the Manggarai bus terminal in Jakarta on Tuesday.

He drives his bus on the Manggarai-Pasar Minggu route. He may be the youngest public transportation driver in the world, but how he escaped from the eyes of police and transportation authorities is a mystery. He has been working as a driver for four years.

Your comments:

But then again I am not surprised seeing this photo; I have seen young teens driving angkot (public minivans) before and many younger ones drive motorbikes without helmets and with excessive passengers.

Worry? Yes.

But then again, I think it'€™s the '€œbecause we are poor'€ excuse that made them do that.

Adit Harjon

I admire this boy. He has got talent. At least he is employed and therefore earns a wage.

He doesn'€™t waste time roaming the streets and being a nuisance to society. Besides, I think he enjoys driving.

Well the report said the boy was waiting for his passengers at Manggarai bus terminal. Most probably, passengers have not come to his bus; that'€™s why we can'€™t see any passengers.

Or passengers who have boarded the bus might have sat in the middle or at the back of the bus where the camera could not view them simultaneously.

Slim Manja

His is the saddest life. And the boy probably doesn'€™t know it.

Iau Aro

Come to Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), where the drivers of minibuses are generally under the age of 15.

They buy their licenses through middlemen and bribe the police when apprehended.

Accidents are very common as these drivers do not have the skills and experience to drive public transportation vehicles.

In addition, the buses all play extremely loud disco '€œmusic'€ that can be heard from miles away. No wonder Kupang is such a place of chaos and danger on the roads. The traffic police seem to be powerless to do anything about the chaos.

Henry Manoe

That is what car drivers who obey the law and traffic rules have to face, day by day, all over the place in Indonesia. This boy is no exception on Indonesia'€™s roads '€” either in cars or, mostly, on motor bikes.

And be aware '€” if there is an accident (which could easily happen) it will, without exception, be the fault of the car driver.

Now, let'€™s face it, in my home country bus drivers need to bear a special driver'€™s license, which includes '€” to get it '€” that he or she has a minimum of five years'€™ experience on the road, has never had an accident and a few more requirements.

And of course, don'€™t forget, those drivers have a high level of responsibility for their passengers too.

What will happen to this young man/boy? Of course he will be punished (not by the authorities that allowed it in the first place due to their laziness and ignorance) and in a couple of weeks he will be cruising at full speed, black smoke belching, cutting off other cars on the road, in just another bus... want to bet?

As a footnote '€” the condition of the Metro Mini bus was despicable. I thought they had been mostly recalled due to their deteriorated condition.

But most likely that was just another short-lived stunt.

Max

All is fine until he has an accident and kills someone. What insurance will pay?

Welcome to Indonesia.

Hew