TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
United Tractors eyes bus procurement in Jakarta
The countryâs biggest heavy equipment distributor, United Tractors, is targeting involvement in the Jakarta administrationâs transport procurement project, saying it is ready to provide 300 buses for the city-owned Transjakarta service
Change Size
T
he country's biggest heavy equipment distributor, United Tractors, is targeting involvement in the Jakarta administration's transport procurement project, saying it is ready to provide 300 buses for the city-owned Transjakarta service.
United Tractors' corporate secretary Sara K. Loebis said on Thursday that her company had entered the city's procurement tender for new Transjakarta buses to serve the public next year.
United Tractors is offering Scania, the eco-friendly buses produced in Sweden, for the city's transportation system.
Sara said her company was still waiting for the tender process, which would be conducted through the administration's e-catalogue direct procurement system, introduced by the Jakarta administration to cut the long tender process.
'The tender process is still awaiting other interested bidders to join, but we hope it can conclude before year-end so we can start readying the required fleet. We still don't know what fleet size will be required, but we are ready to provide around 300 buses,' Sara said.
'They will be articulated buses and we have set the price for the bus at Rp 5.8 billion each [US$475.600].'
If United Tractors succeeds in winning the tender for the 300 buses, the subsidiary of diversified conglomerate Astra Internasional Indonesia will pocket around Rp 1.74 trillion.
Transjakarta president director ANS Kosasih previously said his company hoped to procure 850 of these buses by 2017. It will start by procuring around 20 buses in January 2015.
Scania is said to offer some advantages such as including efficient fuel consumption, large capacity, comfort and international standard-security.
United Tractors, which focuses mostly on providing heavy equipment for mining concessions, plantations and construction needs, was interested in joining the tender because of its potential, Sara said.
'It will be our first time [bidding to provide city transport]. We have previously procured for inter-city transport,' she explained.
'We're interested in procuring the buses as there's a big need for public transport in Jakarta, especially for eco-friendly buses. At the same time, the Swedish government is actively promoting its eco-friendly product. We see this as a very promising opportunity.'
United Tractors has introduced the Scania Aerobus, the first bus to be produced domestically in collaboration with Central Java-based assembler Laksana, in the annual automotive expo Indonesia International Motor Show (IIMS) in September.
United Tractors trucks division head Harijadi Mawardi said the low-entry bus could be used as an airport bus or a city bus.
Scania Aerobus is designed to accommodate 90 passengers ' 23 seated and 67 standing.
As the vehicle is prepared for passenger transport, Scania offers a 'Fast Boarding' feature in which the height of the bus' floor can be adjusted to ease passengers access for entry and exit.
United Tractors' net revenue rose by 9.41 percent from Rp 37.3 trillion in the first nine months of last year to Rp 40.81 trillion this year.
'JP/ Anggi M. Lubis
