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n line with the city administration'€™s vision, newly formed bus operator PT Transportasi Jakarta (Transjakarta) expects the company to be free of subsidies in 2019.

Transjakarta president director ANS Kosasih said Friday that beside improving services, his company was also preparing its business scheme to generate more income.

'€œWe will optimize the use of our assets so they can become instruments to help us become subsidy-free in 2019,'€ he said.

Transjakarta will officially take over the management of Transjakarta buses in January. It will receive a number of assets, including seven depots, an office, shelters at 208 bus stops and a number of bridges integrated into the bus stops. The assets are estimated to exceed Rp 1.19 trillion (US$96.39 million).

Kosasih said his company planned to revamp 40 of the 208 shelters next year. '€œBesides renovating the shelters, we also plan to improve them, making two-story buildings,'€ he said.

He added that the second floor would be used as a commercial area for cafes and convenience stores. '€œThey can be meeting hubs for passengers,'€ he said.

Kosasih said the company was now studying which shelters could be modified into two-story buildings.

He said the revamping was essential as no renovations had ever been done since they were built in 2004.

'€œIn 2004, there were only 15,000 passengers a day, but now we have at least 350,000 people,'€ he said.

'€œWe will revamp the shelters, so they can accommodate up to one million passengers a day,'€ he said.

Kosasih said the company could also generate non-ticket income from advertisements on buses and at bus stops.

'€œIf we have well-maintained buses, sterile lanes and an improved operational system, we will be able to be more efficient,'€ he said, adding he was optimistic that the zero-subsidy goal could be reached.

The city has spent around Rp 900 billion to subsidize Transjakarta bus passengers. Jakarta Governor Basuki '€œAhok'€ Tjahaja Purnama said previously that he hoped the new company could generate enough revenue so it would not depend on the administration anymore.

Regarding the ticket fare, currently Rp 3,500, Kosasih said this would not increase in the near future. '€œWe will probably increase the fare in 2016,'€ he said, adding that further analysis would be needed.

Fares on Transjakarta buses have never been increased since 2006.

Jakarta Transportation Council member Izzul Waro said he was pessimistic that the company could be free of subsidies soon as many aspects of the operation, like sterile lanes and infrastructure, still depended on the city administration.

He said, however, it was important for the Transjakarta management to have a business-oriented mindset to run the public transportation.