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akarta Governor Basuki '€œAhok'€ Tjahaja Purnama expressed his disappointment after learning that the five Mercedes-Benz double-decker buses donated by the Tahir Foundation last year failed to pass a type test required by the Transportation Ministry.

Ahok revealed that the ministry had told him the buses were not in accordance with Government Regulation No. 55/2012 on vehicles.

'€œThe buses have not passed a type test with the ministry because some of the specifications are not in accordance with the government regulation. I find this very strange,'€ Ahok told reporters at City Hall on Friday after a meeting with officials from the ministry'€™s directorate general of land transportation.

He said that the buses'€™ gross vehicle weight (GVW) was less than that required in the regulation.

According to Government Regulation No. 55/2012 on vehicles, the GVW is the maximum operating weight of a vehicle, including the vehicle'€™s chassis, body, engine, engine fluid, fuel, accessories, driver, passengers and cargo. The regulation states that double-decker buses must have a GVW of 21-24 tons.

Meanwhile, Ahok said, the donated buses'€™ GVW was 18 tons.

'€œIf the bus'€™ GVW is lighter, it should not be a problem because it would have less impact on the road. Heavier vehicles would more easily damage the roads,'€ Ahok said.

The ministry also stated that the buses'€™ chassis '€” the frame upon which the main parts were built '€” were meant for trucks rather than buses.

The buses use a Mercedes-Benz O500R 1836 chassis type and are assembled by Kudus-based automotive manufacturing company PT Karoseri Nusantara Gemilang, with body parts from the same manufacturer.

According to daimler.com, the O-500 model is the top-of-the range bus chassis from Brazil and is supplied worldwide.

The website says the chassis, which features an anti-lock braking system and acceleration skid control, resembles that of high-end European touring coaches. The chassis model, produced in two and three-axle variants as the O-500 R, RS and RSD, is also suitable for luxury touring coaches.

Ahok said the city administration would conduct further discussions with the ministry and ask for a revision of the regulations. He said the five Weichai double-decker buses made in China, which were procured recently and had served as City Tour buses, could easily pass the test.

Meanwhile, Transportation Ministry spokesperson JA Batara said the regulations regarding vehicle standards were clearly stated in Government Regulation No. 55/2012 and that the ministry would stand by its regulations.

'€œIt does not matter whether the bus is Chinese-made or if it is a Mercedes-Benz. We have our standards, as written in the government regulations on vehicles,'€ Batara said over the phone on Friday.

He said the city must discuss the matter with the bus producer to find a solution. He refused to comment further and said the ministry would wait for upcoming meetings with the city administration before determining the next step.

Separately, Jakarta Transportation Council (DTKJ) head Edi Nursalam advised that the city comply with the regulations set by the Transportation Ministry.

'€œThe Transportation Ministry has its rules, which all must adhere to in order to pass the type test. The city must obey the rules too,'€ Edi said over the phone.

Last year, three companies '€” Telkomsel, Rodamas and Tiphone '€” donated a total of 30 Transjakarta buses to the city administration in a corporate social responsibility (CSR) program. The donation became problematic after the Jakarta Financial Management Body and the Tax Agency ordered the companies to pay advertising tax for displaying their logos on the buses.