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Transjakarta suspends bus operator following bus fire
A resident of a low-cost apartment in Cipinang Besar Selatan boards a Transjakarta bus on Jan
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A resident of a low-cost apartment in Cipinang Besar Selatan boards a Transjakarta bus on Jan. 18. The Jakarta Transportation Office provides free Transjakarta bus services for low-cost apartment residents who hold Jakarta identity cards and students with the Jakarta Smart Card. (Antara/Muhammad Adimaja) (Antara/Muhammad Adimaja)
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span class="inline inline-center">A resident of a low-cost apartment in Cipinang Besar Selatan boards a Transjakarta bus on Jan. 18. The Jakarta Transportation Office provides free Transjakarta bus services for low-cost apartment residents who hold Jakarta identity cards and students with the Jakarta Smart Card. (Antara/Muhammad Adimaja)
City-owned PT Transportasi Jakarta (Transjakarta) has suspended the operating license for all buses owned by bus operator PT Jakarta Trans Metropolitan (JTM) after one of its buses caught fire on Friday morning.
Transjakarta management had spoken to JTM regarding the sanction and would also send an official letter of suspension, Transjakarta President Director Budi Kaliwono said on Friday.
"The operational suspension will be lifted when all Transjakarta buses owned by PT JTM have been fixed, are roadworthy and can maintain passenger safety," Budi said as quoted by Antara news agency.
An articulated bus managed by JTM caught fire in the Latuharhary area of Central Jakarta on Friday morning, just 500 meters from Sudirman train station. This incident adds to the number of Transjakarta buses to have caught fire as a result of poor maintenance. No casualties were reported in the fire.
Budi also urged the operator to immediately check their entire fleet of buses for safety concerns.
"If PT TJM does not immediately make changes and fix their fleet, then we will apply stricter sanctions, and revoke their operating license for good," he added.
Most of the PT TJM-owned Transjakarta buses operate along Corridor 4 serving the Pulogadung in East Jakarta to Dukuh Atas in Central Jakarta route and on other corridors.
Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama supported Transjakarta's move to suspend the license of JTM.
It is hoped the sanction will encourage all operators to conduct regular maintenance to provide the best service to passengers.
"We have to be bold. If there is an operator that does not not follow through, then just cut [the contract]," Ahok said as quoted by kompas.com. (rin)
