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APBT buses banned from capital unless they join Transjakarta
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A bus operated by the Integrated Bus Network (APTB) plies the route between Bogor in West Java and Rawamangun in East Jakarta. The Jakarta city administration has prohibited APTB buses from entering the capital. (kompas.com/Antony Lee)
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s of Sunday, buses from Jakarta's satellite cities operated by the Integrated Bus Network (APTB) are prohibited from entering the capital city because of licensing problems.
Hundreds of passengers were left confused on Monday, unaware that they needed to switch to PT Transportasi Jakarta (Transjakarta) buses to continue their journeys into the capital.
“I'm confused. I'm used to only taking one bus. Now I have to change to a Transjakarta bus,” said Sari, who has for a long time commuted via APTB bus from Bekasi to Tanah Abang in Central Jakarta. In the wake of the ban, Sari now has to change bus several times to reach her place of work.
Meanwhile, APTB staff were similarly confused, accusing the operator of failing to issue a clear explanation.
“I heard that the buses would be under the control of Transjakarta, but we do not know when. For the moment, we've just been instructed to keep operating buses,” said Victor, a conductor on an APTB bus plying the Ciawi-Tanah Abang route on Monday, as reported by kompas.com.
Jakarta governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama said the APTB operator had for a long time violated regulations by operating buses in the capital city without paying taxes to the Jakarta city administration.
Therefore, he added, his administration had ordered that as of Sunday, all APTB buses must stop at bus stops on the borders between Jakarta and its neighboring cities and go no further. The governor meanwhile called on the APTB operator to join Transjakarta.
"If they don't want to join us, we will take over their routes. We will increase the number of buses. Dare they compete with [the city administration]?" Ahok asked, adding that, in such a case, passengers from Tangerang, Bekasi and Bogor to Jakarta would pay flat fares of only Rp 3,500 (27 US cents); in comparison, the fare for an APTB bus ride from, for example, Bekasi to Tanah Abang was Rp 9,000.
If the operator continues to send buses into Jakarta, the vehicles will be impounded, Ahok warned. The city, he added, was currently waiting for 400 buses from the Transportation Ministry to replace the APTB buses, in a bid to ensure all bus users receive proper and equal service. (bbn)
