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ike other Jakarta residents, Herda Prabadipta relies on public transportation for her daily commute, using Transjakarta buses and public minibuses to travel between her home, office and campus during weekdays.

The 25-year-old was happy when she learned that several Transjakarta routes had been integrated with minibus routes managed by the cooperative Koperasi Wahana Kalpika (KWK), as one of the routes passed near her home in Meruya, West Jakarta.

City-owned bus operator PT Transportasi Jakarta (Transjakarta) and KWK signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in March this year to integrate their services. Ever since, red- colored public minibuses that serve routes including Tanjung Priok-Bulak Turi, Kelapa Gading-Rawamangun bus terminal, Semper-Tipar Cakung, Pulogadung-Pejuang Jaya, Rawamangun-Klender and Rawa Buaya-Grogol have become feeder lines for Transjakarta.

Passengers can buy a mutiple-ride card called a Sahabat KWK card, which is valid from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., as part of the integration of services.

The holders of Sahabat KWK cards only have to pay Rp 15,000 (US$1.05) per month to use the minibus services. Under the scheme, Transjakarta pays the owners of public minibuses Rp 206,000 per day, a nominal price set by the Government Procurement of Goods and Services Agency (LKPP), which exceeds the earnings they received prior to the integration of about Rp 180,000 per day.

Unfortunately, because of the card’s time limitations, not all passengers can reap the benefits of the integration.

Herda is one such passenger. She usually arrives at Kebon Jeruk Transjakarta bus stop at around 10:30 p.m., after the period in which she could use the multiple-ride card has already passed.

“I pay the minibus driver Rp 5,000 for one trip. I can spend Rp 100,000 a month just on minibuses. It would be much cheaper if there was no time limitations for using the multiple-ride card,” she said.

Transjakarta spokesperson Wibowo said the time limitations had been implemented as the integration project was still undergoing a trial period. If the passengers’ response was positive, Wibowo added, the period of use for the multiple-ride card could be extended to 24 hours.

The coordination of Transjakarta buses and public minivans is part of the administration’s effort to create an integrated transportation system in the capital. The administration aims to make public transport more accessible and easier to use as it attempts to persuade residents to leave their private vehicles at home.

Under the new leadership, the Jakarta administration has been preparing a program called OK Otrip (One Card One trip), which it plans to role out in 2018.

During a recent discussion on the OK Otrip program, Transjakarta director Budi Kaliwono said the integrated system would only cover buses and minibuses.

“The Rp 5,000 ticket will not include MRT, LRT and commuter lines. The plan is part of the administration’s agenda to reduce the burden felt by residents,” Budi said.

Separately, state-run commuter line operator Kereta Commuter Indonesia (KCI) president director Muhammad Nurul Fadhila said the integration of public transportation should also take into account the physical infrastructure needed to connect one mode of transport with another.