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Odd-even policy in Bekasi pushes number of Transjabodetabek passengers
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A Transjabodetabek Premium bus parks at Mega City Bekasi in Bekasi, West Java. (kompas.com/KOMPAS.com/Anggita Muslimah)
T
he implementation of the odd-even license plate policy at toll roads connecting Jakarta and Bekasi in West Java on Monday has lured more people to use Transjabodetabek Premium buses, an official has claimed.
The bus operator's Djakarta Passenger Public Company (PPD) officer, Dhedi Rasmana, said the company had observed that the number of the premium bus passengers had increased by around 20 percent.
“Previously, a bus only carried 20 to 25 passengers, but buses that departed at 5:30 a.m. to 6 a.m. today were all full [of some 34 passengers],” he said, noting that the Transjabodetabek Premium had been operating since September last year.
The odd-even policy reportedly had significantly cut travel time from Bekasi to Jakarta by 30 to 40 minutes. While usually Bekasi commuters had to endure two hours of gridlock at the Cikampek toll road, now they can safely arrive at Jakarta in one hour and 20 minutes, he claimed.
However, Dhedi had observed mild traffic congestion around the Mega City Bekasi shopping mall area, one of the four park-and-ride sites, because some Transjabodetabek Premium passengers still did not know the parking area was provided at the mall.
“[The passengers] arrived at Mega City Bekasi mall using online ride-hailing services and caused mild congestion on the road in front of the mall,” he said.
“While in fact, they can just come here using private vehicles, park their cars or motorcycles at the parking area and then ride the [Transjabodetabek] buses. The parking area will only cost them Rp 10,000, a flat rate” he added. (vla)
