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Jakarta's new public transit fare system leaves riders dissatisfied
A new integrated fare scheme for Transjakarta buses and the MRT and LRT trains has brought some improvements to the capital’s public transportation system but remains plagued by issues, users have said.
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Mask-wearing passengers ride a Transjakarta bus along Jl. MH Thamrin in Central Jakarta on April 6, 2020. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
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new integrated fare scheme for Transjakarta buses and the MRT and LRT trains has brought some improvements to the capital’s public transportation system but remains plagued by issues, users have said.
The Jakarta administration introduced the scheme recently in a bid to encourage more Jakartans to use public transportation to alleviate the city's severe traffic congestion.
While commuters have welcomed the lower fares that accompany the integrated system, they say the execution has left much to be desired.
To access the new fare system, commuters are required to install a city-owned payment integration app, JakLingko, and input their starting point and destination. The app then shows commuters what modes of transportation to take and provides QR code tickets to be scanned at bus stops and train stations.
Dita Respati, a 30-year-old office worker from South Tangerang was excited to take advantage of the lower fares for her commute to her workplace in Thamrin, Central Jakarta, on Monday morning.
"I use the MRT and Transjakarta to go to work. My husband usually drives me from our house to Lebak Bulus station in South Jakarta, where I then take the MRT train to Istora Senayan station. After that, I take Transjakarta buses to Thamrin," Dita told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday. "The new integrated pricing will cut my fare from Rp 17,500 (US$1.18) to Rp 6,250. That's why I was so excited to try it."
But her excitement was short-lived, as the QR code tickets that she obtained from the JakLingko app could not be used at the Transjakarta bus stop near her office.
