Transjakarta, which traverses more than 80 percent of Jakarta, currently has a subsidized flat rate of Rp 3,500 (US 20 cents), which has remained unchanged since 2005.

Earlier this week, Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung said the subsidy the city provided for Transjakarta has “gone beyond Rp 9,000” per ride, noting it was impossible to keep the bus rate at Rp 3,500 amid budget austerity from the central government.

“Therefore, we are preparing to adjust the fare to remain reasonable, without burdening the lower classes,” Pramono said on Wednesday, as quoted from a press release from his office.

The proposed new fares range between Rp 5,000 and Rp 7,000, but the Jakarta provincial administration will announce the final decision after conducting a study. The planned hike will not affect elderly, students and a dozen other groups of passengers who already enjoy free rides.

Asked about when the hike would occur, the governor’s spokesperson Chico Hakim did not immediately respond to The Jakarta Post’s request for comments.

Some Transjakarta’s long-time passengers supported the hike, including a state-owned enterprise (SOE) employee Nadhira Ryana, who commutes to work from Jakarta’s satellite city Bekasi, West Java.