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View all search resultsDrivers forced to queue overnight as fuel shortages grip Sumatra
Suprianto, a diesel truck driver from Pagar Marbau district, Deli Serdang regency, said he was forced to spend the night inside his truck at a fuel station on Jalan Galang in Lubuk Pakam while waiting for diesel supplies to arrive.
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Motorists line up for refueling on June 10 at a gas station in Radio Dalam, South Jakarta. The government increased non-subsidized Pertamax fuel by 32 percent to Rp 16,250 per liter that day, due to a weakening rupiah against US dollar. (Antara/Luthfia Miranda Putri)
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uel shortages have affected several areas across Sumatra over the past week, triggering long queues at gas stations, forcing some motorists to spend the night waiting for fuel supplies, and even contributing to a fatal incident.
North Sumatra has been among the worst-affected areas. A number of fuel stations (SPBU) along the Medan–Aceh section of the Trans-Sumatra Highway, one of the province’s key transportation routes, have stopped selling both subsidized and non-subsidized fuel products after running out of stock.
Similar conditions were reported along the route from Binjai to Langkat regency, where fuel shortages caused hundreds of vehicles to queue along road shoulders, resulting in lengthy traffic congestion.
Suprianto, a diesel truck driver from Pagar Marbau district, Deli Serdang regency, said he was forced to spend the night inside his truck at a fuel station on Jalan Galang in Lubuk Pakam while waiting for diesel supplies to arrive. He had been queuing from Monday night through to Tuesday afternoon, hoping to secure enough fuel to restart his truck and continue his delivery of bricks to Medan.
“Since Monday, this fuel station has been out of Biosolar. I tried checking other fuel stations, but they were also out of stock. The fuel in my truck’s tank was almost depleted, so I had no choice but to stay here overnight until the supply arrived,” Suprianto told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday afternoon
Sugiran, a resident of Langkat regency, said he had been waiting in a long queue at a fuel station in Stabat, Langkat regency, for nearly three hours but had still been unable to secure any fuel.
“I was traveling to Aceh, but the fuel in my tank was already running low. I have been waiting in line for almost three hours and still haven’t received any fuel. It is very difficult, but what else can I do? If I don’t queue, I won’t get any fuel,” Sugiran said on Tuesday.
