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Educating MRT commuters will help mitigate risks
On March 24, Jakarta will officially join the first world countries in operating an MRT system to transport an estimated 2 million commuters every day
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span>On March 24, Jakarta will officially join the first world countries in operating an MRT system to transport an estimated 2 million commuters every day. Thanks to the megaproject, which started in 2013 after being postponed for more than 20 years, we can hope to ease the daily traffic congestion characterizing urban areas like Jakarta.
Recently as I was strolling along Jl. MH Thamrin, one of Jakarta’s central business districts, I could see modern-looking well-lit subway stations manned by security guards. I felt like I was transported to a European city with the minimalist, ultramodern stations. I couldn’t wait to see what the subway would look like, as MRT Jakarta promised shopping arcades and other amenities.
The reason why we take a ride is because we need to reach our workplace or other places. There are many ways of satisfying this need but we will choose the fastest and the relatively affordable transportation option.
We are only satisfied if our expectations match our experience. We expect that our MRT ride will be safe, on time, comfortable and affordable.
A combination of training for MRT employees to operate the trains and provide customer service, the ease of use of MRT facilities and the attitude and behavior of the commuters will make this possible.
Since the MRT is a new mode of transportation in Jakarta, the general public needs to be educated on how to use the facilities, what to do in case of emergency and how to properly behave in the areas around the stations and inside the train itself. Free rides provided by MRT Jakarta will be helpful in this regard.
MRT Jakarta president director William Sabandar said during a national conference sponsored by the Institute for Risk Management Profession Certification (LSPMR) last December that the free rides would be an opportunity to get feedback and help correct whatever minor technical and human glitches may arise in the operation of the MRT.
We believe MRT employees have gone through various training programs to be able to teach commuters how to use the new facilities and to handle unexpected events that may occur in the operation of the service. The unexpected events may vary from natural disasters to crimes committed by human beings such as terrorism.
Anticipating problems before they arise will ensure the safety, reliability and comfort of this modern mode of transportation.
We have to learn how Japan copes with frequent earthquakes that hit the country. Bullet trains in Japan are equipped with sensors that stop moving trains when an earthquake occurs. In her article on theculturetrip.com, Lucy Dayman writes that in the 2011 earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0, the sensor worked perfectly and saved the passengers of 27 bullet trains in operation.
Another case was the sarin attack in 1995 which left 12 commuters dead and thousands of others injured.
The New York Times reported on March 21, 1995 that the sarin gas was transported by those who committed the assault in liquid form inside lunch boxes and bottled drinks and left in subway stations and trains. No personnel were trained to respond to a terrorist attack using weapons of mass destruction at that time.
To prevent such a tragedy, commuters are encouraged to report any bags, boxes, or personal effects that are left unattended anywhere in the stations and inside the trains.
More so, with the real threat of terrorism, everyone must help in reporting individuals or people who act in a strange way.
As commuters, we can also help the MRT meet our expectations by following the rules. These are posted on walls or broadcast through loudspeakers.
I still can’t imagine what rush hours will look like on the MRT, but based on my experience in taking the Transjakarta buses, some pushing and shoving may occur. We need to plan our trips and avoid the rush hours especially when we are taking babies and toddlers with us.
MRT, LRT and trams are the public transportation of today and the near future. We must be able to use them properly so that they will fulfill their purpose of making us more productive and efficient in the use of our time and make Indonesian cities more habitable and humane.
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The writer is the executive director of the Institute for Risk Management Profession Certification (LSPMR), Jakarta.
