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Bluebird, MRT link up on passenger services
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Taxi operator Blue Bird signed a deal with MRT Jakarta regarding a joint scheme for ticket purchases and taxi orders. (The Jakarta Post/Iqbal Yuwansyah )
T
ravelers will soon be in store for more convenient services, as Blue Bird and MRT have finalized a joint scheme to improve the passenger experience.
Under an agreement the two sides signed on Wednesday, Blue Bird, the country's biggest taxi operator, will add a new feature on its mobile app My Blue Bird that enables users to directly purchase MRT train tickets online.
For its part, city-owned PT MRT Jakarta is creating a new feature on its app MRT-J that will help users order Blue Bird taxis, in addition to buying train tickets. The app will connect drivers and passengers at taxi pick-up and drop-off zones outside the stations.
Once the plan materializes, passengers will be able to save on their travel time and avoid waiting in lines to buy tickets at counters or machines.
The two public transportation operators previously began a joint study on the integration of public transportation service systems, covering reservations and ticketing methods for MRT and Bluebird services.
Earlier, MRT Jakarta also established a partnership with other transportation providers, including ride-hailing companies such as Go-Jek and Grab.
MRT Jakarta president director William Sabandar said both the MRT and Blue Bird would complete the study within the next six months. One of the main sticking points pertains to the taxi drop-off and pick-up scheme for MRT passengers.
“The goal is to help ease congestion [in Jakarta] and to optimize passenger convenience and availability of Blue Bird taxis,” he said during the signing ceremony.
The two sides will analyze first-mile and last-mile connections for their passengers and assess the public waiting shelters that are to be used by Blue Bird passengers as drop-off and pick-up zones.
MRT Jakarta and Blue Bird, along with other public transportation operators within the city’s transportation ecosystem, are also set to study an integrated multimodal transportation scheme and ticket-purchasing systems on apps and other platforms.
The partnership will include the operation by Blue Bird of 29 electric cars. Twenty-five of the vehicles are Chinese-made BYD compact multipurpose vehicles for Bluebird and four are Tesla sedans for its premium Silver Bird service.
Launched on April 22, the electric taxis can only be charged at one of 12 electric vehicle charging stations at Blue Bird’s head office. The taxis take one to two hours to fully charge with mileage totaling 340 to 400 kilometers.
“This partnership will not only improve connectivity but also our [Bluebird and MRT] services,” Blue Bird president director Noni Purnomo said. (das)
