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View all search resultsBus service launched to take Jakartans to Taman Safari
Puncak, a favorite getaway for Jakartans, often bears the brunt of thousands of vehicles heading toward various tourist attractions around Bogor, West Java, resulting in nightmarish gridlock, especially on weekends
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P
uncak, a favorite getaway for Jakartans, often bears the brunt of thousands of vehicles heading toward various tourist attractions around Bogor, West Java, resulting in nightmarish gridlock, especially on weekends.
Some efforts have been made and plans considered to address the issue, including the launch on Saturday of a tourist shuttle bus service to Taman Safari Indonesia by a major taxi firm, PT Blue Bird Tbk, in collaboration with the Greater Jakarta Transportation Agency (BPTJ).
Up to 20 buses are to be provided for the service every weekend. It is a part of the Big Bird Jalan-Jalan (Big Bird Takes a Trip) program that aims to provide safe, comfortable and affordable public transportation services to tourist attractions.
The program has previously offered access to reach tourist areas in Bandung, Cirebon, Garut and Bogor, all in West Java, as well as Yogyakarta, for open trips or booked private trips.
The tourist shuttle bus service operates every Saturday and Sunday, departing from Pasaraya Blok M in South Jakarta at 6 a.m. with return tickets priced at Rp 400,000 (US$28.24) per person. The price includes an entrance ticket to Taman Safari Indonesia and the Panda Castle attraction, snacks and a Jasa Raharja insurance package.
“We are optimistic this service will receive a positive response from the public,” Blue Bird director Sigit Djokosoetono said in a statement received by The Jakarta Post on Saturday.
One of the customers of the open trip, Yevie Manopo, 42, a private company employee who took the trip along with her husband, child, mother and her niece on the day of the launch, said she was satisfied with the service, highlighting the clean and comfortable bus, good driver, snacks and affordable price.
“I have previously gone to Puncak with my private car a few times before, but I enjoy it more with this [Big Bird Jalan Jalan]. I don’t have to get tired of driving or waste my time looking for parking spots,” Yevie said.
Packed with tourist attractions, affordable villas and cool weather, Puncak is among the top weekend destinations for Jakartans despite being notorious for traffic congestion.
Many Jakartans travel to Puncak through Cianjur, a gateway from Bandung, and via Jl. Raya Puncak in Bogor regency's Ciawi district. Some sections of the winding roads in Cianjur are narrow.
The Big Bird Jalan Jalan to Puncak is one of many government efforts to reduce traffic in the area.
The Public Works and Housing Ministry is accelerating infrastructure projects while developing the Puncak 2 and Puncak 3 alternative routes to the area
The Puncak 2 reportedly is to be a 50-kilometer route that starts from Sentul and passes through Jonggol in Bogor regency and ends in Cipanas, Cianjur regency. Meanwhile, the Puncak 3 is to stretch from Cibubur in East Jakarta, pass through Jonggol and end in Cipanas.
The ministry is currently making improvements to existing routes, expanding the 5-km section of the Jl. Ciawi-Puncak route, as well as building a 5-hectare facility for street vendors in Gunung Mas, Cisarua district.
Some Rp 73.1 billion has been set aside for the projects, which are expected to be finished by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, a one-way traffic management system has been applied to Puncak's main thoroughfares since 1987.
Bogor Traffic Police and the Transportation Ministry are also planning to try a 2-1 canal traffic manipulation to reduce gridlock to Puncak.
Bogor Traffic Police chief Adj. Comr. M. Fadli Amro said that the traffic engineering scheme would make two lines of vehicles enter Puncak with only one exit, or the other way around depending on the conditions of traffic.
The traffic engineering would need to be implemented for about 22 km from the Gadog intersection to Puncak Pass, he added.
He said that such traffic engineering must be supported by optimizing the Cibubur-Cieungsi-Jonggol alternative route.
The government is also considering a plan to extend the LRT Greater Jakarta to reach Puncak.
Bogor Development Planning Board and Research (Bappeda Litbang) head Syarifah Sofiah said that the BPTJ and the Public Works and Housing Ministry were currently discussing the possibility of the LRT to reach Puncak, while previously the line was supposed to end at Baranangsiang Terminal in Bogor city.
