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China's Zhontong buses back on streets following ruling on long-stalled deal
Transjakarta says the decision to resume operating the Chinese buses follows a ruling on a dispute over the 2013 procurement contract and subsequent delay in delivery, despite the buses' poor operational record.
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Buses by Chinese manufacturer Zhongtong are parked in a row on Oct. 16, 2019 at the bus depot of state-run bus company Jakarta Passenger Transportation (PPD) in Klender, East Jakarta. (Antara/Reno Esnir)
City-owned bus operator Transjakarta has started operating Zhongtong buses from China despite the controversy over the stalled 2013 procurement agreement, which revealed that the operator's fleet was based on the minimum standard for public bus services.
Transjakarta last week started operating the Chinese buses on several of its Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridors.
Zhongtong buses are fitted with a curved front face, which distinguishes them from other brands that Transjakarta operates like Mercedes-Benz, Scania and Volvo, all by European manufacturers.
Transjakarta's Zhongtong fleet was involved in several past incidents that caused the operator to stop using buses.
However, the Jakarta administration has decided to start using the buses again under a 2013 procurement agreement through state-run bus company Jakarta Passenger Transportation (PPD).
Transjakarta was still a service management body (BLU) in 2013, when the PPD won the bus procurement bid and purchased 59 Zhongtong buses for Transjakarta.
