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 standards 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 prompted 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.

Transjakarta spokesperson Nadia Diposanjoyo said the PPD was unable to provide the buses as agreed to Transjakarta at the time, which prompted the two companies to file a legal dispute with the Indonesian National Board of Arbitration (BANI).

“Then in July 2018, BANI issued a ruling for Transjakarta to operate 59 Zhongtong-branded articulated buses according to the 2013 contract, while the PPD was obligated to pay a penalty for its failure [to deliver the buses on time],” she said as quoted on Oct. 15 by kompas.com.

She added that the decision to resume operating Zhongtong buses was based on the ruling.

The ruling obliged the PPD to pay a penalty of Rp 26 billion (US$183,778) to Transjakarta for failing to deliver the buses as contractually agreed. The PPD has paid Rp 15 billion, with the remaining Rp 10 billion to be paid gradually within six months after Transjakarta resumes operating the buses.

As for the delivery of Zhongtong buses, 21 of 59 have arrived from China and were put into service on Oct. 11, with the remaining 38 buses to start operating in November.

Nadia said that the Zhongtong buses were put into service along three corridors: Blok M-Kota (Corridor 1), Ragunan-Dukuh Atas (Corridor 6) and Pinang Ranti-Pluit (Corridor 9).

Jakarta Transportation Agency head Syafrin Liputo said the administration did not have a say in the BANI ruling, because the dispute was between the PPD and Transjakarta.

“As long as [the buses] match our specifications and comply with the Transportation Ministry standards, it is fine,” Syafrin said on Thursday as quoted by kompas.com.

When asked what the city might do to prevent a repeat of the previous incidents that involved Zhongtong buses, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said on Thursday that it would be up to the operator.

He said the administration had entrusted Transjakarta with operating the capital's BRT, which meant that the company was responsible for all related matters, including appointing third-party buyers.

“The city administration only buys the service. Maintenance and management fall fully under the third party [Transjakarta]. The buses are not city assets,” said Anies.

He added that as a third party, Transjakarta must comply with the administration's minimum service standard (SPM) that covered all road-based public transportation from Transjakarta buses to angkot (public minivans).

Separately, PPD president director Pande Putu Yasa said that Transjakarta had verified the buses' roadworthiness through a series of inspections and evaluations.

“According to our agreement, we have 494 Hino buses operating for Transjakarta. With the addition of the 59 Zhongtong buses, we will have 553 buses in total [operated by Transjakarta],” he told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Following the 2013 procurement contract, Zhongtong buses were involved in several incidents while awaiting the buses' delivery from China. In one incident on March 8, 2015, the engine of a Zhongtong bus started a fire that burned the vehicle near the Pancoran bus shelter in South Jakarta.

Transjakarta decided to stop operating 30 buses from the brand following the incident.