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Return of odd-even policy increases ridership, Jakarta Police say
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Invisible threat: Wearing a hazmat suit, a member of the TransJakarta supporters community holds up a sign featuring the latest COVID-19 case figures at Harmoni station in Central Jakarta on July 17 to remind passengers to comply with health protocols. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
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akarta has seen an increase in the number of public transportation passengers since authorities imposed a trial run for the odd-even license plate policy on Aug. 3, the Jakarta Police have said.
Jakarta Police traffic director Sr. Comr. Sambodo Purnomo Yogo said ridership of the city’s Transjakarta buses had increased 6 percent since Aug. 3.
"The number of Transjakarta passengers had increased since the trial run for the odd-even policy, from 313,000 passengers a day to 360,000 passengers per day – a 6 percent increase," Sambodo told tribunnews.com on Friday.
Sambodo claimed that as Transjakarta fleets could still accommodate an increase of passengers, there was no risk of crowding at bus stops.
The odd-even policy restricts travel on certain roads, allowing entry for cars with odd-numbered license plates only on odd-numbered dates, while cars with even-numbered license plates can only access the roads on even-numbered dates.
Read also: Jakarta extends odd-even trial run to Friday, delays policy revival to Monday
After lifting the policy in the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak in March, the Jakarta administration announced on July 31 that it would reimpose it in a bid to prevent unnecessary travel by private cars amid the rising trend of COVID-19 cases in the capital city.
Jakarta Transportation Agency head Syafrin Liputo said last Friday that traffic had increased following the city's gradual transition away from large-scale social restrictions (PSBB).
Sambodo said the odd-even policy could not work by itself.
"Companies should help by allowing their employees to work in shifts," he said.
The trial run for the policy will officially end on Aug. 7 before being reinstated on 25 roads from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. starting Aug 10. (nal)
