Taxi company Blue Bird, in collaboration with state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II, has provided a fleet of electric taxis at the Terminal 3 arrival area of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport as part of an ongoing environmental campaign. 

Blue Bird president director Noni Purnomo launched the fleet of E-Bluebirds and E-Silverbirds alongside Angkasa Pura II service and facility director Ituk Herarindi on Wednesday.

Noni said she expected the company’s collaboration with the airport to have a positive impact on the surrounding environment. 

“We hope our electric taxi fleet at Soekarno-Hatta’s Terminal 3 will help the airport to achieve the Eco Airport status,” she said in a statement. 

Angkasa Pura II president director Muhammad Awaluddin said the Blue Bird e-taxi partnership would bolster the airport’s eco-friendly strategies. 

Read also: Blue Bird launches e-taxis

“The presence of these e-taxis will certainly help paint an eco-friendly image of Terminal 3 and the airport as a whole. We believe the e-taxis will also raise the standard of the public transportation sector,” he said. 

Prior to the e-taxi initiative, Terminal 3 had already implemented an Intelligence Building Management System that regulates air circulation and power use in accordance with eco-airport standards. 

In addition, Terminal 3 has also implemented a cutting-edge system that converts rainwater into clean water. It is also equipped with a technology that recycles toilet water. 

“Our partnership with Blue Bird is expected to trigger a series of eco-friendly overhauls in other aspects of the airport,” Muhammad said. 

Blue Bird unveiled its first fleet of E-Bluebirds and E-Silverbirds in April, becoming the first homegrown transportation company to offer electric cars in its range of services.

The taxi company expects to roll out 200 e-taxis by 2020 and reduce over 434,095 kilograms worth of carbon dioxide emissions. (rfa/kes)