[sustran] Re: Curitiba & Jakarta's metro

[Harun al-Rasyid Sorah Lubis]

Who said, Go commitment  from the government of Indonesia has been positive
for subway in Jakarta ?
The last time, say few month ago, through the Miyazawa plan (Japanese $$
assistance), the plan official echoed the options "take it now" or "never"
for Jakarta subway. Noted that at least 70% things are going to fly back to
Tokyo, plus the uncertainty of tariff affordability to maintain at least
55%-60% fairbox ratio, and couple with no guarantee  what sources  to be
channelised for rest 40%. Uch...  Wait.... wait...

For sure Indonesia are still struggling to sosialise more extensive urban
pricing sources and mechanism, and for transport itself it is still very
simplictic and conventional. Study on road user tax to impose axle factor in
annual license or registration of vehicle is yet to be sosialised, though,
the study done 5 years ago.

Public transport ? What you see out the window is a small top of the iceberg
in the ocean. Fundamental system is not yet there. This harm any technical
or fiscal advocacy to improve public transport performance.
Market growth for this pity and forgetful public service or obligation is
very much relying on the natural growth of population as the potential user.
No room and hope from operator for attracting switch from the car users.

See what happen at big terminal of public transport in Kampung Rambutan, as
a relocation of the old Cililitan.
>From technical reason is no reason what it become as chaotic as in old
Cililitan, even more during this hard time of financial crisis where
unemployed rates is unimaginable. You can just ask your cousin from another
village, giving him some small capital and set up a very small bisniss, with
no exit entry cost !!!!!  You just simply stand a stick and tie umbrella and
lay your stuff in bus terminal, and along the sidewalk approaching the
terminal.

Institutional planning framework is still not there. Public institutions are
very much having theirown objective functions, hopefull could dominate. No
where and not yet, in the city, parking control could be an instrument for
transport policy. Even the price of chilies can not be controlled,
especially, when a rainy day  or flood comes.

Within the new cabinet, now it seems to me, it is going to be even more
tougher to speak of integrated planning and implementation, as more
ministries have been set up, noticing they are very much link with tranposrt
issues. We are just going to wait, if old government had a decree of three
ministries to deal with one issue of transport and still not working....,
may next week we heard of four of five ministries decree.

Hopefully, I was wrong !!

Harun al-Rasyid S. Lubis             http://trans.si.itb.ac.id
Traffic Lab, Transport Engineering Division
Dept. of Civil Engineering - ITB
Jl. Ganeca 10 Bandung 40132 - Indonesia
Tel/Facs. +62 22  250 23 50  halubis at trans.si.itb.ac.id