[sustran] Re: feeder systems in other cities

[Robert Cowherd]

Alan and others,

Here are some responses to your questions on the Jakarta BRT: 

1. Operation: The Jakarta Busway opened (in haste) on 15 January and
was free for two weeks. Fares of Rp2500 (US$0.30) have been charged
since 1 February. 

2. Capacity: The private and public buses running along the Jl.
Thamrin-Jl. Sudirman corridor from Blok M in the South to Kota in the
north used to carry an estimated 60,000 passengers a day sharing the
three fast travel lanes. Officially these bus routes have been either
cancelled or rerouted so that no competing routes overlap for more than
a short segment of the 12.9 kilometer busway route. Still, even in the
initial excitement of the no-fare period, only an estimated 20,000
passengers a day used the busway. 

One factor is Indonesian public transportation culture: Bus riders are
used to being picked up and dropped at any point along a bus route, a
privilege they have come to count on dressing for the air-conditioned
office not a long walk in the equatorial sun. I have seen bus
passengers request (and get) buses to stop less than ten meters from
where the last passengers got off. In contrast, busway shelters are
spaced an average of two thirds of a kilometer apart along the
corridor. Undisciplined drivers reverting to smoking and eating have
also been cited as a significant factor.

Jakartans have become incensed at the folly of being stuck in the jams
of the remaining two free travel lanes while the busway sits empty
except for the half-empty BRT buses coming by every 3 to 4
minutes--thus the planned “minor adjustment” of adding back the lost
free travel lane via road widening by taking space from the planted
medians and sidewalks. The road widening is scheduled to start in
March--perhaps a new record in acknowledging failure of a public
transportation project. Jakarta Gov. Sutiyoso is no Penalosa.

3. Feeders: Of the 17 identified feeder bus routes many are located too
far from Busway shelters and with inadequate sidewalk access to be
practical in the context of Jakarta. The Jakarta Post reports
widespread confusion, inconsistent implementation, and reluctance by
drivers and conductors to accept the joint feeder bus ticketing system.
The Blok M-Kota busway is the first of 14 planned busway corridors with
the next four planned for implementation by 2007. 

4. Sources: I know of no useful website but was able to get some
information from newspapers with web archives. The Jakarta Post is the
best English language source (<www.thejakartapost.com>). There have
been two studies released recently that deal in whole or part with the
busway that might be available for acquisition. These are from the
Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and one from
Pelangi/Intrans, (I thought that Pelangi was an active Sustran
participant).

I hope you find this of interest,

Robert Cowherd
Cambridge, USA

--- Alan Howes <Alan.Howes at cbuchanan.co.uk> wrote:
> Thanks Robert - 
> 
> But can someone clarify - 
> - Is the Jakarta Busway open?
> - If so, has it in fact increased capacity on Jalan Thamrin-Sudirman
> Boulevard - and if not why not?
> - What is there in the way of Feeders?
> - Is there a useful website.
> 
> I now note Lisa says she wants the info for press work ...
> 
> Alan
> 
> -- 
> Alan Howes
> Associate Transport Planner
> Colin Buchanan and Partners
> 
> 4 St Colme Street
> Edinburgh      EH3 6AA
> Scotland
> email:  alan.howes at cbuchanan.co.uk
> tel:      (0)131 240 2892 (direct)
>            (0)131 226 4693 (switchboard)
>            (0)7952 464335  (mobile)
> fax:     (0)131 220 0232
> www: http:/www.cbuchanan.co.uk/

2/20/2004



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