[sustran] Re: More on Jakarta's controversial new bus service hits theroad

[Jonathan E. D. Richmond]

I think you are right: the elite are normally important at all times, and
one of my concerns is that when services are improved, fares often go up,
excluding low-income people from using them. Does anyone know what the
fare will be when the two-week free period ends, and how this will compare
with fares on regular buses?

Bangkok charges much higher fares on air-conditioned buses than on
nonaircon and SkyTrain coats even more, with the new underground to be
implemented with fares that start at more than three times the nonaircon
bus rate. The nonaircon buses are jam-packed, and there are many people
using them on routes that parallel the much faster SkyTrain because the
rail fare is too high for them to afford.

                                                        --Jonathan


On Sat, 17 Jan 2004, Eric Bruun wrote:

> Bus lanes might well make traffic worse in other lanes, but the question has
> to be asked: How much more capacity in terms o people does it create? The
> unspoken objection is often that the elite don't get to have first priority
> on road space.
>
> Eric
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <whook at itdp.org>
> To: <sustran-discuss at list.jca.apc.org>; <sustran-discuss at list.jca.apc.org>
> Sent: Saturday, January 17, 2004 3:33 PM
> Subject: [sustran] Re: ST: Jakarta's controversial new bus service hits
> theroad
>
>
> well, its a great thing that they went forward with this.
>
> of course many problems that have been being pointed out for more than one
> year have not yet been fixed, but now they see for themselves the problems.
> they are all easily fixable within one year or so.
>
> anyway, we will release our full technical review on our web site in a
> couple days.
>
> best
> walter
>
> Original Message:
> -----------------
> From: Barter, Paul paulbarter at nus.edu.sg
> Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2004 12:03:22 +0800
> To: sustran-discuss at list.jca.apc.org
> Subject: [sustran] ST: Jakarta's controversial new bus service hits the
> road
>
>
> Any views on this from sustran-discussers? Is it well done? Is it a
> completely public sector project? Will it be a winner and prove critics
> wrong? Will initial problems be given a chance to be ironed out?
> Paul
> ----------------------
>
> Straits Times Interactive
> http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/asia/story/0,4386,230381,00.html?
>
> JAN 16, 2004
> Jakarta's controversial new bus service hits the road
> Hundreds jostle for free rides as traffic gets worse along route
> By Devi Asmarani
> STRAITS TIMES INDONESIA BUREAU
>
> JAKARTA - The city's controversial new busway system was launched
> yesterday by Governor Sutiyoso amid a barrage of criticism and concerns
> that it would worsen the already horrific traffic congestion in the
> capital.
>
> The 250 billion rupiah (S$50.3 million) Trans-Jakarta Busway system is
> the first of an ambitious seven-year project to put in place a mass
> transportation system.
> Included in the plans are a monorail and an MRT system.
>
> The aim is to build a comfortable and reliable public transport system
> to encourage commuters and city dwellers to leave their private cars at
> home.
>
> At the launch ceremony yesterday, the Indonesian capital's controversial
> governor said: 'Busway is the answer to our problems, but it is just the
> first part of a comprehensive plan to ease the traffic in Jakarta.'
>
> Fifty-six specially built buses, each of which has a capacity of 85
> passengers, began plying the 12.9km route which runs from the bus
> terminal in the popular Blok M shopping complex to the bustling
> Chinatown area.
>
> The buses pick up and drop off passengers at bus shelters on the central
> median strip.
> The service is free for the first two weeks. Hundreds of people swarmed
> many of the 20 bus shelters to try the air-conditioned buses.
>
> Chaos reigned at some of the bus shelters, with people jostling for free
> tickets.
> One passenger, Mrs Lena, said: 'It's definitely a lot more comfortable,
> although it costs twice as much as the bus I normally take.'
>
> The new buses take less than half the time taken by regular buses to
> travel that stretch of road, which sees some of the worst traffic
> congestion in the city.
> But the busway operation - which takes up the outermost lane of an
> already congested street - confirmed fears that it would worsen the
> traffic situation.
>
> Hundreds of buses now plying that route will no longer operate there
> from today, and many people fear that the busway system will not be able
> to cope with the load of some 50,000 people travelling the route every
> day.
>
> To make matters worse, the promised feeder service - supporting buses
> which are to serve routes not covered by the Trans-Jakarta buses - are
> not yet operational.
> Guests at yesterday's ceremony, which was followed by a trip on the new
> buses to Chinatown, included diplomats, businessmen and celebrities.
> But noticeably absent was Transport Minister Agum Gumelar and other
> Cabinet ministers who were invited to the event.
>
> Mr Agum had previously expressed his disapproval of the project, which
> he said was implemented hastily.
>
> Commenting on this, Mr Sutiyoso said: 'The central government did not
> even feel compelled in the least to participate in the development of
> the transportation infrastructure in this city, although they will enjoy
> its benefit.'
>
> Copyright @ 2003 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.
>
> Forwarded in the interests of education and research
>
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>

-----

Jonathan E. D. Richmond                               02 524-5510 (office)
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