[sustran] Re: Fwd: Poor planning and graft pose threat to new Jakartabusway

andi_rahmah at pelangi.or.id andi_rahmah at pelangi.or.id
Fri Jul 16 13:14:24 JST 2004


Dear John and Paul,

Here it is an article from The Jakarta Post that made by interview  and
cited our Press Release. Actually, our press release emphasized on making
pressure to BP Transjakarta in order to publish  the actual calculation of
operation cost Transjakarta Busway as well as their actual income.

Best,

Rahmah


Observers urge better busway setup


Evi Mariani and Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta[ TheJakarta Post,July 16, 2004]

Transportation observers have deemed the service of the six-month-old busway
has improved, but urged the administration to provide the expected
supporting infrastructure to maintain good services.

"The busway service should implement a feeder system and comfortable
pedestrian facilities," said Andi Rahmah of the Pelangi Foundation in an
evaluation of the busway since its launch on Jan. 15.

Rahmah said inadequate pedestrian facilities to and from busway stops had
discouraged some potential passengers.

"Train passengers who alight at the elevated Sudirman station in Central
Jakarta opt for other public transportation, like minibuses, rather than the
busway because no proper sidewalk connects the railway station to the Tosari
or Dukuh Atas busway stops," she told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

However, Rahmah lauded busway operator Transjakarta for its continued
efforts in improving services.

"I have observed that Transjakarta responds quickly to complaints received
via its hotline," she said.

Six months into its operation, the Transjakarta busway has recorded an
average 46,000 passengers a day, exceeding its estimated target of 20,000
passengers.

The latest data from the city transportation agency shows that 60,000 people
commute between Blok M, South Jakarta, and Kota, West Jakarta, along the
busway's first line.

"Calculations show that Transjakarta has reaped Rp 3.49 billion (US$392,134)
in net profit in 160 days. This has proven that public transportation can be
a profitable business that does not necessarily require a government
subsidy," Rahmah said.

Ernst & Young (E&Y), which consulted the administration on the busway,
earlier reported that Transjakarta could fully cover its daily operation
cost of Rp 6,500 per kilometer if it could attract an average of 37,565
passengers per day.

Another observer's report showed the number of passengers had grown by 27
percent from 1.15 million people in February -- its first month of
operation -- to 1.47 million passengers in June.

Pelangi executive director Kuki Soejachmoen added the busway had the
potential to be a gold mine for the capital.

For the busway to help reduce air pollution, Rahmah said buses along the
planned east-west lines connecting Pulogadung-Monas-Kalideres should utilize
environmentally friendly fuel, such as compressed natural gas.

Meanwhile, head of TransJakarta operations Sr. Comr. Rene Nunumete said on
Thursday the management would resume the deployment of public order officers
in response to reports of pickpockets, who are targeting passengers on buses
when guards are not aboard.

"We will deploy officers posing as passengers on each bus," he said.

The busway runs daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Rene advised passengers to alert the driver immediately if they felt they
had lost something on a bus.

"The driver would seal the bus and contact security officers at the nearest
busway stop to conduct a search... Don't wait until you have arrived at your
destination stop to make a complaint," he added.


> Hi Paul,
>
> ITDP has been providing technical assistance to the City of Jakarta on the
> TransJakarta busway, so I can give a brief update.  There are some
> interesting points in the news article you sent (copied at the end of this
> message).
>
> 1) It's true the long-term future of the busway is threatened by what
> appear to be corrupt procedures.  In addition to equipment purchasing
> irregularities, to date the City of Jakarta has not established adequate
> control mechanisms on revenue.  They have installed a high-tech
> contactless
> farecard system which functions poorly and is not yet set up to provide
> any
> control on revenues.
>
> By our estimates, the initial 13km corridor of the busway now operating is
> not likely to capture sufficient demand to cover costs on its
> own.  However, once the second/third corridor -- now beginning
> construction
> -- are operational, the system should be able to operate at a
> profit.  (This means covering all costs except for the initial
> infrastructure -- primarily stations, road improvements and lane
> separators.)  Note that we are now in the process of developing an
> improved
> public transport demand model for Jakarta, so all our estimates are
> preliminary.
>
> Clearly, it is important to have a functioning mechanism to control ticket
> sales and revenue.  We are hopeful the current investigations underway in
> Jakarta will help to achieve this.
>
> 2)  Although the City of Jakarta has a master plan which includes 14
> busway
> corridors, 2 monorail lines and 1 subway line;  these 3 public transport
> projects are not comparable.
>
> To the extent either the monorail or subway is built, ITDP is encouraging
> integration with the busway.  However, while the busway can be financially
> self-sustaining, there is practically no chance for the monorail or subway
> to be so.
>
> The monorail has  officially started development with private
> financing.  We estimate the monorail might capture from 1-2000
> trips/direction/hour.   While there is the ticket price to consider, it
> would be reasonable to expect that a monorail would need 10 times that
> ridership to break-even.
>
>
> 3)   We have  found that the press is generally negative about the busway,
> regardless of the statistics.  (A fact which can be attributed to Governor
> Sutiyoso's negative reputation, especially with the press.)
>
> A couple of statistics cited could be looked at much differently:
>
>>State-owned Trans-Jakarta has recorded 18 billion rupiah in revenue since
>>the busway's launch, an amount it says is still dwarfed by monthly
>>operating costs exceeding 3 billion rupiah.
>
> I cannot confirm the cost and revenue figures cited here.  (Keep in mind
> there is no control to verify revenue.)   However, since the busway only
> began collecting revenue in February 2004, the 18b figure would imply they
> have been collecting 3b rp/month, a number that does not exactly "dwarf"
> monthly costs "exceeding 3 billion..."   Note also that Transjakarta has
> only become sensitive to costs in recent months, and thus has now
> implemented some basic cost measures such as reducing the number of bus-km
> during off-peak.
>
>>... a study by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency this year
>>showed that only 14 per cent of car owners have switched to using the
>> busway.
>
> I view the purpose of the busway as primarily to prevent further switching
> of trips from public to private transportation -- a situation that has
> been
> occurring in Jakarta and most Asian cities for decades.  Hence, the busway
> fare needs to be priced so as capture existing public transport passengers
> -- which it now is.
>
> That the JICA survey shows 14% of riders used to take a private car for
> the
> same trip seems great to me!  (Incidentally, the JICA survey also shows a
> roughly 6 percent switch from motorcycles.)
>
> Without TDM measures of some kind, it's unlikely that someone who owns a
> private vehicle would switch to public transit.  Jakarta does have a HOV
> measure in effect for the corridor (3 passengers per car are required
> during peak hours, although hiring riders for 1000 rp each (USD 0.12) is
> still fairly easy).  The effectiveness of this "3-in-1" measure has not
> been fully evaluated.
>
> I would like to know:  does anyone have comparison figures of the previous
> mode used by travelers on new public transit systems in other cities?
>
> John Ernst
> Asia Regional Director
> ITDP
>
>
> At 09:33 PM 7/13/2004, Barter, Paul wrote:
>
>>Any comments from those closer to the action in Jakarta?
>>Paul
>>-------------
>>
>><http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/asia/story/0,4386,261373,00.html>http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/asia/story/0,4386,261373,00.html?
>>
>>Straits Times
>>JULY 14, 2004
>>Poor planning and graft pose threat to new Jakarta busway
>>Lack of supporting facilities makes it unattractive to car owners while
>>management's integrity is in doubt
>>
>>By Devi Asmarani
>>
>>JAKARTA - In operation for just six months, Jakarta's public bus system
>>has already proven to be the most reliable and comfortable means of
>>getting around the congested capital.
>>
>>But its sustainability is in question: most commuters are still unwilling
>>to leave their cars at home and the busway's management is allegedly
>>fraught with graft.
>>
>>Observers are worried that - like other ambitious, multi-million-dollar
>>government projects in the capital - the system will eventually wither
>>from mismanagement and a lack of funds.
>>
>>The busway system is one of several controversial policies that Jakarta
>>Governor Sutiyoso has implemented. Others include the eviction of illegal
>>squatters from slums.
>>
>>Analysts say these policies - seen as insensitive to public opinion -
>> have
>>hurt President Megawati Sukarnoputri's popularity in Jakarta. Her PDI-P
>>party was behind the Governor's re-election two years ago.
>>
>>The 250-billion-rupiah (S$48.5-million) Trans-Jakarta Busway system is
>> the
>>first phase of a seven-year project to build a mass transportation system
>>that includes a monorail and subway.
>>
>>Fifty-six specially built buses, each with a capacity of 85 passengers,
>>ply the 12.9km route that runs from the bus terminal in the popular Blok
>> M
>>shopping complex to the bustling Chinatown area.
>>
>>The buses travel along dedicated bus lanes, which reduces travel times.
>>Around 51,000 people use them daily.
>>
>>The system was especially helpful during the campaigning leading up to
>>April's legislative election, when up to 65,000 people a day used it to
>>avoid the massive jams caused by street parades.
>>
>>However, a study by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency this
>>year showed that only 14 per cent of car owners have switched to using
>> the
>>busway.
>>
>>State-owned Trans-Jakarta has recorded 18 billion rupiah in revenue since
>>the busway's launch, an amount it says is still dwarfed by monthly
>>operating costs exceeding 3 billion rupiah.
>>
>>'With the current bus fare of 2,500 rupiah per trip, we are still heavily
>>subsidised by the city budget,' said company spokesman Ajar Aedi.
>>
>>'But the purpose is to provide a service that is affordable for everyone,
>>so we can't stress too much on the business side for now.'
>>
>>The Jakarta city administration is planning two more routes for the
>> busway
>>system.
>>
>>But public policy analyst Agus Pambagio said the system was poorly
>> managed
>>and prone to corruption.
>>
>>The cost of bus procurement and bus shelter construction may have been
>>falsely marked up, he said, and the ticketing system is also not
>>transparent enough, making it prone to irregularities.
>>
>>Most car owners are also reluctant to take the bus because of a lack of
>>good supporting facilities, said Mr Agus. Feeder buses serving routes not
>>covered by the Trans-Jakarta buses are in a decrepit state.
>>
>>The city's pavements are also in need of repair and there are no parking
>>facilities for car owners who want to take the bus.
>>
>>'To encourage people to take the bus, the government must do more than
>>just buy buses,' said Mr Agus.
>>
>>'There must be supporting facilities as well as integrated traffic and
>> car
>>ownership policies. Right now, there is no long-term initiative other
>> than
>>to finish the projects.'
>>
>>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>Copyright @ 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.
>>
>>Forwarded for the purpose of education and research
>
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> John Ernst   -  Director, Asia Region
>     ITDP - The Institute for Transport and Development Policy
>     Direct Fax +1 (801) 365-5914
> Subscribe to ITDP's Sustainable Transport e-update at www.itdp.org
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