We will also discuss how to ensure better management of one-way railroad crossings."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The commuter train-Metromini bus collision at North Jakartas Muara Angke railway crossing that killed 17 people, Sunday, prompted authorities to take steps to put in order the operations of public vehicles in the capital city.

Though not all, yet on an average, drivers of Jakartas public transportation vehicles --- such as "angkot" and "mikrolet" (both minivans), buses, including Metromini buses --- are notorious for their recklessness.

Luckily, apart from trains, Jakartas residents can still avail relatively convenient public transportation services in the form of taxis and the TransJakarta Busway transportation services. However, passengers have to pay relatively higher fares for these services.

Traffic accidents in the capital city, particularly at railway crossings, have repeatedly occurred, and Sundays accident was not the first of its kind.

However, the Muara Angke collision involving an electric commuter train and a Metromini bus appears to have raised awareness among the authorities to streamline the operations of public vehicles in order to protect the safety of passengers and ensure their convenience.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has promptly ordered his minister to take the necessary steps to prevent the recurrence of accidents involving means of public transportation at railway crossings.

Jokowi ordered the transportation minister and Jakarta governor to prevent mishaps at railway crossings to avert incidents such as the Sunday accident at the Muara Agnke railway crossing that killed 17 people.

"The president has ordered us to coordinate with the Jakarta governor. We actually have begun the coordination process since yesterday," Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan stated at the State Palace in Jakarta on Monday.

Jonan said he will continue to coordinate with the Jakarta governor on efforts to improve discipline among operators of public vehicles, including the conductors and drivers of Metromini buses.

"We will also discuss how to ensure better management of one-way railroad crossings," he affirmed.

Minister Ignasius Jonan therefore urged Jakarta regional government to put in order the operation license of the citys Metromini buses following the commuter train - bus accident that.

Metromini buses are among the city's public transportation which often violated traffic regulation with reckless drivers.

"I called on the Jakarta governor to put in order the operation license of Metromini buses. The license for the operation of Metromini buses is issued by the governor, not by me," the minister said here on Sunday.

He said that accident took place not because of one-way crossing (but because of driver breaking through the gate. "No matter whether an underpass or a fly-over is built, breaking through the gate is illegitimate," the minister added.

Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) voiced his intentions to not permit public vehicles, including Metromini buses, deemed unfit to ply on roads.

"There will be zero tolerance towards all public vehicles, which are not fit to operate on Jakartas roads. Metromini business too will face a similar fate," Ahok noted at the City Hall on Monday.

The governor affirmed that his officials will continue to take firm action by detaining public vehicles deemed unfit to operate in Jakarta for the sake of passenger convenience.

"Old Metromini buses (no longer suitable for operations) should, if possible, be grounded (be scrapped). The problem is that I have no authority (to scrap them). For sure, we will continue to detain vehicles, which are not worthy of operations," Ahok emphasized.

Minister Ignasius Jonan, explained that the efforts undertaken to improve discipline among the operators of public vehicles will include the mobilization of a joint task force to check, for instance, whether the drivers possessed appropriate driving licenses.

"The health of the drivers, the worthiness of their vehicles, and other related aspects will also be checked," he noted.

Regarding the problem of one-way railway crossings, the minister suggested that the railway tracks could be in the form of an overpass or underpass.

According to Ahok, the Jakarta Transportation Service (Dishubtrans DKI) has revoked the route service permits of 1.6 thousand public vehicles operating in the capital city of Jakarta.

"We are ready to face the lawsuit filed by the Metromini owner in the State Administrative Court (PTUN) in connection with the revocation of the companys route operation service license," noted Ahok.

He claimed that until now, some three thousand buses were no longer fit to operate on Jakartas roads. The Jakarta governor has also questioned the role of the Land Transportation Organization (Organda) in managing public vehicles in Jakarta.

"So far, we have detained 1.6 thousand buses, but there are still three thousand others, which are no longer fit to operate on roads. Therefore, I am questioning the functioning of Organda," affirmed Ahok.

Based on data at the Jakarta Police Headquarters, the number of motor vehicles in Jakarta at the end of 2014 was recorded at 17,523,967, of which 13,084,372 were motorcycles and 3,266,009 were private cars.

Republika.co.id online media reported last April 29 that the increase in the number of private vehicles in Jakarta had caused a decline in the number of passengers opting for public transportation services.

Most of the Motromini buses, being operated for over 30 years, are facing a shortage of passengers.

Data at the Jakarta Transportation Service (Dishubtrans DKI) indicated that Metromini had 3,157 buses.

"But, some 1,548 of them were not active in having their physical conditions checked (KIR)," Ismanto of the Dishubtrans DKI stated.

Therefore, the unfit condition of vehicles and reckless drivers are the main reasons behind frequent accidents such as what happened at the Angke Railway crossing on Sunday.

Chairman of the Transportation Study Institute (Instran) Darmaningtyas said three factors could lead to accidents.

The first is the rent fee system, second is the absence of driver awareness regarding passenger safety, and the third is low education and training of vehicle operators.

Drivers have to work hard to earn money from passengers to pay their daily rent fees due to which they drive recklessly, Darmaningtyas was quoted by Republika.co.id on Sunday (Dec. 6).

Therefore, Jakarta Governor Basuki has offered an opportunity to Metromini to join the Jakarta-owned TransJakarta Busway.

"We have offered Metromini to join TransJakarta since long. However, it has always refused to accept the offer," Ahok remarked on Monday.

He stated that if Metromini joined the TransJakarta Busway, it will use a payment system based on the distance travelled. It will be based on how many kilometers the drivers have covered.

"If it joins us, it will use the rupiah per kilometer reading based on the distance covered. So, drivers need not think of how to work hard and to pursue certain amount of rent fees," added Ahok.
(T.A014/INE/KR-BSR/O001)

Reporter: Andi Abdussalam
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2015