Transjakarta fare increases should not burden weak communities

"Sometimes when I'm tired, I complain about having to stand throughout the journey. Thankfully, the bus is clean and the AC is cool," said a resident of South Jakarta.

Asked about the plan to increase Transjakarta fares which is still being studied, Miranda admitted that he had heard this news some time ago. He is of the opinion that tariff increases will definitely occur as time goes by. Because, all needs will definitely increase from year to year.

"I just agree as long as it is not too expensive and becomes a burden for the community. Transjakarta passengers come from all walks of life. For the weaker ones, we must not burden them," said Miranda.

In addition, of course, bus services and the quality of stops must be improved. Miranda hopes that no passengers will feel difficulty, such as confusion with routes, overcrowding, or even falling, when inside buses and at bus stops.

At its inception in February 2004, the Transjakarta tariff was set at Rp 2,000. Meanwhile, the Transjakarta bus service fee is Rp 3,500 from 07.00-24.00 WIB and Rp 2,000 from 05.00-07.00 WIB, which has been in effect since 2007 and has not changed to date.

Currently, the Jakarta Provincial Government is still studying a plan to increase Transjakarta fares. This is because there has been a proposal for a tariff adjustment from the Jakarta City Transportation Council (DTKJ) since a year ago. The proposed Transjakarta fare will be IDR 4,000, while during peak hours (from 07.01-10.00 WIB and 16.01-21.00 WIB), it is proposed to be IDR 5,000.

I agree as long as it is not too expensive and burdensome for the community. Transjakarta passengers come from all backgrounds. For vulnerable groups, we should not add to their burdens.

As a loyal Transjakarta passenger since four years ago, Syahrul Fauzi (28) admitted that he did not agree if public transportation fares had increased. If rates increase, expenses will increase.

"Automatically, us workers, definitely use Transjakarta during rush hour. In one day, it means spending around Rp 10,000 for a round trip. It has increased to Rp 3,000 from its previous cost of Rp 7,000 for a round trip. If multiplied by 30 days, it means an increase of Rp 90,000 in expenses. It's quite high," said a resident of Central Jakarta.

Syahrul also hopes that Transjakarta bus fare will not increase. Even if it has to increase, he believes that a fare of IDR 4,000 is already sufficient. This is because not everyone has enough funds if the fare increases.

"Before increasing the fare, please improve the quality of the bus stops. Sometimes there are bus stops where the air conditioning is not felt. Cleanliness should also be considered, especially for old bus stops," he said.

Unlike Syahrul, a resident of South Jakarta, Alda Fitria (30) considers the increase in Transjakarta tariffs reasonable because the tariff of IDR 3,500 has not been raised since 2007, while the Jakarta Provincial Minimum Wage (UMP) has increased.

Also read: The increase in Transjakarta fares is still being studied by involving the community

"The increase in fares is still reasonable if it is within the range of Rp 4,000-Rp 5,000 for one trip, but it is better to be applied overall, not just during busy hours. Don't make it even more expensive during peak hours," he said.

Alda also asked PT Transjakarta to improve services, especially the accumulation of passengers during peak hours due to a lack of fleet.

Previously, DTKJ has conducted a survey regarding the evaluation of the plan to increase Transjakarta fares in 2023. There were 1,204 respondents in the survey.

In a survey, respondents also provided aspirations and input for Transjakarta. The majority, 44 percent, wanted an improvement in Transjakarta's services, microtrans, Jaklingko, and integrated BRT. The rest, 29 percent, pertained to facilities, 13 percent to infrastructure, and 7 percent each to information technology and human resources.

Respondents also answered their willingness to pay for a single Transjakarta trip. Those with income over Rp 3.5 million can afford Rp 7,916, those with income from Rp 3.5 million to Rp 7 million can afford Rp 9,178, those with income from Rp 7 million to Rp 13 million can afford Rp 21,073, those with income from Rp 13 million to Rp 20 million can afford Rp 43,488, and those with income over Rp 20 million can afford Rp 74,085.

DTKJ also takes into account marginal effects and elasticity. Every increase in the tariff of IDR 1,000 will result in a 1.87% decrease in Transjakarta passengers, and a 10% tariff hike will decrease the number of BRT Transjakarta users by 0.76%.

"The adjustment of tariffs must be preceded by proper socialization. The public's input on Transjakarta services is very important," said the Chairman of DTKJ, Haris Muhammadun.

Needs to be adjusted

Transjakarta has not had any fare changes since it first operated. Even so, the Daily Executive of the Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI), Agus Suyatno, believes that tariff increases must still be adjusted to the ability to pay and willingness to pay. i>) user.

In addition, with the tariff increase, consumers must receive the benefits they will get. This means there must be improvements in services and an increase in minimum service standards.

"From our records, what consumers often complain about is long waiting times, Transjakarta capacity, and the tap in and tap out system which is sometimes problematic," he said.

Also read: Transjakarta, 20 Years of Building a Culture of Public Transportation

Executive Director of the Institute for Transportation Studies, Deddy Herlambang, believes that the policy of setting Transjakarta fares which are more expensive during peak hours is inappropriate because it is different from the nature of electronic road pricing (ERP) fares.

"Legally, services in public transportation are not tariffs like ERP, where if the volume of vehicles increases, the payment is more expensive," he said.

Instead of having to pay more, according to Deddy, Transjakarta users during peak hours are entitled to a cheaper fare because the minimal service standard (SPM) of transportation will decrease during that time.

"It should be the opposite. If you use public transportation during rush hour, it's best if the fare decreases, it could even be free. "Because passenger comfort will decrease because transportation is full and crowded," said Deddy.

Meanwhile, PT Transjakarta is currently improving its services and customer comfort by 2024. This includes arranging all routes and improving passenger waiting areas.

Also read: Transjakarta Still Resolving Obstacles on Two New Routes

"We have main activities starting from restructuring routes, of which there are 236 to repairing bus stops," said Transjakarta Operations and Safety Director Daud Joseph.

Regarding the improvement of routes, according to Daud, inspections will be conducted first so that the organization of activities can be more mature. Meanwhile, PT Transjakarta is still completing the operational hindrances of its two new routes. The route from Pondok Cabe to Lebak Bulus is hindered by the lack of permission from the Transportation Management Agency of Jabodetabek, while the Pulogadung route to the North Jakarta Mayor's Office via Tipar Cakung is still in the process of mediation due to protests from angkot drivers.

Then, PT Transjakarta will also improve the feeder bus waiting room so that it meets the standards of Transjakarta stops in general.

"All buildings must be comfortable, shaded, and have air conditioning (AC) so that customers don't get hot and rainy," said Daud.

They also allocate up to 30% of the space in several bus stops for micro, small, and medium enterprises to support the economic development of Jakarta.

Later, PT Transjakarta plans to add feeder bus routes to facilitate residents of Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi who will be traveling. However, Daud cannot yet provide detailed information on the additional routes because his team is currently formulating a good system in collaboration with the Jabodetabek Transportation Management Agency (BPTJ).

Imitate Central Java

Transportation observer and Vice Chairman for Strengthening and Regional Development of the Indonesian Transportation Society (MTI) Djoko Setijowarno offers a solution so that the weaker communities are not burdened with the increase in Transjakarta fares. He believes that the DKI Provincial Government can apply the method implemented by the Central Java Provincial Government in subsidizing bus passengers.

Currently, the Trans Jateng bus fare for the general public is Rp 4,000. However, for students, workers, and veterans, the fare is only Rp 2,000.

This half-price tariff applies with the condition that passengers wear a uniform (for students and laborers), neat clothing (for university students), and show a student card, student ID, or original ID card or proof of participation in BPJS Employment / Jamsostek (for laborers). For veterans, the requirement is to show veteran membership identification.

According to Djoko, Transjakarta can open registration for residents who want to obtain special rates. If workers can show their ID card, they can also show a letter of employment from their workplace or a local neighborhood association.

"If caught lying (perhaps reported by someone or verified by authorities), they can have their access revoked and may also be temporarily banned from using the Transjakarta bus," said Djoko.