Hore, Free Bus Ride in Bandung City!

Later, free buses will be applied to 18 lines of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor. This March, it is planned to start running in 5 corridors.

Head of the West Java Transportation Agency, Koswara Hanafi, explained that the city of Bandung was one of the areas that received assistance from the Ministry of Transportation with a buy the service (BTS) system for three years.

"This BTS pays for services. Some calculate how many rupiahs per kilometer are. Whether there are passengers or not, they will still be paid. So, passengers don't have to pay. This month, five corridors have been running," explained Koswara, Wednesday, March 23, 2022.

The five lane corridors include, Alun-alun-Padalarang. Then, BEC-Baleendah. Then, Dipatiukur-Jatinangor. Next is Leuwipanjang-Dago. Lastly, Leuwipanjang-Soreang.

"After three years of completing the BTS scheme, the local government must take over the management, so it is necessary to form who will manage it," he said.

In one corridor lane, Koswara said, on average there can be five buses. However, all will be adjusted to the average passenger volume at each point of the corridor.

Talking about the new transportation, Koswara admits that there are parties who are against this concept. To minimize conflicts that occur, he added, it is necessary to develop a more specific handling strategy.

"Usually there is a wedge with the angkot. If they are hit by a slice of BRT service, they die because the quality of BRT service is certainly on top of the angkot. So the angkot must change, whether it is rerouted or merged into the BRT feeder," said Koswara.

If you look at the current conditions, Koswara said, the income from public transportation is decreasing. So, this BRT scheme can be a momentum for angkot to provide even better services.

"If they can be properly involved in this program, they will definitely accept. We can encourage Angkot to change to a 3/4 bus as well. If they join the scheme, the angkot entrepreneurs can provide the 3/4 bus, which will be paid later through the BTS system," he said,

This is because BRT is intended to restore massive use of mass transportation by the community. Thus, the government will continue to look for a middle ground for the good of the community as users and business actors of angkot.

"The city of Bandung has tried to prepare this scheme on one angkot route. The concept of an angkot that switches to a feeder route has been tested in Mount Batu," he added.

Responding to the BRT program in the City of Bandung, the Acting Mayor (Plt) of the Mayor of Bandung, Yana Mulyana said, there is a need for continuous coordination to accelerate the implementation of this program.

"I agree that later we will make a team so that the coordination can be faster. Because this technology is much cheaper to invest, so we hope that the tickets will be cheap in the future," Yana hoped.

Yana also said that the Bandung City Government had tested the change of angkot to 3/4 bus transportation. The angkot also gave a positive response to this trial.

"We have tested the Angkot into 3/4 buses, yes. For the conversion of three into one, most of them want to. Although reducing the amount of transportation, the carrying capacity will not decrease," he said. (din)*

Head of Discominfo Bandung

Yayan A. Brilyana