BUS OPERATORS KEEN TO JOIN FREE 'MUDIK' PROGRAM

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 7 (Antara) - The free 'mudik' (hometown trip) programs organized by private companies and government agencies for their employees have led to a drop in passengers for commercial bus companies during the Idul Fitri holidays.          The free ride - known as 'mudik gratis' - for revelers to their hometowns in order for them to celebrate the post-fasting Idul Fitri holidays has become increasingly popular over the past several years.          Therefore, privately owned public transportation companies have been crying foul that the trend has caused a decline in the number of their passengers and hit their revenues hard.          Moreover, organizers of the free mudik programs prefer to hire tourist buses.       The Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda) has stressed that the 'mudik gratis' program harms the interests of public transportation companies.           "The program disturbs regular transportation services, because buses used for free services ply the same routes as regular buses. The government should not allow them to do so," Eka Sari Lorena, the chairperson of Organda, had said earlier.          She had pointed out that the use of tourist buses for free trips was in violation of the rules of Organda, since these buses made the trips without having received the relevant permit from the organization.          "Bus operators participating in the popular 'mudik gratis' program should apply for an additional permit from Organda to make these free trips," Eka stated.          Therefore, a number of bus companies have requested government agencies, including state-owned firms organizing mudik gratis, to involve them in their free mudik programs so the private operators can minimize the losses from reduced passenger numbers during the Idul Fitri holidays.      Peter Sitepu, an executive of PO Sanjaya bus company, which operates from the Intercity Pulogadung Bus Terminal in East Jakarta, also complained about the hiring of tourist buses by state-owned companies for their free mudik programs.          "Although we suffer losses due to the decreased number of our passengers, they do not hire our buses. They prefer tourist buses, which have unquestionable quality," he said on Tuesday.          Peter noted that state enterprises and private companies had been organizing free hometowns trips for their workers over the past several years without giving due consideration to privately owned public buses, which had to suffer losses due to the declining number of passengers.         "Our drivers have been free for three days because our buses could not depart due to the lack of enough passengers," he continued.         Peter noted that his company's daily revenue during the Idul Fitri holidays was lower that of regular days.         "On regular days, we still earn enough money and our income is stable. But now, we can only depart with a small number of passengers and return with empty seats," he said.          Because of the reduced number of passengers, PO Pahala Kencana Bus company at Pulogadung Intercity Bus Terminal was also forced to cut the number of its daily buses from nine to three or four.          "We have to face this situation. Passenger numbers have dropped drastically. I have to cut the ticket price from Rp300,000 to Rp200,000 or Rp175,000 ," Garsinih of Pahala Kencana Bus company said.           The decline in passenger traffic at intercity bus terminals was believed to be caused by the many free mudik programs offered by state companies, institutions and private firms.          Hengki Sitorus, the head of Kalideres Intercity Bus Terminal in West Jakarta, also stated that the drop in the number of passengers at bus terminals was most likely due to the free journeys provided by institutions and companies.          Hengki said the number of passengers traveling through the Kalideras bus terminal on the D-day of Idul Fitri exceeded 60,000 in 2012, compared with approximately 50,000 passengers on the same day (Wednesday) this year.          Last Saturday, for example, at least 10,000 home bound travelers left Jakarta, on 190 free-of-charge buses, for various destinations in Central Java.          Central Java Deputy Governor Rustriningsih saw off the travelers at Purna Bhakti Pertiwi Museum in the Indonesia-in-miniature park (TMII). The free buses were made available by the Central Java provincial government, in cooperation with 35 district and municipal governments in the province and the Central Java government-owned Bank Jateng.          "About 10,260 Central Java residents in Jakarta are traveling by bus free of cost," Rustriningsih said.          A similar program was organized by state-owned workers insurance firm PT Jamsostek, which sent off some 3,100 Idul Fitri travelers on 62 free buses from Jakarta to Central Java, Yogyakarta, and East Java.          President Director of PT Jamsostek, Elvyn G Masassya, when seeing off the passengers at the National Monument (Monas) square said the free buses were offered to travelers as part of the company's social responsibility towards workers.          The 62 free buses transported some 3,100 travelers to five destinations in Java. About 50 buses transported formal workers, and 12 others carried informal workers who have taken part in the social insurance scheme.          The five destinations are situated in Central Java, Yogyakarta, and East Java. The participants of the insurance scheme are from Jakarta, West Java, and Banten.          The Ministry of Transportation also organized free mudik for travelers. In carrying out the program, the ministry of transportation cooperated with different groups to provide land and sea transportation, through trucks, trains, and ships.         For sea transportation, the ministry cooperated with state-owned shipping lines PT Pelni and the Navy. Pelni will use the KM Dobonsolo ship, while the Navy will deploy the KRI Banda Aceh warship.         In the meantime, Pologadung bus terminal operators stated that the intercity bus station had since Monday seen a decline in the prices of bus tickets sold by executive buses. The acting head of the terminal, Adjie Kusmbarto, also pointed out that the number of bus passengers dropped because of free mudik programs, as this year's Idul Fitri holidays were longer.          Since Tuesday (August 6), he added, passenger numbers at Pologadung had dropped by approximately 55 percent.***4*** (T.A014/INE/H-YH)