Trans Jakarta : Add More Buses, Not The Lines

Bus Trans Jakarta caught in a jam on its exclusive lanes (Source)

8 years ago, citizens of Jakarta, once again, was given hope of a modern transportation system, pioneered by Trans Jakarta BRT system. This BRT system was planned to be the backbone of Jakarta’s public transportation along with LRT system and MRT Underground system. At that time, the citizens were tired of outdated, inconvenient public transportation, which populated the Jakarta road network for almost 10 years or more.

Today, if we look at the news, the situation is even worse than before. While the final gridlock which is forecasted by the government is at the gate (2014), LRT system are cancelled, MRT Underground system is just starting its development (whatever the meaning of start is), and BRT system... well it does expanded to 11 corridors, however, the public transport users are more suffering than before. What went wrong in these 8 years?

Back in 2004, when the first BRT line (Blok M – Kota) was launched, the citizens were amazed to see a new air conditioned bus system which was jam free and cheaper. This system is also using smart card which reflected a modern transportation system in contrast with the existing ones. Everything was running smoothly, the feared final gridlock seems could be avoided, more modern public transit modes are also coming. This euphoric moment grew jobs for transportation experts locally and internationally. Many academic papers at that time analyzed how the system can be improved. And then, major mistakes in BRT system were made.

One; success on the first (N-S) line encouraged the government to extend W-E lines. In this extension, the government seemed over optimistic and under estimate the complexity of integrating the lines. When the 2nd and 3rd lines were launched in 2005, soon, queues were occurred in transfer stops.

Two; while the first problem was not solved yet, the government forced to extend the BRT system to 10 lines. This move was to ensure that BRT system will be extended whoever the next government is. When Governor Sutiyoso stepped down, other 4 lines were built and 3 lines being developed. The next Governor, Fauzi Bowo suffered the consequences. Lack of buses occurred in all corridors creating idle lane which in turn invited private cars to breach these exclusive lanes. The 3 being developed lines were also delayed for almost 3 years (in 2008, the 8th line was operated, and by the end of 2010, the 9th and 10th lines were operated).

Three; the government was over-excessive to define the term “modern”. Government uses new technologies such as smart cards, Gas Fuel, and the most recent, the Bus Information System (BIS) without assessing the maintenance availability which is proved poorly done in Indonesia. Today, when we use the BRT system, we can see the relic of what the government called modern such as not functioned turnstile, turned off BIS display, not operable vending machines, etc. To enter the waiting bay, you will be given paper tickets instead of smart card as before in 2004. While the insufficient supply of gas fuel became the political issues between 2007 even until now.

Four; regardless of government inability to provide enough buses, The government chased off the existing public transport network which were overlapped with the lines, forcing the existing demand to move into BRT system. The problem is, most times, the existing public transport, even more “primitive”, provide more capacity. So when it is eliminated, the public transport users suffered for longer waiting time (and gain nothing since the travel time is the same due to breach of the lanes by other vehicles)

Those four mistakes make the BRT system is less desirable. The users then move to more reliable (but not safe) motorcycles. However the government makes the fifth mistake; which instead of correcting the mistakes above, they open new lines each year to increase the daily passenger (and creating more transfer, fuel supply, and queues problems). By 2012, 11th line was operated; the government is also preparing to develop the 12th to the 15th. Aside of those endless expansion, they also operate 3 new feeder routes which until today proved to be ineffective.

It is definite that in near future, the turning point will be reached; people will start move away to motorcycles and other modes even more. The BRT system eventually will become another failed project.

In order to prevent this, the government should cease the expansion and adding more and more buses in the existing lines. Then after a sufficient number of buses are reached, they should start taking back their exclusive lanes. Aside from that, social engineering to change the mentality of building new project to maintaining the existing one should be stressed on the regulator. Only then, the real modern public transportation is not just a dream in Jakarta.

However, if the government continues to follow their existing pattern, not only we should forget our dream, we also had to prepare to face a “transportation nightmare” in the next years.