Testing 22 Digital-Based Buses In Makassar

MAKASSAR - The Provincial Government of South Sulawesi through the Department of Transportation conducted trials on 22 digital-based buses called "Teman Bus" (Bus Friends, ed) as mass transportation services in Makassar City.

"This program is a request from the Acting Governor to the Ministry of Transportation so that there is a mass transportation service that can cover the area because yesterday there was a service that the Makassar City Government collaborated for DAMRI but it was not optimal," said Head of the Mamminasata Transportation Unit at the South Sulawesi Transportation Agency Prayudi Syamsibar S.STP in Makassar quoted by Antara, Monday, November 15.

This mode of transportation offers a service-purchase pattern that no longer targets the number of passengers, but prioritizes timeliness of travel so that it is easier for passengers to estimate the time to reach their destination.

"So there is no longer waiting for new passengers to leave, everything has its time, including being at the bus stop for only 5-7 minutes," he said.

As a digital-based mode of transportation, "Bus Friends", said Yudi as he is called Prayudi Syamsibar, bus movements can be monitored through an application that can be downloaded via their respective gadgets.

Meanwhile, for its use, "Bus Friends" is subject to a tariff of Rp3,500 for the public and Rp2000 for students who pay using e-Money.

"The current rate is still 0 rupiah, but for one week it can still go up, only later payments will be made using existing electronic cards, all state-owned banks and including private banks," Yudi explained.

The "Bus Friends" which will be tested starting Monday (15/11) until the next week is based on digital, standard bus services like in other big cities in Indonesia. An application is provided to monitor bus trips on four available corridors.

Four corridors with their respective routes, namely corridor 1 with the Malengkeri Terminal route - Metro Tanjung Bunga Street, corridor 2 at Sultan Hasanuddin Airport - Panakkukang Mall, corridor 3 Campus 2 PNUP - Campus 2 PIP, and corridor 4 Soekarno Hatta Port Makassar - UIN Samata Gowa.

A total of 22 buses being tested are a grant from the Ministry of Transportation out of a total of 87 buses prepared for South Sulawesi until the end of November 2021, but the delivery is gradual.

"For now, we are still trying one corridor, the route is from Sultan Hasanuddin Airport to Panakkukang Mall," he said.