Ministry Of Transportation Launches Friends Bus For Banjarbakula, South Kalimantan

BANJARMASIN - The Ministry of Transportation launched the Teman Bus (Easy, Reliable and Convenient Economical Transportation), a road-based mass transportation development program in urban areas for Banjarbakula, South Kalimantan.

The launch of the Teman Bus was carried out at Terminal Type A Gambut Barakat on Jalan A. Yani KM 17, Gambut District, Banjar Regency, South Kalimantan.

Banjarbakula is the concept of a Metropolitan City in South Kalimantan Province which includes 2 cities and 3 regencies, namely, Banjarmasin City, Banjarbaru City, Banjar Regency, Tanah Laut Regency and Barito Kuala Regency.

Director of Road Transport at the Ministry of Transportation Suharto said that the Ministry of Transportation plans to distribute 75 units of Teman Bus in stages to Banjarbakula, South Kalimantan.

"This is to fulfill mass transportation services as many as 4 corridors in South Kalimantan Province," he said, quoted by Antara, Wednesday, December 22.

According to him, the mode of transportation run by the operator, its services and facilities use reliable and non-cash-based telematics technology to improve safety and security as well as the convenience of mobilizing the Indonesian people.

The launch of Teman Bus since 2020, continued Suharto, has been successful in seven major cities in Indonesia, namely, Palembang, Solo, Bali, Yogyakarta, Medan, Makassar and Banyumas. This year in the city of Banjarmasin or Banjarbakula.

"I am optimistic that the presence of Teman Bus in Banjarmasin or Trans Banjarbakula will be able to reduce the level of traffic congestion and improve air quality in Banjarmasin, so that it is hoped that public support will maximize this mass public transportation," he said.

Because, he continued, this application-based BTS concept is supported by management in carrying out monitoring and evaluation which includes: operational systems, maintenance systems, Financial Management systems and HR systems supported by real-time digitalization to get to a more professional public transportation.

South Kalimantan Governor Sahbirin Noor, who officially launched Teman Bus, expressed his appreciation and gratitude to the central government through the Ministry of Transportation for paying attention to mass transportation services in his province.

"I am very grateful for the synergy between the Central Government, Provincial Government and Regency / City Government. Hopefully this synergy will increase, so that it will provide more what the people of South Kalimantan aspire to," he said.

The four routes served by TEMAN BUS are Corridor 1 of Barakat Peat Terminal KM 17 - Simpang Empat, Corridor 2 of Barakat Gambut Terminal KM 17 - Taman Siring KM 0, Corridor 3 of Main Terminal KM 6 - Handil Bakti and Corridor 4 of Barakat Peat Terminal KM 17 - Intersection 3 Bentok.