KNKT: Handling ODOL Trucks Must Be Comprehensive And Cross-Ministerial

JAKARTA Handling trucks with an over-dimensional and over-dimensional and overload (ODOL) requires cross-ministerial and institutional cooperation. This problem must be handled thoroughly by involving various parties according to their respective fields of duty.

Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT), Soerjanto, said that handling ODOL cannot be done partially.

The Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Public Works, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Trade, Coordinating Ministry for the Economy, Coordinating Ministry for Infrastructure, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Manpower, Bappenas, and Korlantas must be actively involved.

"We have to draw up a roadmap or long-term planning in controlling ODOL trucks and running them consistently," said Soerjanto in his statement, Tuesday, June 3.

As a first step, government and state-owned projects should no longer use trucks that exceed the dimensional and load limits. According to him, this step is completely under the control of the government and should be implemented immediately. However, twice recommended, the implementation still fails.

Soerjanto added that the drivers and truck owners were actually uncomfortable with this condition. The truck becomes more quickly damaged and the risk of traffic accidents increases.

"Driving an ODOL truck was terrible. They said, if it was braked on Monday, it stopped on Saturday," he said describing how dangerous the condition was.

In addition, he highlighted the practice of illegal levies (extortion) and acts of thuggery in the field which actually became an additional burden. This extortion fee can reach 15 to 35 percent of the cost of transportation, depending on the type of goods and territory.

Therefore, Soerjanto emphasized the importance of a comprehensive and mature approach in controlling ODOL. All parties must be involved, ranging from the association of goods transportation entrepreneurs, driver associations, the government, to the owner of goods.

He also encouraged the transfer of some land transportation to other modes of transportation, such as trains and ships. One example, he said, is an effort to divert mineral water transportation from trucks to trains in the Sukabumi area. However, its implementation is not easy and requires continuous support from various parties.