BTS Program Threatened To Stall In Several Cities, DPR Asks Ministry Of Transportation To Find Solutions

The mode of transportation of Biskita in Bogor City (doc VOI)

Commission V DPR RI asked the Ministry of Transportation and the Regional Government to sit together to find solutions to finance public transportation services for the buy the service (BTS) program in a number of cities that are threatened with stagnation.

"We hope that the Ministry of Transportation will immediately sit down with local governments to ensure that BTS Program bus services in a number of cities continue," said Deputy Chairman of Commission V DPR RI Syaiful Huda, Thursday, January 16.

"So far, the presence of BTS buses has helped the public a lot to continue to use cheap, comfortable, and safe public transportation services," he continued.

To note, a number of local governments admit that they are unable to continue financing BTS program-based bus services. As a result, public bus services such as Biskita Trans Pakuan Bogor have stopped operating, Batik Solo Trans reduce service hours, Trans Jogja and Trans Metro Dewata in Denpasar have also stopped operating.

Huda said the cessation of BTS-based public transportation services would have a major impact on the mobility of citizens. In addition, the government's campaign for people to switch to public transportation to suppress air pollution will return to zero.

BTS services in various cities in recent years have become the mainstay of residents. If it suddenly stops, people may return to using private vehicles or switch to online motorcycle taxis that are much more expensive," he said.

The West Java electoral district PKB legislator revealed that last year the BTS program was carried out in 46 corridors spread across Medan City, Palembang City, Bandung City, Banyumas Regency, Yogyakarta City, Surakarta City, Surabaya City, Denpasar City, Banjarmasin City, Balikpapan City, and Makassar. The government has allocated subsidies from the APBN amounting to Rp437.8 billion.

"This year, the subsidy of the central government has been reduced to IDR 177 billion for 12 corridors," he said.

However, Huda regretted the lack of innovation by a number of local governments to collaborate with third parties in maintaining BTS bus operations. In fact, according to him, based on a memorandum of understanding from the Regional Government and the Ministry of Transportation, this year the local government must be able to be independent in managing BTS program buses.

"The local government should be more innovative in collaborating with the private sector or designing other financing schemes so that the operation of this BTS bus can continue so that services to the community are not disrupted," he said.

Therefore, the PKB politician hopes that the Ministry of Transportation and the local government together will find a solution so that BTS services in a number of cities survive. According to him, if BTS services are forced to stop, the one who loses is the community.

This BTS service must also be followed by integration of public transportation so that BTS buses do not compete with local public transportation companies or cooperatives. Jakarta with JakLingko can become a modern, cheap, and comfortable model of public transportation integration," concluded Huda.