Bali Provincial Government Targets Trans Metro Dewata Bus Operations To Operate Again At The End Of April

Bali Governor I Wayan Koster/PHOTO: Dafi-VOI

BADUNG - The Bali Provincial Government (Pemprov) and districts/cities crossing the Trans Metro Dewata Bus (TMD) are targeting the red bus to resume operations by the end of April 2025.

"We are preparing for the tender operation, as soon as we have finished signing the agreement and start operating, hopefully at the end of April because people are very persistent in fighting so that they can be operated again," said Bali Governor Wayan Koster, Wednesday, March 12.

Koster said he would operate again and optimize Trans Metro Dewata after since January 1, 2025, the Ministry of Transportation has stopped financing.

The Bali Provincial Government, which is directly led by Governor Koster, sits with the Mayor of Denpasar, the Regent of Badung, the Regent of Gianyar, and the Regent of Tabanan and agrees to share the burden of financing the operation of the TMD Bus.

"Our agreement has been reached, we are working together to share costs because previously it was funded by the state budget, while later we will work together with the Bali Regional Budget and Denpasar, Badung, Gianyar, Tabanan," said Koster.

From the agreement, the Bali Provincial Government will contribute 30 percent and 70 percent of it will be charged to districts/cities with the lowest expense given to Tabanan Regency because of their low local revenue (PAD).

At the same location, the Head of the Bali Transportation Service (Dishub) IGW Samsi Gunarta ensured the readiness of public transportation operations for the end of April.

"We have prepared calculations, rearranged, and the route is okay, it's just an operational time and where the meeting area (solid) and tenuous," he said.

Samsi said the Bali Provincial Government will make a number of adjustments because this bus will change the nature of the rapid transit (BRT) bus to ordinary bus transportation and with a reduced unit from 100 earlier now only 76 units.