Government Will Limit Logistics Driver Working Time, Maximum 12 Hours A Day

Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi while at the DPR Building, Parliament Complex, Central Jakarta.

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) together with the Ministry of Manpower (Kemnaker) will formulate rules for working hours for logistics drivers.

The arrangement of working hours of logistics drivers is important to reduce the number of accidents as well as provide certainty to the driver.

Minister of Transportation (Menhub) Dudy Purwagandhi revealed that the government will limit the working time of logistics drivers to a maximum of 12 hours per day.

Regarding this working hour, Dudy admitted that he would coordinate with the Ministry of Manpower.

"We will arrange it so that the driver does not reach more than 12 hours," he said at the DPR Building, Parliament Complex, Jakarta, Wednesday, October 1.

According to Dudy, restrictions on working hours will be made similar to the rules that apply to the pilot profession or train driver, where after passing certain hours, the driver must be replaced.

Furthermore, Dudy said, this scheme is working hours for logistics drivers which will be stated in Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) with the Ministry of Manpower.

Just like the pilot, right, if the pilot and train driver have to change for hours. So that's what we have to arrange. It should be in SOPs and all kinds of things," he explained.

Previously, the General Chairperson of the Indonesian Driver-powered House (RBPI) Ika Rostianti submitted a complaint from logistics drivers to the Indonesian House of Representatives. He assessed that the working hours imposed by the expedition company were far from humane.

"Friends from several expeditions reported that their working hours were also inhumane. From Jakarta to Surabaya it was 14 hours. And it was very dangerous," said Ika in a meeting with the DPR leadership with Commission V, at the DPR Building, Jakarta, Wednesday, October 1.

In fact, said Ika, some drivers were forced to use drugs to survive on the road because of the inhuman working hours.

"Almost some logistics drivers use doping, use drugs. Now it doesn't make sense because Jakarta-Surabaya can take 14 hours," he said.

According to him, the problem of logistics drivers is not only related to dimensions and vehicle overloading, but also regarding rest hours that are not fulfilled by the company.

As a result, the number of accidents in the logistics transportation sector continues to increase.

"There are a lot of derivative effects, accidents occurred in at least one week I took care of 7 to 8 of my members who had an accident in the logistics sector," he said.

Ika also said that there are still many logistics companies that recruit drivers without clear competency standards.

According to him, many drivers are only equipped with basic driving skills, without technical training or understanding driving ethics.

"As long as you can bring the car back and forth between goods, it can be a driver. We don't have clear competency standards (which are clear) today, how ethically on the road, how to carry a vehicle, take care of it. Everyone only relies on experience in the field," said Ika.

Karena itu, Ika mengusulkan agar pemerintah segera menyiapkan program pelatihan vokasi khusus bagi sopir logistik.

Menurut dia, langkah ini penting agar para pengemudi memiliki keterampilan yang lebih terarah dan profesional.

“Kalau tidak salah, di Kemenhub tahun ini sudah ada departemen vokasi. Kami berharap sopir logistik juga bisa ikut dilatih, karena selama ini memang tidak pernah ada pelatihan khusus untuk kami,” ucapnya.

Therefore, Ika suggested that the government immediately prepare a special vocational training program for logistics drivers.

According to him, this step is important so that drivers have more directed and professional skills.

"If I'm not mistaken, this year the Ministry of Transportation already has a vocational department. We hope that logistics drivers can also be trained, because so far there has never been a special training for us," he said.