Long Holiday End Of October, Minister Of Transportation Budi Karya: Community Movement Increases 20 Percent

Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi. (Photo: Setkab)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) predicts that there will be a significant increase in community movement during the long holiday at the end of October 2020. This holiday is to commemorate the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad SAW.

"We predict that this holiday activity will increase by 10 to 20 percent. The amount may not be cumulatively significant, but the movement is being carried out," said Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi in a video conference, Friday, October 23.

Budi admitted that he was worried that the movement of the people in the long holiday at the end of October would be carried out on one day. This is because people want to go home early.

For that, Budi appealed to operators to prepare and implement health protocols in the field during long holidays. In addition, Budi Karya advised the public not to all travel on October 28, 2020.

"I appeal to the public, don't all go home on the night of 27 and 28 (October). If possible, some of them go home on 26 (October), because that can reduce the buildup of passengers," he explained.

Not only that, Budi also asked operators to increase their fleets if there are indications of a build-up of passengers during a long holiday. According to him, during the COVID-19 pandemic, tickets were ordered online or online, this could help operators prepare and turn off how many passengers were present.

Furthermore, Budi said, the addition of the fleet must ensure adequate health protocols to reduce the spread of COVID-19 during the movement at the end of October 2020.

"I ask the directorates general to make sure if there is an additional number of moving passengers, to increase the capacity. Not with the existing capacity, so that accumulation occurs, the number exceeds the specified capacity," he said.