New Normal, Minister Of Transportation Budi Karya: Transportation Mode Fares Do Not Instantly Increase

Illustration. (Angga Nugraha / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Minister of Transportation (Menhub), Budi Karya Sumadi, stated that transportation rates will not automatically increase when the new normal or new normal is implemented. As an alternative, the government is preparing a subsidy scheme.

"The increase in tariffs cannot be done automatically because it will burden the community, so there is a need for a solution whether the government will increase subsidies or pursue other policies," the Minister said in a written statement quoted on Monday, June 8.

According to the Minister of Transportation, he admitted that in normal times it is necessary to implement physical distancing which causes the occupancy rate of transportation transports to not be 100 percent.

I am sure that the Indonesian people are able to face the current situation, and adapt quickly and return to being productive as before. So, we can jointly contribute to restoring the nation's and state's economy, more quickly. # SafeProductive Transportation pic.twitter.com/BULtpYydqY

- RI Ministry of Transportation (@ kemenhub151) June 8, 2020

"There are definitely challenges in adapting new habits in the transportation sector. Implementing health protocols and physical distancing will certainly have implications for increasing transportation operational costs, because occupancy is not 100 percent. This is what we must immediately find a solution," said the Minister of Transportation.

Meanwhile, on the one hand, transportation operators have to spend more to accommodate health protocols. On the other hand, their income is reduced due to occupancy that cannot be 100 percent.

For this reason, the Minister of Transportation expressed the need for collaboration and mutual support from stakeholders, including the government, society, business world and industry, universities, and community organizations.

"We have to face this challenge together according to the principle of 'weight equals weight and light is equal to carry' in accordance with our tradition of mutual cooperation," said the Minister of Transportation.

Minister of Transportation Budi explained that public transportation, which used to be a mode and means of gathering and doing activities, must now change to prioritize the health aspect in order to prevent the transmission of COVID-19.

For this reason, users and transportation operators / operators need to adapt to new habits in the form of new procedures or protocols based on health and hygiene (hygiene) as well as physical distancing or maintaining physical distance.

"For example, wearing a mask in transportation and keeping your distance will become commonplace. This will become a new culture in transportation. However, to become a new culture certainly requires fundamental and very deep thoughts from all of us," said the Minister of Transportation, Budi.