23 Transjakarta buses technically unworthy

JAKARTA. Transjakarta Management Authority (BLU Transjakarta) head Pargaulan Butar Butar revealed Thursday that 23 Transjakarta buses had not passed the roadworthiness test in October. He said the buses had been returned to their operators and had been banished from the streets pending repairs.

“If no repairs are made to the buses, we will not pay for their services,” he said as quoted by beritajakarta.com.

Pargaulan said the buses were faulty because of a lack of routine maintenance.

“If the buses are faulty, they could out passengers at risk,” he said.

According to Pargaulan, 20 percent of 579 buses currently plying the eight busway corridors are unroadworthy, especially the ones on Corridor II serving Pulo Gadung in East Jakarta–Harmoni in West Jakarta; Corridor III plying Kalideres in West Jakarta–Pasar Baru in Central Jakarta; Corridor IV Pulo Gadung–Dukuh Atas II in Central Jakarta; Corridor V Kampung Melayu in East Jakarta–Ancol in North Jakarta; and Corridor VI Halimun–Ragunan, both in South Jakarta.

Pargaulan said 126 buses would be rejuvenated in October 2014. “Old buses that are still operational will be deployed as reserve buses,” he said.