Transportation Minister increases coordination towards year-end holiday season

Jakarta, InfoPublik – Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi will improve coordination in anticipating the surge in the number of vehicles and passengers of mass transportation during 2019 Christmas and 2020 New Year’s holidays. Transportation ministry has also coordinated with a number of relevant parties to define their roles.

"We have gathered the stakeholders and defined their roles, the Ministry of Public Works and Housings for road infrastructure, the National Police deploys personnels, and we are also doing necessary preparations. God willing, this is going well," said the minister in Jakarta, Saturday (23/11).

The National Police’s Traffic Corps will bear the responsibility as the field coordinator. During the Eid al-Fitr homecoming season, they performed the same role.

Transportation Ministry predicts that the year-end holiday period will not be as dense as the Eid al-Fitr homecoming season. "We predict that people will mostly visit tourist attractions during New Year’s holiday. Instead of visiting their hometown, people will likely visit tourism destinations such as Bali and Jogja. We have provided security in these areas," he said.

Furthermore, transportation minister said that tariff adjustment for sea transportation will be around 10 to 15 percent. "Theoretically, the price should surge by 50 percent so as to ferry boat operators could maintain the service. However, the government is controlling the price increase in stages. The 10-to-15 percent increase is expected to be able to support the operators and maintain good service delivery," he said.

Transportation minister added that currently there are a number of ferry boat operators that are on the brink of collapse owing to lack of operational costs. (Reporter: Dian Thenniarti, Translator: Erik Limantara)