The Transportation Ministry has revoked a rule limiting the number of passengers on public and private modes of transportation to 50 percent capacity, replacing it with a more malleable physical distancing requirement.
Previously, Transportation Ministry Regulations (Permenhub) no. 18/2020 stated that the number of passengers in cars, buses, rail, water, and air transportation cannot exceed half of the respective vehicles’ capacity in order to ensure that physical distancing is observed on board amid the pandemic.
Today, the ministry issued Permenhub no. 41/2020 that effectively overrides Permenhub no. 18/2020, specifically in the removal of the 50 percent capacity rule.
In its place, operators of different modes of transportation now have more leeway to determine their own passenger caps, as long as physical distancing protocols are observed.
Permenhub no. 41/2020, which was signed by Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi, comes into effect starting today.
Flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, which is heavily struggling financially during the pandemic, has raised its passenger capacity on flights to 70 percent in light of the new Permenhub. The airline says the raised passenger cap still allows room for physical distancing on board.
It remains to be seen if the new Permenhub would supersede regulations on passenger limitations outlined under the Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) protocol, which may differ between regions.
Jakarta last week entered a transitional phase of its PSBB, in which most public modes of transportation are allowed to operate with 50 percent passenger caps.
