The Jakarta Provincial Government has been tossing new policies aimed at reducing the capital’s infamous traffic ahead of the Asian Games (which start on August 18), and while some of them have been fairly controversial, the idea of making the city’s busway free on the weekends seems like an idea everybody can get on board with.
Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan announced the temporary free ride policy yesterday while speaking at Monas, saying that all busway routes would be free on Saturdays and Sundays for locals to be able to get to the games.
“We are preparing 1,750 Transjakarta buses and 350 buses specifically for athletes. So Jakarta residents who want to watch (the Asian Games) please use the facilities provided by Transjakarta,” Anies told the media yesterday as quoted by Merdeka.
The governor also told reporters that the city had been able to meet its goal of athletes being able to get from their dormitories in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, to the Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex in Senayan, where the majority of Asian Games events in Jakarta are taking place, within 30 minutes thanks to the expanded odd-even policy and the closing of certain toll road gates.
We’d guess that the free Transjakarta ride policy will be utilized enthusiastically by Jakartans, both those heading to watch the sporting competition and those just looking to enjoy a free ride. Our only concern is whether it might be embraced too enthusiastically, causing a strain on the capital’s main public transportation system that it’s unable to handle.
