The study in Cilincing area, North Jakarta, showed the consequence of the absence of public transport service in urban area. There were a significant percentage of the residents using private motorised vehicles, particularly motorcycles, because they had no other choice. Besides consuming more energy and emitting more pollution, this mode could be more expensive.
Photo: Izzul Waro
Motorcycles were used not only as privately owned mode of transport but also as an occupation. More than half of the respondents owned a motorcycle because this was the only mode available daily, automobile were too expensive for them, and their journey was too far to use non-motorised transport as the main mode. The nearest point to get a public transport service was 3 to 6 km away and this was where motorcycle cab came into service. The residents ended up paying more because besides paying for public transport fare they still had to pay for the motorcycle cab service (ojek motor). This situation eventually encouraged more people to buy their own motorcycles.
There were two reasons why public transport, particularly the paratransit, was absent in this area. First was the road infrastructure condition. The local roads in the district were badly damaged that no paratransit willing to enter the area. They would stop only at collector roads instead of going into local roads, as they should be. Secondly, the few paratransit was more reluctant to serve the district because the growing number of motorcycle cab drivers had actively threatened and driven away paratransit. This situation indeed had nurtured motorcycle cab business well because peoples mobility needs were unmet by public transport service.
Bared from public transport service, there was no other choice from the residents but to turn to private motorised vehicles. Their dependence was greater when they lived outside walking distance from the nearest public transport service. Consequently, besides higher energy consumption, they should also spend more for transport modes that offered them no safety or comfortable journey.
The study was conducted by Institut Studi Transportasi (INSTRAN) as part of the Study into transport issues and challenges for residents of 5 slum settlements in Indonesia commissioned by UN Habitat in 2009.
