The world city traffic rating agency, TomTom International BV, has placed Jakarta’s traffic index at 29th out of 389 cities in the world in 2022. Last year, Indonesia’s capital ranked 46th.
The agency measures the traffic index in 389 cities across 56 countries in 2022, one of which is Jakarta. In Southeast Asia, Jakarta and Manila in the Philippines are two cities which feature in the top 50 in TomTom’s ranking.
TomTom via its official website explained that the average travel time for a 10-kilometre trip in Jakarta is 22 minutes 40 seconds.
However, the index in Jakarta is still better than Manila, which is ranked ninth with an average travel time per 10 kilometres reaching 27 minutes.
The city with the highest traffic index is London, with a travel time of 10 kilometres reaching 36 minutes and 20 seconds. The lowest index is the city of Almere in the Netherlands at 389 with a travel time of only eight minutes and 20 seconds per 10 kilometres.
TomTom explained the traffic index measurement methodology is based on moving vehicle data (floating car data/FCD) in 2022. The company used measurements based on travel time over 10 kilometres. According to TomTom, the travel time generated in cities around the world arises due to a number of factors, including the condition of road infrastructure, for example, the type of road, road capacity, and speed limits.
In general, TomTom said that traffic conditions in cities around the world have returned to being busy after decreasing due to activity restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Throughout the pandemic, we observed less rush hour traffic. Unfortunately, the rush hour seems to have returned,” said TomTom’s statement.
Previously, the agency stated that the COVID-19 pandemic was the main factor reducing the level of traffic in major cities in the world, including Jakarta.
Before the pandemic, the level of traffic in major cities in the world increased by two to three percent per year. However, when the world was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, things turned upside down, reducing the level of traffic in the world’s cities.
The increase in the traffic index in Jakarta is in accordance with the prediction of the Traffic Directorate of Greater Jakarta Metropolitan Regional Police.
Greater Jakarta Metropolitan Regional Police said that in the first quarter of 2022, the level of traffic in Jakarta reached approximately 48 percent. Meanwhile, the traffic index in Jakarta is currently estimated to have reached above 50 percent as the COVID-19 pandemic is under control and the Community Activities Restrictions Enforcement (PPKM) is revoked.
Based on data from Greater Jakarta Metropolitan Regional Police, the number of vehicles passing in DKI Jakarta is estimated to reach around 22 million units per day.