Time to examine the reasons behind Jakartans’ tendency to use private vehicles amidst growing public transport options.
As more people relocate to (especially) urban areas like Jakarta, there is a corresponding increase in the frequency of movement within these regions. This phenomenon is like two sides of the same coin: on the one hand, it can revitalise the city’s economy, but on the other hand, it exacerbates traffic congestion which can become a significant issue.
Traffic jams in Jakarta arise from the fact that many people still prefer to use private vehicles over public transport. Of course, some people have their own reasons for using private vehicles, such as concerns about safety, weather conditions, and the distance from the station or terminal to their destination.
Let’s address these concerns one by one.
First, safety. Public transport in Jakarta has significantly improved in terms of security, with the installation of CCTV cameras at stations and terminals, as well as inside the vehicles themselves. Moreover, security personnel are typically stationed inside train carriages, ensuring that any criminal activity can be swiftly dealt with, should it occur.
Second, the weather. Jakarta is indeed hot, especially in the middle of the day (typically from 11 AM to 2 PM). However, the weather should not be a major deterrent to using public transport. Look at our neighbouring country, Singapore, which has a similar climate and weather, yet its citizens predominantly use public transport for their daily commutes. If you want to avoid direct sunlight, you can always wear a hat or use an umbrella to protect yourself from the intense heat.
Lastly, the distance to the destination. Some people argue that their destination is still far from the station or terminal where they disembark. This requires them to either continue their journey using another mode of public transport or walk, which often takes more time. As a result, private vehicles are seen as more efficient, considering they eliminate the need to change transport. This mindset should be reconsidered because otherwise, it will lead to even worse congestion. Imagine 11 million people in Jakarta thinking the same way—what chaos would ensue on the roads? Every corner would be filled with vehicles, both cars and motorcycles. Consequently, pollution would worsen, and Jakarta would become even hotter.
In truth, the primary issue preventing people from using public transport is the insufficient number of vehicles available. The number of public transport vehicles greatly affects the frequency of their arrivals. When there are fewer vehicles, the intervals between them become longer, while many passengers are left waiting at bus stops or stations. This also affects the overall journey time, making it no surprise that using public transport often takes longer than using private ones.
This problem becomes particularly apparent during rush hour. If we look at the situation in Jakarta, people from both within and outside the city flood into Jakarta for work, and many rely on the KRL Commuter Line Jabodetabek. Even during rush hour, trains only arrive every 10 minutes, but, within that time frame, hundreds of people are already waiting at the station. As a result, the queues grow rapidly, becoming difficult to manage, and leading to overcrowding as people push to board the train.
Besides the KRL Commuter Line Jabodetabek, Jakarta also has TransJakarta buses, MikroTrans, the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), and the Light Rail Transit (LRT). However, none of these options have been able to reduce the public’s dependence on private vehicles — yet. The main challenges remain effectiveness and time efficiency.
Not all TransJakarta buses use the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lanes, meaning some buses still share the same roads as private vehicles. This leads to congestion between private and public transport. Although MikroTrans minibuses are quite helpful in connecting areas within the city to the nearest stations or bus stops, their intervals are quite long—around 15 minutes—and, due to their smaller size, they often fill up quickly, forcing passengers to wait another 15 minutes for the next one. The MRT currently only serves one line, from Bundaran HI to Lebak Bulus, so it has yet to cover other areas of the city. Meanwhile, even though the LRT has a longer route, covering areas as far as Bekasi and Depok, its fares often increase during rush hour.
Public transport in Jakarta has, indeed, made significant strides. However, much still needs improvement, particularly in terms of the system and the availability of vehicles. What we hope to see from the improvement of public transport is an increase in public awareness, leading to a preference for using public transport. This would help reduce traffic congestion, cut pollution and carbon emissions, and create a more orderly urban environment.
To be fair, though, the government has already been well aware of this issue. Currently, the government is continuing the construction of the North-South Phase 2 MRT line (from Bundaran HI to Ancol Barat), the East-West Phase 1 line (from Tomang to Medan Satria), the Jakarta LRT Phase 1B (from Velodrome to Manggarai), and Phase 2 (from Kelapa Gading to Jakarta International Stadium). In addition, the Whoosh high-speed train connecting Jakarta and Bandung is now operational. So, let’s look forward to the development of public transport in Jakarta and hope that this progress can be spread evenly across all cities and regions in the country, ensuring a better future for Indonesia as a whole.