Water taxis receive mixed response

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Mon, 06/11/2007 7:20 AM | Jakarta

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Enthusiastic Jakartans lined up at Halimun pier in South Jakarta on Sunday to experience the newly launched water taxi.

For Ainun, a resident of Pademangan in North Jakarta, the short trip along the Ciliwung River, the biggest river in the city, was a weekend treat for her son.

""My son is eager to try the water taxi.""

The new service was launched Wednesday by Governor Sutiyoso. It is open to the public every Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Two motor boats will serve the route. They are the Kerapu III and the Kerapu IV, each with a maximum capacity of 28 passengers. They were previously used as service boats in Kepulauan Seribu regency.

A one-way trip costs Rp 1,500, taking passengers about 3.6 kilometers along the river, passing the Halimun, Dukuh Atas and Karet piers.

""It is nice to have this kind of thing in the city. Besides for recreation, I hope it can become an alternative form of public transportation,"" said one passenger Eva.

Authorities hope the water taxis can join the busway and planned monorail and subway as part of an integrated mass rapid transportation system able to ease the city's traffic woes.

However, some passengers Sunday were not impressed by the water taxis.

""At first I couldn't wait to get on board, but now I am disappointed,"" Supriyadi said.

He said the stench of the river and all the garbage made for a queasy trip.

""Too bad there is still so much flotsam here. But I hope this project can improve people's awareness about the environment, so they will think twice before they throw garbage into the river,"" he said, surveying all the styrofoam trash floating on the water, as well as a coach jutting up from the river.

During a 15-minute return trip, one water taxi stopped twice because of the garbage clogging up the engine.

The boat's captain, Anas, said the garbage and the water level were the two main problems.

""If the city administration doesn't work on the garbage problem immediately, I am pessimistic the waterway will survive as a form of public transportation,"" he said.

On Saturday around 200 people tried out the water taxis, a figure that is expected to be surpassed on Sunday.

Dozens of people lined up Sunday morning for a ride were told to come back in the afternoon because the morning service was finished.

""Seeing people are excited about the project, and if this is not only because of their curiosity to try something new, we will increase the operating hours,"" said Mohammad Zakky of the city's transportation agency, who is in charge of the water taxi service. (13)

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