Waiting for a taxi, getting a bus instead

23 November 2006
Usually, I go home by both bus and taxi. I take the Lippo Karawaci Bus to Citra Graha and then a taxi from Citra Graha to my home. There are normally a lot of taxis on Gatot Subroto, which is one of the major traffic hubs in Jakarta. So I usually become picky and only choose the reliable ones with the old fare.
Nevertheless, yesterday, I did not manage to get any taxi. The street was already lined with people looking for a taxi. After waiting for more 30 minutes, I believed it was high time to take another mode of transportation. I took the bus.
I knew what to expect in our public buses, but I was still so furious to the way our buses were managed. The bus I took was, like other buses in Jakarta, dirty and crowded. I did not mind because I only paid 2000 IDR. However, in the middle of a traffic jam and in the middle of the road, the bus driver asked all passangers to transfer to another bus, which was already crowded. Oh goodness! Well, at least this bus driver apologized to all of us because he had to transfer us to the other bus. Rarely did a bus driver do that.
Oh Busway in Kuningan, when wilt thou be ready? I am in a desperate need.
And for those who are responsible for our public transporation, aren’t you ashame of it? Look at other cities in other countries. They have reliable and clean buses. I took a bus in the middle of nowhere in Tasmania and still felt safe and comfortable. In Jakarta? Even in Jakarta’s city center we can’t get a decent bus. Oh Jakarta, when wilt thou repent?