New Minister of Transportation Regulation, passenger carrying capacity is no longer limited to 50 percent and other policies

Last updated on May 7th, 2021 at 05:52 am

The Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) officially issued Ministerial Regulation Number 41 Year 2020 Regarding Amendments to the Minister of Transportation Regulation (Permenhub) Number 18 Year 2020 regarding Transportation Control in the Prevention of Spread of Covid-19 set by the Ministry of Transportation on June 8, 2020, where capacity transport by land, sea, air, and train are no longer limited to a maximum of 50 percent.

“Following up on the Circular Letter (SE) of the Task Force for the Acceleration of Handling COVID-19 Number 7 of 2020 concerning Criteria and Requirements for Travel of People in the Adaptation Period of New Habits Towards a Productive and Safe community COVID-19, the Ministry of Transportation has issued transportation control rules which are a revision of the Minister of Transportation 18 / 2020, “said Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi in a virtual press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday, June 9.

The Minister of Transportation explained that the reopening of a number of economic activities would result in an increase in the activities of people traveling through transportation.

In general, the scope of transportation control carried out is for the entire region and for areas determined by the Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB).

Transportation controls include land transportation (private vehicles and public transportation such as passenger cars, buses, and river, lake and crossing transportation), sea, air, and railways.

The control of air transportation is the adjustment of airport capacity (slot time) based on evaluation conducted by the Ministry of Transportation.

As for trains, the Ministry of Transportation is relaxing the inter-city rail passenger transport capacity by allowing trains to carry 70 percent of the total seating capacity, in the first phase.

“Of course there is a health protocol that we are strengthening. Later, in the second phase, we will increase capacity to 80 percent, if 70 percent capacity is conducive,” said Director General of Railways of the Ministry of Transportation Zulfikri, Tuesday, June 9.

With the increased capacity of the railroad, Zulfikri requires passengers to use a face shield or face shield during the trip.

Thus, Zulfikri asked railroad transport operators, such as PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) to provide face shields for passengers.

In addition to providing face shields, Zulkifli asked operators to provide masks at each station at an affordable price. Including checking the body temperature of the passenger every three hours. So that when there are symptoms that will be treated immediately and isolated in one of the special cars.

Additional appeal to passengers, using a jacket or long sleeve clothing, in order to minimize the potential for Covid-19 transmission through droplets or saliva splashes.

Then regarding the operational rules of online motorcycle taxi or ojek online (ojol) such as Grab and Gojek, Director General of Land Transportation of the Ministry of Transportation, Budi Setiyadi, said that aside from maintaining physical distance with innovation, Grab and Gojek and several associations must strictly communicate health protocols.

“They prepare health posts in each city to provide driver services, conduct disinfectants, hand sanitizers, and check body temperature. Then drivers use jackets, helmets, masks, and gloves,” Budi Setiyadi said in Jakarta on Tuesday, June 9.

“Ojol, which can transport passengers, we recommend that Ojol use the partition. This is the obligation of Grab and Gojek provided, to be used in stages.”

“For people who use helmets from drivers, applicators prepare hair nets, and passengers are still advised to bring helmets,” he said.