New Buzz About ‘Suroboyo Bus’

KOMPAS/AMBROSIUS HARTO

Suroboyo The bus bound for Jono Soewojo is about to depart from the Joyoboyo Intermodal Terminal in Surabaya, East Java, Thursday (4/11/2021). Suroboyo Bus is a type of public transportation in Surabaya which has been operating since April 7, 2018.

Amidst the East Java capital’s problematic congestion, Surabaya has introduced the Suroboyo Bus. This new, clean, scheduled and affordable public transportation facility has drawn the city’s residents to switch from using private vehicles.

The heat of Surabaya’s streets is imperceptible when riding the Suroboyo Bus. The bus’s air-conditioner is able to ward off the sun’s heat so passengers can travel in comfort.

Since last year, Neni (45), a resident of Gunung Anyar, has enjoyed the convenience of the Suroboyo Bus. Previously, the employee of a logistics company at Tanjung Perak Port commuted by motorcycle.

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"Riding a motorcycle is very tiring and I am always worried about the risk of an accident," the mother of two said on Thursday (4/11/2021).

She had previously taken the city’s public minivan, called lyn or bemo. But the lyn lost out to private vehicles and went bankrupt, so it no longer operates a route to her housing estate in Gunung Anyar.

“Since the Suroboyo Bus serves routes to and from the Gunung Anyar bus stop, I decided to take it. It's comfortable, clean, safe and the fare is affordable, only Rp 5,000 one way," said Neni.

To reach her office, Neni rides the Suroboyo Bus on the MERR route, switches to the east-west ITS-Unesa route and the takes the south-north Purabaya-Rajawali route. From there, she takes a lyn or ojek (motorcycle taxi) to Tanjung Perak Port.

The Suroboyo Bus costs Rp 5,000 for a single trip and Rp 10,000 for a round trip throughout Surabaya. For students and college students, it is even cheaper at Rp 2,500. Uniquely, one ticket can be purchased by using three 1,500-milliliter plastic bottles, six 600 ml bottles or 10 bottles containing 240-250 ml. Passengers can also use electronic money with a QRIS (Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard) or a Flazz card.

Kompas/Bahana Patria Gupta

The crew of the Suroboyo Bus headed for the fleet to serve at Bungurasih Terminal, Sidoarjo, East Java, Tuesday (21/4/2020). At that time, the women of the bus crew wore kebaya in commemoration of Kartini Day.

The bus is fitted with a plastic bottle compressor machine for using plastic waste in exchange for bus tickets. Passengers are also allowed to bring a folding bike or skateboard at no additional charge.

The Suroboyo Bus has been operating since 7 April 2018, when Tri Rismaharini was the Surabaya mayor. The inaugural route connected Purabaya with the Jalan Rajawali Terminal, and was equipped with the new plastic bottle payment system.

Five months later on 4 Sept. 2018, the Suroboyo Bus service expanded with the ITS-Unesa east-west corridor and the city launched the Suroboyo Bus Tumpuk, a double-decker bus supplied by Bank Mayapada serving the Purabaya-Tembaan south-north corridor.

To coincide with the 74th anniversary of Indonesian independence on 17 Aug. 2019, Suroboyo Bus added another route, the Gunung Anyar-Kenjeran Park (Kenpark). Now, under Surabaya Mayor Eri Cahyadi, the service has again expanded with the TIJ-Jono Soewojo route.

In maintenance, we not only check the condition of the engine or the bus, but also ensure the beauty, fragrance, and health of the bus interior.

“The Suroboyo Bus prioritizes the safety, security and comfort of passengers. In maintenance, we not only check the condition of the engine or the bus, but also ensure the beauty, fragrance, and health of the bus interior," said Eri.

Positive welcome

The Suroboyo Bus was warmly welcomed. Although the passenger flow does not equal that of Jakarta’s Transjakarta busway service, customer use of the Suroboyo Bus service appears to have increased significantly. In 2018 after just eight months of operation, 514,000 passengers had taken the Suroboyo Bus. The number of passengers almost doubled the following year to 1.124 million people.

The pandemic forced the Suroboyo Bus management to limit the number of passengers, which resulted in a decline in passengers to 824,000 people. January-September 2021 saw 545,000 passengers after bus services were temporarily halted amid the pandemic.

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

Residents exchange plastic bottles to get Suroboyo Bus tickets at the Rajawali Bus Stop, Surabaya, Tuesday (4/12/2018).

Surabaya Transportation Agency head Irvan Wahyudrajad said the financial management of the Suroboyo Bus service was under the regional public service agency (BLUD), in accordance with a Surabaya Mayoral Decree dated 10 Aug. 2021. Previously, the Suroboyo Bus service was a social facility, so its number plates were red. After the BLUD took over its management, the buses were issued yellow (commercial) number plates so it was able to freely serve routes and impose fares.

"The development of the Suroboyo Bus will be integrated with the ‘buy the service’ program and the rejuvenation of the lyn city minivan," said Irvan.

The central government’s service purchasing program offers a grant to privately operated bus services or to the winning consortium of new route auctions. In Surabaya, 11 Teman Bus routes are to be integrated with Suroboyo Bus shelters and bus stops.

HUMAS PEMKOT SURABAYA

The atmosphere on the Suroboyo Bus Monday (5/10/2020).

If all materialize, Surabaya residents will have no more obstacles in using public transportation. The Suroboyo Bus and city minivan services are looking forward to real support from Surabaya residents.

(This article was translated by Kurniawan Siswoko).