Indonesia’s transportation ministry has reaffirmed that mass transportation is central to addressing mounting urban mobility challenges, identifying integrated and sustainable mass transportation as the most effective response to worsening traffic congestion, rising transportation expenses, and the continued dependence on private vehicles across urban centres. The ministry’s Director of Road Transportation, Muiz Thohir, delivered the remarks during the National Seminar of the Indonesian Transport Society (MTI), held under the theme, “The Strategic Role of the National Transportation System Bill (RUU Sistranas) in Realizing Integrated and Sustainable Mass Transportation,” in Jakarta.
“Integrated and sustainable mass transportation provides the answer to the problems of traffic congestion, high transportation costs, and the public’s heavy dependence on private vehicles,” the ministry’s Director of Road Transportation at the ministry, Muiz Thohir, said.
During the seminar, the ministry underscored that urban mobility remains a fundamental requirement for achieving the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision. It also pointed out that while the national government has established the necessary groundwork, successful implementation ultimately depends on the commitment of regional administrations.
“Although the central government has laid the foundation, the ultimate determinant of success lies in the political will and fiscal commitment of regional governments,” he said.
The ministry’s latest figures indicate that Indonesia now has 172.9 million motor vehicles, with the total increasing by 4.5 percent every year, creating growing pressure on the country’s road infrastructure. According to Muiz Thohir, traffic congestion results in national economic losses estimated at Rp77 trillion (around US$4.2 billion) annually. He further noted that transportation expenses represent between 16 percent and 24 percent of total household income, based on Statistics Indonesia (BPS) data from 2023. At the same time, the transportation sector accounts for the largest share of energy subsidies, amounting to Rp300 trillion (around US$16.7 billion) annually, while 58 percent of the population works in the informal sector with incomes below the provincial minimum wage (UMP).
Indonesia Mass Transit Project Advances Urban Development
Against this backdrop, the ministry stressed that affordable mass transportation is essential to supporting the government’s target of achieving 8 percent economic growth by expanding access to employment opportunities, education, and public services.
“As a concrete measure, the government has launched the Indonesia Mass Transit Project (MASTRAN Project), which prioritizes the development of mass transportation systems in 20 urban areas over the medium term,” he added.
The ministry confirmed that the Mebidang Area (Medan, Binjai, and Deli Serdang) and the Bandung Basin Metropolitan Area (BBMA), which includes Bandung City, Cimahi City, Bandung District, West Bandung District, and Sumedang District, have been selected as pilot locations with financing support from the World Bank and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD).
Within the Mebidang area, the initiative covers 21 kilometers of dedicated bus lanes, 31 on-corridor bus stops, 681 off-corridor bus stops, 12 routes, and 273 buses. Operations are scheduled to begin in early 2027, with the system expected to serve 154,851 passengers each day while being integrated with 109 Area Traffic Control System intersections.
For the BBMA, the project comprises 21 kilometers of dedicated bus lanes, 34 on-corridor bus stops, 719 off-corridor bus stops, 18 routes, and 478 buses. The metropolitan network is projected to accommodate 204,736 passengers daily and will be connected to 65 Area Traffic Control System intersections, reinforcing the government’s long-term commitment to expanding mass transportation across Indonesia’s major urban areas.
