REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Provincial governments have formally begun testing the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system through the Jakarta Provincial Transportation Agency.
"This trial is conducted to determine whether ERP detectors and instruments, which are mounted on vehicles or On Board Unit (OBU) function properly or not," Muhammad Akbar, the head of the Jakarta Provincial Transportation Agency stated here on Tuesday.
According to Akbar, the pilot phase involves as many as 50 four-wheeled vehicles. The ERP system is itself imposed along Jalan Sudirman or from the front of Panin Bank Building.
"OBU Installation will be done in stages on 50 four-wheeled vehicles. The vehicles that have been selected include Kapsch (Swedish company that has tested ERP)," Akbar affirmed.
Thereafter, the OBU will be installed in vehicles belonging to the Jakarta Provincial Transportation Agency, following which it will be tested on the motorists who routinely traverse the road.
"The trial by Kapsch-owned vehicles will be carried out for about a week's time. Subsequently, trials will be conducted by vehicles owned by the Jakarta Provincial Transportation Agency and personal vehicles," Akbar stated.
He pointed out that for conducting these trials, Kapsch had built an ERP gate in the slow lane on Jalan Sudirman. The gate has a height of seven meters and a width of 14 meters and is equipped with high-tech machinery.
"The test is also to find out the connection between hardware and software ERP. Two- and four- wheeled vehicles can pass through the gate built in the slow lane," Akbar noted.
He stated that no costs have been incurred for the implementation of the trial. But, after the trial period, a rate of about Rp30 thousand will be applicable to any motorist crossing the ERP entrance.
"During the trial phase, it is still free. Later on, the charge applicable will be approximately about Rp30 thousand. This applies to all vehicles, including those owned by provincial government officials and central government," Akbar pointed out.
Furthermore, he explained that during the early stages of the trial, there will be an ERP gate in the slow lane along Jalan Sudirman till Kota Baru. Along these lines, 40 ERP gates will be built.
In the meantime, the ERP system will be tested in two stages along Jalan Rasuna Said, Kuningan up to Ragunan and will be carried out in September 2014.