REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The government will ready more free buses for holidaymakers during the Eid al-Fitr exodus to reduce road accidents, the Transportation Ministry stated. The ministry's Director General for Land Transportation Budi Setiyadi noted at a meeting on Eid al-Fitr 2018 transportation here on Friday that the government had prepared 1,135 free buses to transport holidaymakers.

"For 2017, we had prepared some 900 free buses, and now, we will increase the number to 1,135, not including 75 trucks to transport motorcycles and ferries to three destination regions," Setiyadi remarked.

According to data of the ministry, a correlation exists between the increased number of free buses for exodus and the number of road accidents.

In 2016, road accidents had led to the deaths of 1,261 people a week before and after Eid al-Fitri. The number had declined by 50 percent to 742 deaths in 2017. "It means if I increase the capacity (of free services), it may lead to a decline in the number of cases of road accidents," he pointed out.

Some private companies have also prepared free buses for the exodus, he emphasized. "Thus, it would be unnecessary for holidaymakers to venture out with their motorcycles or cars," he stated.

However, holidaymakers from the capital city of Jakarta to Cirebon, Bandung, and Garut still prefer to ride motorcycles. The largest demand for free buses came from homebound travelers to Sragen, Wonogiri, and Yogyakarta.

The ministry has allotted Rp70 trillion for free transportation services, of which Rp35 billion will be set aside for the Directorate General of Land Transportation, Rp20 billion for the railways, and Rp10 billion for sea transportation.

The quota for free railway services is almost fully booked, while bookings for land and sea transportation services have reached 50 percent and 30-40 percent respectively.

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