Jakarta Won the Sustainable Transport Award (STA) 2021

Jakarta won the Sustainable Transport Award (STA) 2021 for the integration program between public transportation modes that continues to be developed. This winning was announced at the international transport conference, MOBILIZE 2020 which held virtually on October 26, 28, and 30, 2020.

It is a reminder for us that we must continue to strive for improving the existing transportation services to ensure citizen's comfort in using transportation

With this victory, Jakarta became the first city in Southeast Asia to win STA, defeating major cities in the world, after being ranked second or receiving 'Honorable Mention' title last year.

Jakarta Governor, Anies Baswedan expressed his pride in Jakarta and his commitment to continue to strive for a sustainable transportation system whose ultimate goal is the comfort for citizens.

Transjakarta Continues to Upgrade Its Facilities and Infrastructure to Be Disabled-Friendly

"Alhamdulillah, Jakarta was chosen as the best city in the world at Sustainable Transport Award (STA) 2021. I am also proud of Jakarta's achievement in improving the integrated transportation innovations. It is a reminder for us that we must continue to strive for improving the existing transportation services to ensure citizen's comfort in using transportation," he said as quoted from Jakarta PPID Press Release, Saturday (10/31).

Last year, he continued, Jakarta Government ranks together with BUMD and Jakarta transportation stakeholders have been considered successful in presenting various innovations to improve quality of transportation in Jakarta. For example by expanding lanes and adding bicycle facilities, revitalizing bus stops and sidewalks, arranging pedestrian facilities in urban villages, and integrating various modes of public transportation. Jakarta continues to innovate and has managed to beat other big cities in the world, such as Auckland, Bogota, Buenos Aires, Charlotte, Frankfurt, Moscow, San Francisco, and Sao Paulo.

"STA 2021 is a victory for Jakarta residents, because it involves our collaboration with residents, transportation activists for wayfinding design, electric bus innovation, and AC microtrans. The rapid increase in the number of Jakarta  public transportation users even reached new record of 1 million a day for Transjakarta in February, before the pandemic. This year's pandemic has indeed forced us to adapt, with restrictions on public transportation capacity and strict health protocols. But, the positive thing is that during pandemic, cyclists in Jakarta have increased rapidly," he mentioned.

STA is an annual award event given to city that has shown commitment, political will, and visions in sustainable transportation and urban development sectors. Jakarta has successfully achieved various sustainable efforts in transportation sector as follows:

1. Integrating microbus (angkot) with Transjakarta services in which 10 microbus operators have agreed to join Transjakarta;

2. Presenting Jakarta MRT and LRT last year, which was also a great momentum for public transportation system in Jakarta;

3. Integrating transportation services, both physical and payment. It is proven by building Transjakarta stations and routes that are integrated with Jakarta MRT, LRT, and microbus;

4. Arranging Jakarta's public transportation areas with state-owned public transportation companies; KRL Commuter Line. It aims to be a transportation hub where it provides convenience, security, and comfort for residents. In the first stage, Jakarta has arranged Tanah Abang Station, Juanda Station, Sudirman Station, and Pasar Senen Station;

5. Developing environmentally friendly electric bus fleets which carried out by Transjakarta and it has been tested this year. Transjakarta also has a target to convert all of its fleets into electric buses by 2030;

6. Changing Kendal Tunnel's function as a special area only for pedestrian which is convenient to connect KRL stations, Jakarta MRT stations, Airport Train stations, and Transjakarta stops. This facility was built to support transportation integration program, while still considering comfort for the residents;

7. Continuous efforts to build bicycle lanes. So far, it has been built as long as 63 kilometers. In the future, 500 kilometers bicycle lanes will be protected. This plan was paid off during COVID-19 pandemic, where there was a 10-fold increase in cyclists on Jakarta's main roads. It was later strengthened by implementation of pop up bike lane and Gubernatorial Regulation No. 51/2020 which prioritizes pedestrians and cyclists during Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) period;

8. Changing function of Thamrin 10 park and ride facility, which previously used as a private vehicle parking area, into a creative economy business place. It is an effort to restrict private motor vehicles in the city.

For information, STA Award ceremony will be held in January 2021 in Washington DC, United States. In the event, Jakarta will be awarded in an event entitled 'Transport Research Board Annual Meeting'.

As the city that won STA, Jakarta automatically will be a host for MOBILIZE 2021 which organized by ITDP and supported by Volvo Research and Education Foundations.