Jakarta Calls for Public Transit Push to Unclog City Arteries During Rainy Season

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung is calling on residents to leave their cars at home and opt for public transit to help unclog the city’s arteries, particularly now that the rainy season is making a splash and adding to traffic woes.

Take the plunge and use public transport

Pramono pointed out that Jakarta’s transit network is increasingly becoming a well-oiled machine, with seamless integration making it a breeze for commuters to get from point A to point B. To sweeten the deal, the city government has gone the extra mile by providing public transit services on the house for 15 specific groups of citizens.

Speaking from the Cilangkap Batu Licin Reservoir, he expressed his hope that Jakarta’s increasingly seamless transit web—including the LRT, MRT, Transjakarta, and Mikrotrans—will encourage residents to finally get on board.

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“With the city's connectivity getting better by the day, and especially since the rides are on the city's dime for many, my hope is that people will be more than willing to take the plunge and use public transport,” he expressed, Monday (1/12).

Pramono believes that getting residents to ditch their keys in favor of mass transit is the silver bullet for slashing the city’s bumper-to-bumper traffic. He argued public participation is the only way to truly turn the tide on Jakarta's notorious congestion.

“If everyone pitches in by choosing public transit, we will see a sea change in Jakarta’s traffic levels—they will drop like a stone,” he concluded.

He is shining a light on the city’s fare-free transit program for 15 priority groups, including seniors and people with disabilities. Despite the recent stretch of bad weather, residents are flocking to sign up for the benefit, particularly at local events.

“I happened to be out for Car-Free Day yesterday, but it was essentially a wash-out because of the rain. I spent my time at the registration booth for the 15 priority groups instead. Even though the event was rained out, the turnout was incredible—people were out in full force, especially the seniors, eager to get their passes," he explained.

However, he pointed out that a significant number of eligible seniors are still leaving these perks on the table. He encouraged those who qualify to step up and make the most of the city-managed transit services, emphasizing that these benefits are there to help them get around without breaking the bank.