Public transportation is a solution to reduce air pollution. In Jakarta, there are public transportations managed by the government as well as individual companies. Those that are managed by individual companies for example are angkot (mini bus) and metro mini (bus), where these vehicles have a variety of routes and don’t have air conditioner. Meanwhile, transportations managed by the government are KRL (commuter line train), transjakarta (bus), and the newly added MRT (Mass Rapid Transit). LRT (Light Rail Transit) is phase two of MRT that is still under construction.

KRL is the oldest transportation managed by the government. KRL back then wasn’t as good as it is now. Of course then and now KRL are both crowded, but it was much worse back then. It would be so crowded that people would risk their lives and climb on top of KRL. As I remember, there was no AC making it hotter in a packed train and there was even people who were selling stuff on the KRL. If you’re wondering, I never experienced KRL on how it used to be back then because it was really dangerous and I was still little.

After KRL, transjakarta or often-called TJ is a newly added transportation as well. Not as recently as MRT, but it was created in the past few years. TJ is one of my favourite transportation, because as long as you are smart with the routes and working hours you can avoid a packed transportation. Since there’s air conditioner, it’s not hot. TJ continues to grow, as new routes are created to places it hasn’t reached.

Then MRT. It is similar to the ones in Singapore and Seoul, located underground. When MRT first began to operate, there was a free trial for people where they had to register online first. After that period of time for registered people, there was another period where Jakarta’s residence can just come and ride it for free. People were really hyped to try out this transportation, so much so that it became packed. But maybe that was also due to it being free for a period of time.

I haven’t tried out this new transportation because it is not near my home. I’m more of a KRL and a TJ (transjakarta) user. I suppose using MRT is just a matter of time. I would watch out for working hours as well as the routes I use so I don’t get trapped in a crowded transportation. There is a reason why I prefer public transportation managed by the government than by individual companies. First of all, angkot and metro mini are hot where some people or maybe the driver itself would smoke a cigarette. Secondly, they would stop and wait for their vehicle to be full first before continuing on the road. It’s hot, there are smokers, and then the passengers have to wait until the vehicle is full. Lastly, the price is a little bit more expensive by Rp500. It’s not much, but there are a lot to consider. It is more comfortable to be riding a TJ with AC than an angkot that is hot and filled with cigarette smoke.