Police to Implement Numbers System to Fight Jakarta Traffic

Bayu Marhaenjati

The Jakarta Police Traffic Division and Jakarta Transportation Agency will implement an odd-even vehicle plate system as soon as January in an effort to reduce the capital’s traffic by 30 percent to 40 percent.

Jakarta Police Traffic unit director Dwi Sigit Nurmantyas said that after making an assessment of the situation, they decided to implement the odd-even plate system rather than using the system that revolved around the color of a car.

“There are too many color combinations for the color [system] to work,” Sigit said on Wednesday. “After making an assessment, we decided to adopt the odd-even [car plate] system.

Sigit said that the Jakarta Police and the Jakarta Transportation Agency are still working on how to implement the system and added that it is likely to start in January.

“It will be backed up with a bylaw,” Sigit said. “We’re still discussing the agreement with the regional government. If this is supported, traffic jam in Jakarta can be reduced by 30 to 40 percent,” he added.

Sigit said that the police will try out the system and will implement it if it seems to be effective. “We’ll change it if it’s not effective,” he added.

Sigit said that the odd-even system will be based on the last digit of a car’s plate. Cars with an odd number as the last digit will only be allowed to be driven on certain days. The same will go for even-digit plates.

“For instance, B 1136 means even, Sigit said. “We’ll look at the last digit. If we implement the even digit on Monday, it will be the odd digit the next day.

“We’re still formulating it and we’re still considering the risks if it fails, and the people’s rejection because every policy is deemed to get approval and rejection.

“But I’m confident about it. It’s important that the public and the press support it.”

Police to Implement Numbers System to Fight Jakarta Traffic

Police to Implement Numbers System to Fight Jakarta Traffic
The Jakarta Police Traffic Division and Jakarta Transportation Agency will implement an odd-even vehicle plate system as soon as January in an effort to reduce the capital’s traffic by 30 percent to 40 percent.