TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi plans to regulate bus and truck age. Vehicle age is seen as a factor that contributes to the level of road traffic safety. “We already know that at a certain age the effectiveness of functions of organs that ensure road traffic safety will decline,” Budi Karya said in Jakarta yesterday.

Minister Budi Karya pointed to the examples of road accidents due to dysfunctional brake system with an average age of 20 years. The latest accident that drew most attention was the one took place in Puncak, Bogor, West Java. “It’s impossible to tolerate buses aged 20 years,” he said.

The government has planned to limit vehicle age since last year. However, transportation business owners could yet meet the requirements due to several problems.

Minister Budi Karya said that he plans to bring together the stakeholders, including land transport business owners, before making any decision on the vehicle age. He is aiming to make the decision in two months’ time. “We are working on it,” he said.

Directorate General of Land Transportation said last year that the government will limit regular bus age to a maximum of 25 years and tourism bus to 10 years. Meanwhile, Jakarta administration has already had a regulation on average vehicle age of 10 years maximum.

CAESAR AKBAR | PRU