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In an effort to make city transportation more reliable, the city of Jakarta, Indonesia, will equip city buses with GPS tracking technology. The entire TransJakarta fleet will be outfitted with GPS tracking devices. The city is hoping that the new technology will cut back on wait times, which, in turn, will make public transportation more efficient.

Over 50,000 people use the Jakarta public bus system every day. Currently, the TransJakarta fleet consists of 426 buses. As a result, many passengers feel that the buses are too crowded, and that the routes are too long. In conjunction with the new GPS system, TransJakarta hopes to build additional fuel stations along bus routes, so that buses do not have to take longer routes in order to fuel-up.

The new GPS system will provide details as to how TransJakarta can make bus trips shorter. This information will be invaluable to both TransJakarta and to the thousands of passengers who ride Jakarta’s public buses daily.

Jakarta Governor, Fauzi Bowo, hopes that the new “…technology will allow TransJakarta operators to adjust the number of buses plying certain routes and shift them to routes in need of more buses in real-time.” Governor Bowo’s hopes can easily become a reality as other cities around the world have shown. Throughout the globe, GPS trackin devices are improving public transportation. Now, Jakarta will catch up to numerous other cities that are currently relying upon GPS technology.

The new TransJakarta GPS fleet system will be set up in April of 2011. A command center in Central Jakarta will handle all monitoring and scheduling. At present, the city is working out negotiations with various GPS companies. There is no word yet as to how much the new GPS system will cost the city of Jakarta.

Article Written by Harriette Halepis