Jakarta civil servants must take public transport to work once a week or risk losing promotion

Civil servants within the Jakarta Provincial Government are required to use public transportation every Wednesday, or they will not be eligible for promotion.

According to Jakarta Globe, the initiative was enforced on Apr. 30 as part of a policy by Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution in the city.

Pramono said, “For anyone who violates this policy while I’m in charge for at least the next five years, don’t expect a promotion.”

Strict regulations

According to Tempo, Pramono warned that those who arrive at their office in a private vehicle will be denied parking.

They will be removed from the premises and marked absent from work.

Civil servants are also expected to share their proof of compliance in the form of selfies.

On the day of the policy’s enforcement, road barriers and traffic cones were used to restrict private vehicle access to the Jakarta City Hall.

Pramono added that the Jakarta Provincial Government will not make government-owned vehicles available to civil servants on Wednesdays.

However, exceptions are granted on a conditional basis, such as for pregnant women.

Promising compliance rates

Pramono said civil servants responded positively, with some sharing their commuting experiences online and tagging him in their posts.

The first day of implementation saw a compliance rate of 96 per cent.

Public transport users that day substantially increased, especially for TransJakarta, a bus line.

Its daily passengers had risen by over 150,000, jumping from around 1.2–1.25 million to 1.4 million on the first Wednesday of the policy’s implementation.

Reducing air pollution and traffic congestion

According to Pramono, promoting the use of public transportation helps address Jakarta's air pollution and traffic congestion problems. The Jakarta Government is improving transportation infrastructure to cultivate a habit of using public transport among citizens.

“We want this to become not just an order, but a new lifestyle for employees. Public transportation is the future of Jakarta,” he said.

In 2024, Jakarta was ranked the seventh most congested city in the world by the Global Traffic Scorecard. It was ranked the tenth most congested just a year prior.

As of May 14, Jakarta is the eleventh most polluted city in the world with an air quality that is considered “unhealthy for sensitive groups”, according to IQAir’s World Air Quality Index Ranking.

Tempo reported that Pramono said in a written statement on Apr. 24 that public transportation connectivity within the metropolitan area has reached 91 per cent. Civil servants will soon be able to use public transportation services for free.

Top images via Pramono Anung/Instagram & Transjakarta/Instagram