PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - The Regional Government of West Java Province will implement the Friday Car Free concept, aka vehicle-free day every Friday in the Gedung Sate area, Bandung City.

This program is implemented starting today, Friday (22/3/2024), and applies to all employees and leaders who have offices at Gedung Sate.

The implementation of Friday Car Free in Gedung Sate is the first step in the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) concept or the use of bus-based transportation, which is planned to be implemented starting this year in the Greater Bandung area.

"We are trying for Gedung Sate employees to use buses to experience this mode of transportation," said Acting Governor of West Java Bey Machmudin at the BRT Meeting in the Manglayang Meeting Room, Gedung Sate, Bandung City, Thursday (21/3).

Employees can use transportation provided by the West Java Provincial Government, including buses, microbuses, shuttles and the Bandung Tour On Bus (Bandros).

There are four departure/pick-up points as well as parking lots for employee vehicles located in several Regional Apparatus Organization (OPD) offices of the West Java Provincial Government.

The four points are divided into the eastern region at the West Java Sports and Youth Service (Disorda) office.

The western region is at the West Java Social Service office, then the northern region is at the West Java Population and Civil Registration Service (Disdukcapil) office, and the southern region is at the West Java Bapenda office.

"It needs to be properly classified so that these routes can really run well," he said.

In the future, Bey Machmudin wants the concept of bus-based mass transportation to attract more public interest. Especially if people choose it because of its better efficiency than using private vehicles. So this dream must be realized step by step.

Meanwhile, Acting West Java Regional Secretary Taufiq Budi Santoso said that the current trend is that Gedung Sate employees use more private transportation, both two-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles.

"Now, how do we use mass transportation? We will start from Friday this week," said Taufiq at the morning rally, March 18 2024.

The pick-up scheme for Gedung Sate employees uses bus-based vehicles this Friday, namely during work hours, buses will be available, around 05.30-06.30 WIB with departures every 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, work hours are 15.00-16.00 with departure times every 15 minutes.

"Four points from north, south, west and east. Later at each of these points there will be a place to park employees' vehicles if they bring their vehicles from home or drop off," he said.

"So we will try it starting this Friday. Hopefully all Gedung Sate employees, including BPKAD, starting this Friday will not use private vehicles," concluded Taufiq.

The Friday Car Free program in the Gedung Sate Bandung area is temporarily scheduled to run during the fasting month of Ramadan 1445 Hijriah.

It is hoped that this concept can also have an impact on reducing vehicle traffic.