JAKARTA: Land transport operator urges the Transport Ministry to build new infrastructure in Merak-Bakauheni crossing to overcome the stagnation that often occurred there.Such demand is a respond to traffic density that occurs in the Indonesias densest crossing, Chairman of Organisation of National Land Transportation Entrepreneurs (Organda) Eka Sari Lorena Soerbakti said.Up to now, Merak Banten Ports parking lot is still inadequate while the number of ferries and docks are incomparable with the needs in the field.Eka Sari confirmed the average traffic flow of vehicles at the crossing continues to increase each month.Such increase occurred since logistic activity in Java and Sumatra continues to grow following the improvement of national economy.In addition, goods owner has shifted to land transportation rather than sea transportation, he said, yesterday.For instance, the number of trucks crossed from Merak Port to Bakauheni has increased by 5.3% to 61,421 or 91 trucks per hour in February 2011 from 58,310 units or 87 trucks per hour in February 2010.The truck volume increased by 5% during the period of June 2011 compared to February 2011 and personal vehicle soared to 20% due to school holiday.During the week until the end of school holiday, the truck queue in Merak Port reached to KM 91 of Merak Toll Road or increased 6 miles compared to normal days.According to Directorate General of Land Transportation at Transport Ministry the number of vehicles crossed from Java Island to Sumatra since July 7, 2011, reached 2.600 units per day or 116% higher than 1,200 units in normal days.Until yesterday, the queue of trucks still filled Merak Port. However, such queue began returning to normal even the truck queue in Merak Toll Road has been unraveled since last week.The vehicle queue has been unraveled since yesterday morning after twenty eight ferries were deployed, Chairman of the River, Lake and Ferry Transportation Owners Association (Gapasda) Merak provincial Togar Napitupulu said.Currently, the truck queue is not reaching into Merak Toll Road. The queue only reached 1 km to 2 km outside the port.About twenty eight ferries were deployed yesterday to accelerate vehicle transportation activity. Two ferries were rested for maintenance today, he said.CheaperThe shifting of transport pattern from sea to land triggered the increase of land transport mobility from Java to Sumatra, Director General of Land Transportation Suroyo Alimoeso said.The transportation of new vehicle and motorcycle through land transport mode is soaring.Most of goods delivery to Sumatra used land transport since there is guarantee that the goods will arrived on its destination and its delivery process can be monitored although its expensive.Meanwhile, goods delivery from Tanjung Priok Jakarta Port to Sea Port in Sumatra is cheaper but the transportation cost from the Port to its delivery destination is more expensive.For instance, the cost of goods delivery using 20 foot container from Tanjung Priok Port to Belawan Port is between IDR4 million to IDR5 million. Meanwhile, it costs only between IDR11million to IDR12 million through land transport.The goods owner is more comfortable using land transport, he affirmed. (t06/msw)

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