Trans-Java toll road saves time

This article has been translated by PwC Indonesia as part of our Indonesia Infrastructure News Service. PwC Indonesia has not checked the accuracy of, and accepts no responsibility for the content.

Investor Daily - Tol Trans-Jawa efisiensikan waktu 

20 September 2024

By Heru Febrianto and Ichsan Amin

Jakarta, ID – Indonesia has experienced significant development in the infrastructure sector during the era of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi). One of the main focuses over the last 10 years of his administration has been to improve accessibility and connectivity across Indonesia, as evidenced by the rapid development of toll roads.

Data from the Toll Road Regulatory Agency (BPJT) of the Ministry of Public Works and Housing (PUPR) indicates that, from 1978 to June 2024, the total length of toll roads in Indonesia has reached 2,893.02 kilometres (km).

The growth of toll roads in Indonesia has been as follows: 600.62 km between 1978 and 2004, 189.2 km from 2005 to 2014, 132.35 km in 2015, 43.69 km in 2016, 156.5 km in 2017, 442.6 km in 2018, 522.88 km in 2019, 246.12 km in 2020, 122.84 km in 2021, 142.11 km in 2022, 217.78 km in 2023, and 76.33 km in 2024.

This means that around 790 km of toll roads were constructed from 1978 to 2014, which then increased by 2,103 km over the last 10 years. Data from BPJT shows that approximately 72.7% of toll roads in Indonesia have been constructed during the administration of President Jokowi.

From the total length of toll roads, the administration of President Jokowi successfully completed 632.3 km of the Trans-Java Toll Road, bringing the total length of the toll road connecting Merak to Probolinggo to 1,065.5 km. In the future, the government also aims to extend the Trans-Java Toll Road to Banyuwangi.

At the inauguration of section 1 (Kartasuro-Klaten) of the Solo-Yogyakarta-Kulon Progo toll segment, which is also part of the Trans-Java Toll Road, President Jokowi stated that the construction of this toll segment would improve connectivity and accessibility from Solo, Central Java to Yogyakarta.

"Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God), today, section 1 from Kartasuro to Klaten of the Solo-Yogyakarta-Kulon Progo toll segment, spanning 22.3 km, has been completed and is ready to operate. Its construction started in 2021 and was completed in 2024, costing Rp5.6 billion. This will improve connectivity, accessibility, and save time," Jokowi said, as cited from the broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube channel on Thursday (19/9/2024).

The former Surakarta Mayor explained that reducing travel time is an important aspect to boost competitiveness.

Previously, travel time from Yogyakarta to Solo could take up to three hours, or even 4-6 hours. According to Jokowi, the completion of section 1 (Kartasuro-Klaten) of the Solo-Yogyakarta-Kulon Progo segment will reduce travel time to less than 50 minutes, or even 30 to 40 minutes.

“Now, if you drive a car, how many hours does it take? It can be 3 or 3.5 hours, or even 4 to 6 hours. This is the reality on the ground. Meanwhile, we need to be competitive, quick, and punctual. Nothing less. This toll segment will make travel time from Kartasura to Yogyakarta more efficient,” Jokowi affirmed.

In addition to making travel time more efficient, Jokowi mentioned that the construction of this toll segment, which is part of the Trans-Java Toll Road, is expected to reduce traffic on the national road route. With this toll road, travellers will have multiple alternatives.

“Because it is not yet complete, we predict that travel time will only take 30 to 40 minutes. This will help reduce the existing traffic on the national road, which is currently overcrowded,” he added.

From non-toll roads to toll roads

PT Lookman Djaja President Director Kyatmaja Lookman revealed that the real benefit of constructing Trans-Java Toll Road was not only time efficiency. Logistics transportation that currently tend to use non-toll roads is now shifting to toll roads due to a more open accessibility to Java.

"Initially, we tended to use non-toll roads for logistics. However, with the development of the Trans-Java Toll Road and the changing times, everything is shifting towards toll roads," Kyatmadja, who is also the Secretary of the Indonesian Multimodal Transport Association (IMTA), told Investor Daily.

He noted that during Jokowi's administration, the development of the Trans-Java Toll Road was significantly accelerated, resulting in a continuous connection that provides accessibility from Jakarta to Banyuwangi. "Since 2018, accessibility has been greatly improved across various regions in Java. This has made the punctuality of deliveries more predictable," he stated.

On the other hand, the accessibility provided by the Trans-Java Toll Road is also opening up new job opportunities for people and businesses in the logistics and transportation sector. According to him, this is also thanks to e-commerce platforms. "During the pandemic, almost all consumable goods were available on e-commerce. This has supported the emergence of new courier companies," he stated.

However, Kyatmadja acknowledges that the connection of the Trans-Java Toll Road has intensified competition in the logistics transportation sector. "This is the consequence of being an established player in this sector. In other words, we must also innovate and adapt to digital technologies, and harness the potential developments brought about by the digital era," he stated.

Kyatmadja added that the Trans-Java Toll Road has facilitated the use of various fleets in the logistics sector and even supported the potential emergence of new business sectors.

“The Trans-Java Toll Road presents a challenge in itself to survive and develop new potentials. For example, in the logistics sector, especially for major players, digital applications are now being used, ranging from truck supervision to fleet utilisation. This is a significant potential that must be taken advantage of,” he added.

Route development 

Meanwhile, the Chairperson of Young Indonesian Autobus Entrepreneurs (IPOMI), Kurnia Lesani Adnan, mentioned that the connection of the Trans-Java Toll Road has opened up more opportunities to develop intercity and inter-province routes, especially to and from Java.

“Yes, a positive aspect is the development of our routes. This means that there are many locations that can be visited along the toll road. Besides that, travel time can be more efficient. Compared to not using toll roads, travel time is now faster thanks to the Trans-Java Toll Road,” Sani, who is he familiarly called, stated.

However, Sani also stated, "When the Trans-Java Toll Road is fully connected from Merak to Banyuwangi, toll road users must be properly regulated, especially illegal or unlicensed buses. How to achieve this? That is what must be prepared by the government and authorised parties," he added.

Sani added that each infrastructure project impacts the sustainability of various sectors. "In the land transportation sector, interregional, intercity, and inter-province buses must be properly regulated. This includes addressing issues such as overloaded trucks carrying heavy equipment and illegal buses," he added.

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