Raising Awareness and Capacity for the Implementation of Bus Rapid Transit in Indonesian Cities

22 November 2021
Handover of the Capacity Needs Assessment and Capacity Building Programs Results as well as the Kick-Off of Training-of-Trainers Activities
Handover of the Capacity Needs Assessment and Capacity Building Programs Results as well as the Kick-Off of Training-of-Trainers Activities

Capacity development plays a key role in enabling Indonesian cities to contribute to climate change mitigation through sustainable transport policies and infrastructure projects, including the development of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Systems. This speaks true for the Project Management Unit (PMU) that has been appointed by the Ministry of Transportation (MoT) to implement the BRT infrastructure projects within Indonesian cities.

With that, SUTRI NAMA & INDOBUS conducted training on 22 November 2021 for these units to prepare them for the implementation of BRT infrastructure projects that are particularly funded by Foreign Loans and/or Grants (PHLN). The training was attended by the relevant unit in MoT, BAPPENAS, the Ministry of Public Works and Housing (MoPWH), GIZ, and EGIS International Indonesia. Topics of discussions included sharing experience from MoPWH on managing the PHLN project, the clarification of main tasks and institutional arrangements of the PMU within MoT, the foreign loan management and reporting standard program, and the action plan and implementation of PHLN.

In continuation, SUTRI NAMA & INDOBUS conducted a technical workshop on 26 November 2021 to prepare the implementation of BRT infrastructure as the follow-up of the action plan of the BRT development in Bandung Basin Metropolitan Area (BBMA) and Metropolitan Medan that are funded by PHLN. It aimed to provide a better understanding of sharing the responsibilities of the road asset between national and subnational governments which will be used for BRT infrastructure, especially in the national road to both local and national stakeholders. The workshop concluded the initial draft of the role and responsibilities for local and national stakeholders in the implementation of BRT infrastructure development in Metropolitan Medan and BBMA.

Aside from the training regarding PHLN, implementing Sustainable Urban Transport (SUT) including a BRT system will require technical knowledge and skills on many topics, including investment and financing, transport simulation, planning, operation, and MRV of GHGs emission reduction. In 2021, SUTRI NAMA and INDOBUS has developed Capacity Need Assessment (CNA) and in turn, a Capacity Development Programme (CDP) to ensure that stakeholders have a guideline on the required capacity to support the implementation of BRT and supporting SUT projects in Indonesian cities and to ensure the sustainability of the knowledge developed during the project duration. The programme has identified the curriculum, timeline, and training operation that are required. The human Resource Development Centre for Transportation Apparatuses (PPSDM) of the MoT will be the core partner in transferring and embedding the knowledge and implementing the follow-up activities.

Representatives from Mamminasata Governments, BMU, SECO and GIZ during the opening of Smart Transportation Forum 2021
Representatives from Mamminasata Governments, BMU, SECO and GIZ during the opening of Smart Transportation Forum 2021

With that, a handover ceremony of the CNA and CDP was held on 15 December 2021 between SUTRI NAMA & INDOBUS and PPSDM of the MoT. SUTRI NAMA & INDOBUS provided the findings and results of the CNA and CDP as well as the work plan for the Training-of-Trainer, who will conduct these capacity development programmes within MoT. The session was full of discussion as many of the MoT officials present provided additional input to ensure the success of the programme, which will, in turn, provide officials of the MoT the required capacity to support the implementation of BRT and SUT projects in Indonesia.

Like that of the central government, the City Government of Makassar is also committed to the implementation of BRT and SUT in their city. This commitment was conveyed in the Smart Transportation Forum 2021 “Better Cities, Better Transportation” that was held on 1 December 2021 in Gammara Hotel, Makassar. Supported by SUTRI NAMA & INDOBUS, the Forum brought together government and non-government organisations including international donors and financiers to exchange ideas and best practices, and to explore potential collaboration and partnership for developing transportation in Makassar Metropolitan Area (Mamminasata).

The event concluded with an intimate meeting amongst the High-level Government Officials from Mamminasata, South Sulawesi, MoT and Bappenas, as well as potential donors, including SECO and EIB, for the upcoming BRT development with segregated lanes. The discussion was a continuation from an FGD that was held a day before on the result of the Feasibility Study conducted by SUTRI NAMA & INDOBUS jointly with FELICITY. The representatives of the city, provincial and national governments expressed their support and commitment to the actualisation of the BRT development in Makassar Metropolitan.

Contact:
Nabila Fachir – Communications & Public Relations Professional
Sustainable Urban Transport Programme Indonesia (SUTRI NAMA) and the project component Indonesian Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Development Project (INDOBUS) Indonesia

Key buzzwords / “tags”: Sustainable, Transport, Infrastructure, Indonesia, Urban, Mobility, BRT