TransJakarta wants to more than double its authorised capital, from 5.225 trillion rupiah to 13.4 trillion rupiah, so the city bus operator can expand into boats and, eventually, the sky. Governor Pramono Anung is pushing the plan. Jakarta Legislative Council lawmakers want to know who will pay.
Proposed changes to the company’s governing regulations would allow it to branch into sea and air transport. The operator plans to take over public boat services to the Thousand Islands by June 2027. Air services remain a medium- to long-term idea, and the company hasn’t chosen any aircraft.
The Governor’s Pitch
Speaking to reporters on Oct 4, Pramono pointed to Jakarta’s size. The city has 11 million residents, he said, while the wider metropolitan area has 42 million. “It is inconceivable for a metropolitan area of this size not to have air transport,” he said.
He hasn’t said which aircraft the city might use. Helicopters are one possibility. Pramono argued that Jakarta should establish rules and permits before such services become necessary, citing New York, which he recently visited and which already regulates air transport.
TransJakarta has a record to point to. Launched in 2004, the operator is known for its extensive network and standard fare of 3,500 rupiah (S$0.25). It logged 329.2 million passenger journeys in the first nine months of 2026, and the provincial administration projects 438.5 million for the full year.
Lawmakers Ask Who Pays
At an Oct 7 plenary session, legislators from several parties questioned the cost and whether TransJakarta should expand beyond buses at all. “The public should not have to pay for this expansion through higher fares or reduced services within the city,” legislator Francine Widjojo said.
The boat plan is the closer test. On an Aug 22 visit to the islands, TransJakarta president director Welfizon Yuza joined city transport officials to inspect piers and review the existing ferry fleet. Pramono says professional management will bring lower fares. “Fares will certainly be cheaper if the services are managed professionally, as TransJakarta is doing now,” he said. The city is also considering a subsidiary to run the boats.
Deddy Herlambang, a senior researcher at Strategic Transport Initiatives (INSTRAN), said Jakarta’s regional budget could afford sea transport. Keeping fares low would still require subsidies, he said, and he suggested an affordable range of 25,000 to 50,000 rupiah.
The Helicopter Question
Skepticism runs deeper over helicopters. Herlambang told The Straits Times that large helicopters are extremely expensive. “It makes no sense to use helicopters as mass public transport, like public minibuses,” he said. “The money would be better spent purchasing more TransJakarta non-BRT buses.” Those buses use ordinary roads and extend the network beyond its main corridors.
Private operators already fly in Jakarta, and their prices show the difference. Whitesky Aviation’s rates start at about 32 million rupiah an hour for smaller helicopters, chief commercial officer Ari Nurwanda told Detikcom in August 2025. Siloam Hospitals chief executive Caroline Riady told Kompas that she rarely travels by helicopter and that her aircraft mainly serves emergency patients.
Commuters are split. Sheila, a 28-year-old marketing executive, raised the obvious question. “How many passengers can a helicopter carry, and how much would a ticket cost? Surely, it cannot be the same cheap fare we pay for a TransJakarta bus ride.” Aisah, a 38-year-old administrative worker, was more optimistic, noting that the MRT once seemed impossible too. Doddy, a 45-year-old gorengan seller, doubted he’d ever get a seat.
Regional aviation regulators are examining electric flying taxis, known as eVTOLs. In July 2025, authorities from 24 Asia-Pacific states and administrations, including Indonesia and Singapore, developed reference materials for regulating air-taxi and drone operations. Jakarta hasn’t announced plans to use them.
Why This Matters:
A tripling-scale ambition for a state-backed operator raises a basic question: should a bus company funded in part by public money enter businesses where private firms already operate? The figures lawmakers face are stark: a capital boost to 13.4 trillion rupiah, a boat takeover that still needs subsidies to keep fares low, and air service priced far above a 3,500-rupiah ticket. Residents who ride buses could end up covering costs for services they don’t use. The Legislative Council’s questions are the check the process needs. Before any helicopter flies, the city should show its work on cost, ridership and who bears the risk.