Holiday Ayo - The Ministry of Transportation through the Transportation Policy Agency (BKT) predicts that the potential for community movement during the Christmas 2023 and New Year 2024 holidays will reach 107.63 million people or 39.83 percent of the total national population.

“Last year's Christmas holiday it was predicted that 44.17 million people would move, while this year it was predicted that 107.63 million people would move. So the increase was very significant, above 100% (143.65%)," said Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi as quoted by detik.com, Monday (20/11). 

According to the survey results, the highest reason for people to travel during the Christmas holidays is holidays to tourist locations (45.29%). 

Then go home for holidays (30.15%) and celebrate Christmas in your hometown (18.98%). Furthermore, the choice of transportation modes used to travel is dominated by the use of private vehicles, namely cars 35.57% (39.97 million people) and motorbikes 17.92% (20.14 million people).

Meanwhile, for public transportation, movement is dominated by trains 13.16% (14.79 million people), planes 11.91% (13.38 million people), buses 10.94% (12.29 million people), ferryboats 10.94% (12.29 million people) 6.04% (6.78 million people), and ships 3.44%. (3.86 million people). 

Furthermore, the transportation nodes that will be packed with passengers from both origin and destination areas include Senen Station, Gambir Station, Sidoarjo Station, Bandung Station, Tugu Station, Amplas Medan Type A Terminal, Purbaya Type A Terminal, Merak Ferry Port, Tanjung Port Perak, Tenau Harbor, Soekarno Hatta Airport, and Ngurah Rai Airport. 

By seeing the large number of movements, Budi Karya believes that it is necessary to prepare anticipatory steps to regulate traffic at crucial points. 

“We will coordinate intensively with regional governments, the police, toll road managers, BMKG, the National SAR Agency and other related elements," he said. 

On the same occasion, Head of BKT Robby Kurniawan explained that the results of this survey could provide an overview or portrait of trends in community mobilization during the Christmas holiday. 

“However, the results of this survey are not a substitute for actual data that reflects the actual situation," said Robby.

The results of this survey are the basis and input for preparing operational plans (renops) for the implementation of the 2023/2024 Christmas and New Year Transport carried out by the Ministry of Transportation, Ministries/Institutions, and also other related parties.

A number of suggestions/recommendations to local governments include promoting bundling rates for urban mass transportation with tourist destinations to attract people's interest in using public transportation.

Next, develop safety policies and smooth traffic, add security personnel, increase arterial road safety facilities in the regions, and improve road infrastructure.

Meanwhile, recommendations to other related agencies are to regulate traffic engineering management, regulate capacity/space in rest areas with notifications, add public street lighting on toll roads, limit types of goods transportation on peak dates, provide early warning of extreme weather, and alert for rescue and help seeking in vulnerable and tourist areas. 

Based on survey results, the 5 regions where the largest movement originates are East Java 16.30% (17.54 million people). Then Jabodetabek 13.76% (14.81 million people), Central Java 13.21% (14.22 million people), West Java 10.39% (11.18 million people) and North Sumatra 6.93% (7 .45 million people). 

Meanwhile, the 5 largest travel destination areas are East Java 15.18% (16.34 million people). Then, Central Java 13.80% (14.86 million people), West Java 11.62% (12.51 million people), Jabodetabek 9.19% (9.89 million people), and D.I Yogyakarta 8.92% (9.60 million people).