Denpasar Plans Transit Review After Fuel Queues Raise Ridership

Denpasar — On Oct. 19, Denpasar officials said fuel queues had produced noticeably higher occupancy on Trans Metro Dewata buses and prompted a planned review of the city’s mass-transit services.

Deputy Mayor I Kadek Agus Arya Wibawa said the increase showed that public transportation could serve as an important alternative when residents had difficulty obtaining fuel. The city government said it would examine how to strengthen the service, including its capacity, trip frequency, routes and connections between areas.

Why It Matters to Readers

For foreign residents and visitors in Denpasar, the announcement signals that bus services may receive closer attention during fuel-supply disruptions. The reports do not announce a new fare, route or operating timetable, so the practical change for passengers is currently a planned evaluation rather than an immediate service alteration.

The announcement came after fuel queues at several filling stations in Denpasar began to ease. Bali’s provincial government and Pertamina had applied an odd-even system that officials said helped reduce the queues. The disruption had also affected bus operations: earlier reports said congestion and fuel-related difficulties reduced some Trans Metro Dewata trips, while passenger numbers later rose during the queues.

Balipost reported that Denpasar planned to hold a meeting on maximizing public transportation, with Trans Metro Dewata among the services under consideration. NusaBali reported that the city would evaluate and maximize the service after officials observed higher occupancy during the fuel queues. Neither report provided a deadline for the evaluation or specified which changes would be implemented first.

Sources

• NusaBali — regional news organization
• Bali Post — regional news organization
• tatkala.co