West Java tourism bus operators to cut services as rupiah hits Rp 18,000 per dollar

Tourism bus operators in West Java are preparing to scale back their operations as the Indonesian rupiah weakens to Rp 18,000 against the US dollar. The depreciation has significantly increased the cost of vehicle spare parts, making it difficult to sustain current operational levels.

Herdis Subarja, Secretary-General of the West Java Tourism Bus Association, stated that while buses will not cease operating entirely, a portion of the fleet will be idled. "It's not that they won't operate, but they will stop the operations of several fleets due to the impact of the rupiah's exchange rate against the US dollar, which has caused an increase in the price of bus spare parts and resulted in high operational costs," he explained.

Subarja noted that the situation has worsened since early 2026, with declining bookings for tourism buses. The industry has not yet recovered from a ban on school study tours in West Java in 2025. "The condition of tourism bus companies is now even more severe," he added.

To avert a crisis similar to 1998, which led to widespread business collapses, operators are appealing to the central and regional governments for tangible support. Proposed measures include a temporary reduction or elimination of VAT on specific items like bus spare parts, waiving public transport permit fees, and other relevant policies. "We are all waiting for government action to support the existence of these business actors so they can avoid a real crisis," Subarja said.