Extended Eid Holiday Does Not Affect Logistics Activities

Eid holiday in 2018 is longer than in the previous years. Nevertheless, logistics activities will not be affected to maintain the supply of national needs. Several policies were even prepared to ensure logistics lines stay active during homecoming season and after.

"Logistics companies must keep operating during Eid al-Fitr 2018," Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadiasserted, as quoted from Liputan6.com, (May 4).

The decision was made after the government discussed with Indonesian Logistics and Forwarders Association and Indonesian National Shipowners Association (INSA). They expressed no objection to the decision.

In another development, Minister Budi advised the people to make use of the long holiday to depart earlier. This is to break the traffic flow so that logistics activities can keep going.

Moreover, the preparation for homebound trip in 2018 had improved from last year. Public Works and Public Housing Ministry stated that the roads had been repaired and expanded, including Banten-Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta-Ponorogo, and Java's North Coast (Pantura) roads.

In addition, Trans Jawa toll road from Jakarta to Surabaya will be ready for travelers even though some parts of the toll road are only functional. People have more options of routes so that the burden of vehicle volume can be distributed.

Transportation Ministry has also coordinated with various parties to increase the smooth flow of traffic during homecoming season in 2018. The government will implement operational restriction on commercial vehicles with three or more axles and vehicles with permissible maximum weight of more than 14,000 kilograms.

However, the restrictiondoes not apply to vehicles carrying fuel and gas, fertilizer, staple commodities, cattle, milk, items delivered by post, money, and goods for export and import.

"Please make sure that the truck has a special sign to make it easier for police officers, so that they do not have to check one by one. Water truck from Sukabumi to Jakarta must be anticipated by sending it as early as possible to Jakarta," Land Transportation Director General Budi Setiyadi said, as quoted from industri.bisnis.com, Saturday (April 14).

The restriction is in effect from H-3 to H-1 Eid al-Fitr, while for the reverse flow, it is in effect from June 22-24. It is implemented in Jakarta-Merak toll road, Jakarta-Cikampek toll road,Jakarta Outer Ring Road, Bogor-Ciawi toll road, Palimanan-Kanci-Pejagan toll road, Purbalenyi toll road, dan Surabaya-Mojokerto toll road.

This also applies to logistics company such as SELOG, a subsidiary of PT Serasi Autoraya (SERA). SELOG will keep trying to give the best logistics services for the customers during the holiday.

Currently, SELOG has Freight Forwarding service that gives guarantee of safety, punctuality, and zero defect, in addition to Courier Services, express courier services to send packages with same-day service, next-day service, dan regular service.

With the operations of logistics sector, the wheel of economy can keep turning during Eid holiday. Moreover, various government policies were already prepared to anticipate the density of traffic flow during homecoming season.