Idul Fitri 2017 is still about 14 days away, but reports on the Lebaran exodus season is already starting to increase. The mass media has begun focusing on preparations for the homebound flow of travelers.
That is a good move. Cross-ministerial preparations must be continuously communicated to the public. The information should certainly not just be on confidence and optimism that the 2017 exodus flow will be smooth, in relationto the operation of a number of new toll roads, but more realistic information, in line with conditions in the field, needs to be presented.
The government needs to give information as openly as possible on obstacles which may arise and the anticipatory measures to be taken. Last year\'s exodus should be a lesson. When the media tone was all about optimism that the exodus would be smooth, suffering was occurring at the Brebes Exit. Many fell victim. Dramatization happened because it was a big event.
The information should not just concern the temporary operation of toll road sections from Brebes Exit to Gringsing (Central Java). Road conditions should also be communicated to the public; what exodus travelers should prepare for when entering temporary toll road sections that have few facilities. With free and open information, travelers will prepare themselves as carefully as possible when they take the traditional, annual journey home, which will take hours.
We hope the government will not only prepare for the smooth flow of the exodus, but can also reduce the rate of traffic accidents to as little as possible. The smoothness of travel and the low number of accidents are the keys to the success of the 2017 exodus flow. As such, the efforts to manage the flow must be carried out continuously. There are challenges, and of course there will be responses to these.
The momentum of the Lebaran exodus flow management constitutes the best momentum for the government of President Joko Widodo to give the best to its people. All efforts must be made to provide convenience for more than 20 million homebound travelers, who will leave Jakarta and its surroundings to their hometowns.
New toll road infrastructure is constantly being developed. However, it must also be realized that they have not been tried with a maximum load. Therefore, the presence of field officers in the field and the provision of real-time information from the field through mainstream and social media will greatly help travelers get home. Aside from relying on smart phone applications, real-time information is required by travelers to take steps when they encounter problems along homebound routes.
