Draft:Sahabat Prima Abadi

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PT Sahabat Prima Abadi
Sahabat Prima Abadi tourist bus with Jetbus5 bodywork manufactured by Adi Putro.
Founded1972 (1972)
HeadquartersJalan Otista Blok Jambe, Tegalsari, Plered, Cirebon, West Java, Indonesia
Service areaJava
Service type
Routes2
Destinations
Fuel typeDiesel
Chief executive
Hadi Wiyana
Websitesahabatbis.co.id

PT Sahabat Prima Abadi is an (List of bus operator companies in Indonesia|Indonesian bus company]] headquartered in Cirebon Regency, West Java. Founded by the Hadi Wiyana family in 1972, Sahabat operates intercity buses between provinces on the Cirebon–Jakarta route; tourist buses serving Java, shuttle buses (Sahabat Shuttle), employee buses, and vehicle rentals. The company's headquarters and main garage are located on Jalan Otista Blok Jambe, Tegalsari, Plered, Cirebon.

History

The origins of Sahabat began with a bus company called Pedoman, founded as a single entity by the Hadi Wiyana family in Cirebon Regency, West Java. There are no definite records regarding the year Pedoman was founded, but this company became one of the pioneers of intercity bus services in the Pantura region of West Java. Over time and with the development of the business, Pedoman then underwent a change of identity and changed its name to "PO Kesatuan" around the early 1970s, marking a new phase in the management and business direction of the family company. [1]

From 1972 to 1973, PO Kesatuan (bus company) faced quite serious internal conflicts, especially related to differences of opinion regarding the direction of the business and the dynamics of family relationships within management. This split resulted in the dissolution of Kesatuan as a single entity and gave birth to two bus companies that stood separately, had different management, but still competed on the same route.[2][3] The two companies resulting from the split are PO Bhinneka Sangkuriang, which is managed by the family of Aldo Fantinus Wiyana,[4] as well as PO Sahabat, which remains under family management Hadi Wiyana.[2][3]

Since its inception as an independent company, Sahabat has consistently served the main Cirebon–Jakarta route, which is one of the busiest transportation routes in the Pantura region of West Java. By focusing on this route, Sahabat has slowly built an image as the mainstay bus for the people of the north coast, especially for passengers who depend on intercity land transportation. However, domination on this route was not achieved easily because Sahabat had to face very stiff competition from other, more established bus companies. [5]

Sahabat biggest challenge came from strong competitors, including its own "sibling," Bhinneka Sangkuriang, which operates on a similar route. [1] In addition, Sahabat also had to compete with other POs such as Setianegara—whose units later became Setia Negara under the Hiba Group[6]—as well as Luragung Jaya from Kuningan and Madona. This competition does not only occur in terms of the number of fleets and departure schedules, but also in the struggle for passenger trust on the Pantura route which is known to be busy and full of risks. [7][8]

Entering the 1990s, Sahabat's journey was marred by various problems, particularly related to the condition of its fleet and the behavior of its crew in the field. In 1995, Sahabat was known to still be operating a number of old buses deemed unroadworthy and frequently targeted for enforcement by the Transportation Agency, along with other operators such as Setianegara and Hiba Group. A joint operation conducted in November 1995 even resulted in the impoundment of several vehicles due to the buses' technical condition, which could potentially cause accidents and endanger passenger safety.[9]

That same year, on April 14, 1995, Sahabat was again in the spotlight after seven buses owned by Sahabat, Bhinneka, and Garuda Mas were sanctioned in the form of a ban on operating on routes and restrictions on expansion. These sanctions were imposed for violations of Lebaran transportation regulations, including the practice of unreasonable fare increases.[10] In addition to administrative violations, the issue of safety also arose due to an accident involving a Sahabat bus with police number E 7908 AA with a PO Kosub bus F 7617 FB, which occurred because both vehicles were traveling at high speed and overtook each other, causing three deaths.[11]

Despite facing various incidents and sharp criticism, Sahabat has not completely turned a blind eye to these issues. A 2016 study showed that both Sahabat and Bhinneka Sangkuriang are willing to learn from the negative experiences related to passenger safety and comfort that occurred from the 1990s to the 2010s. Sahabat then expressed a commitment to take full responsibility in the event of a traffic accident, including paying for the victim's medication and fulfilling its obligations in accordance with applicable laws and regulations in the field of road transportation. [12]

The study also explained that Sahabat has taken corrective measures, such as taking action against bus drivers who violate company regulations, taking responsibility for passenger losses due to accidents or bus breakdowns during travel, and assisting passengers who lose or exchange luggage. However, the study recommends that Sahabat have more skilled supervisors to monitor the performance of drivers, considering that violations of internal regulations are still frequently encountered. In addition, Friends are advised to conduct strict fleet inspections before operating and gradually replace buses that are almost categorized as unroadworthy.[12]

For his dedication in providing road transportation for more than three decades, on December 20, 2013, the Ministry of Transportation of the Republic of Indonesia awarded Hadi Wiyana the Lifetime Achievement Award in the Road Transportation sector.[13] Furthermore, since 2015, the company This company is officially a limited liability company with the name PT Sahabat Prima Abadi. Since the change in status, Sahabat has expanded its services by providing tourist bus, shuttle service Sahabat Shuttle, employee buses, and car rental services, marking the company's transformation from a traditional bus operator to a more diverse and modern transportation service provider.[14]

Fleet

Sahabat is not picky about bus chassis or bodywork. Based on the latest operational data, Sahabat's modern buses rely on the Hino Motors RK8 R260 and Isuzu NQR (medium bus) chassis. Meanwhile, for the bus bodywork, it uses Jetbus of various generations produced by Adi Putro, Zeus and Rexus produced by Piala Mas, and Laksana Legacy of various generations produced by Laksana.[15][16]

Route

Intercity Bus

Since its inception, Sahabat has made intercity and interprovincial buses its primary business line. Sahabat operates the main route Cirebon–DKI Jakarta. Currently, the popularity of buses referred to as "Panturaan Buses" has declined due to the presence of the Trans-Java Toll Road and the increasing demand for private vehicles and shuttle buses. Despite the increasingly quiet northern Java route, Sahabat continues to operate its fleet to serve those who still rely on public transportation on this route, especially workers, students, and local residents who need daily mobility. This company still operates the Cirebon to Purwokertoand Cirebon to Jakarta route via the northern route, with services to several end points in DKI Jakarta and Banten[a] such as Port of Merak, Cilegon (with a fare of Rp. 120,000), Kampung Rambutan, and Pulo Gebang (both fare around Rp. 80,000), while maintaining flexible fares that can sometimes still be negotiated by passengers, especially for short distances.[5]

As of 2024, Sahabat will only operate around 10 buses daily, continuing to serve its intercity and regional (AKAP) routes with operating hours tailored to passenger demand—usually from around 5:00 a.m. to noon—without a fixed schedule like other modern bus fleets. Head of Operations, Sunarto, explained that Sahabat chose to continue operating on the Pantura route because it wanted to provide an affordable transportation option for the local community, especially in the area from Patrol, Indramayu to Cikopo, Bungursari, Purwakarta, where passengers still arrive daily. Even though the number of passengers has decreased significantly compared to its heyday—it used to be full with up to 80 people per trip—Sahabat is optimistic that it will continue to exist despite facing competition from toll roads and increasingly rampant illegal shuttle buses.[5]

Sahabat previously opened a route from Bandung to Solo via Tegal-Semarang, but currently only serves Pekalongan. Sahabat also opened a route from Cirebon-Kebumen-Yogyakarta, but it is currently inactive.

Non-route business

Shuttle bus

Sahabat Shuttle's shuttle bus, under the brand name "Sahabat Shuttle," serves the Bandung–Cirebon route. Its fleet uses standard shuttle buses such as the Toyota HiAce and Isuzu Elf. In Cirebon, Sahabat Shuttle is served by three pickup pools: Harjamukti, Plered, and Kedawung; Meanwhile, in Bandung, Sahabat Shuttle is served at four pick-up pools: Cihampelas, Pasteur, Sukajadi, Bandung, Pasteur, Babakan Ciparay, Bandung, and Buahbatu, Bandung. [17]

Tourism bus

Sahabat Prima Abadi tourism bus with Legacy SR-3 Neo Ultimate R bodywork manufactured by Laksana

In addition to intercity bus services, Sahabat is also known as a company that provides tour bus services, particularly for group transportation such as field trips. Sunarto stated that Sahabat's tour transportation services are frequently used by dozens of schools each year for field trips, especially during graduation ceremonies. Students typically rent buses from Sahabat for long-distance trips to popular destinations like Yogyakarta and Pangandaran, making the study tour segment a significant source of revenue for their bus service — even more dominant than bookings for office gatherings and other work groups.[18]

The study tour ban issued by West Java#Government|West Java Provincial Government]] has had a direct impact on Sahabat's tourist bus service because it has caused cancellations of bookings by a number of schools that had already booked departures. Sunarto explained that these cancellations have reduced the company's revenue because most of their tour bus clients come from field trips. As a result, Sahabat feels that this policy is burdensome for business actors in the tourism transportation sector and hopes that the policy will be revised or reconsidered by the relevant authorities. [18]

Incident

On October 18, 2023, a massive fire engulfed the Sahabat bus garage in Cirebon. The fire suddenly spread in the bus storage area around 11:30 a.m. WIB, destroying five buses before firefighters managed to control the situation and cool the scene. The initial suspicion is that the fire was triggered by an electrical short circuit in one of the buses being repaired, spreading to surrounding buses. There were no reported casualties in the incident, although the material losses were quite significant for Sahabat and it caused a stir among residents around the garage area due to the billowing black smoke.[19]

Notes

  1. Excluding Tangerang City and South Tangerang because they are included in the intercity transportation area for DKI Jakarta.

References

  1. rakyatcirebon.id. "A Brief History of Bus Companies in West Java, the Name 'Sahabat' Appeared Due to a Split". rakyatcirebon.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  2. Okezone (2023-03-21). "History of PO Bhinneka: Success Thanks to Prioritizing Passenger Safety : Okezone Ototekno". Okezone (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  3. "REAL GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR SERVICE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Ministry of Transportation of the Republic of Indonesia". dephub.go.id. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  4. radarcirebon.com. "PT Bhinneka Sangkuriang Invites Employees to Watch Films Again Ateng". radarcirebon.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  5. Mahardika, Devteo. "The Disappearance of the Bus Glory Pantura". detikjabar (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  6. radarcirebon.com. "Setia Negara Bus, the King of the Pantura Road with Many Title". radarcirebon.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  7. Okezone (2023-03-17). "History of PO Luragung Jaya: The King of the Pantura Road Who is Successful on the Kuningan-Jakarta Route: Okezone Ototekno". Ototekno (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  8. Pradana, Whisnu. "The Sweet Story of Madona Bus' Glory in Drivers' Memories". detikjabar (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  9. "Ten Illegal Public Transport Buses Grounded". Berita Yudha. 1995-11-14.
  10. "Kab. Cirebon Adds 14 Angdes Routes". Berita Yudha. 1995-04-20.
  11. "Three Killed on the Toll Road". Berita Yudha. 1996-01-22.
  12. Muhammad, Suradi & Njatrijani 2016, p. 11. sfn error: no target: CITEREFMuhammadSuradiNjatrijani2016 (help)
  13. "REAL GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICES Ministry of Transportation of the Republic of Indonesia". dephub.go.id. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  14. Ryan (2019-09-14). "Job vacancies at PT. Sahabat Prima Abadi". Loker Cirebon. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  15. "Complete Information on Photos and Prices for Sahabat Tourist Bus Rentals". www.saturental.com. 2025-06-09. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  16. "More Luxurious, PO Sahabat Launches New Fleet with Bus Stickers Tourism". Tribunnews.com (in Indonesian). 2025-12-21. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  17. radarcirebon.com. "Cirebon-Bandung Shuttle Options, Check Schedules and Rates". radarcirebon.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  18. Hassani, Yuga. "Policy Banning Study Tours Makes Bus Operators Struggle". detikjabar (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  19. Syahroni, Wisma Putra, Ony. "Bus PO Garage in Cirebon Fire, Five Bus Units Completely Devastated". detikjabar (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-12-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

Bibliography