In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Waze, a navigation platform creating communities on and off the road, has worked with several Indonesian transport authorities to implement the Indonesian Government’s Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) policy. Both Jakarta Smart City (JSC) and Jabar Digital Service (JDS) have used Waze for Cities, a free, two-way data share of publicly available traffic information, to monitor and evaluate congestion growth in their respective cities.
JSC and JDS are two of the 1,500+ global partners using Waze for Cities data to improve congestion and make better informed planning decisions. When COVID-19 struck, JDS leveraged Waze’s real-time, anonymous incident and slow-down information to evaluate the success of the PSBB policy and present the results to the respective Regent/Mayor. The program was activated to determine the policy’s impact and track community compliance.
Meanwhile, JSC used the data to evaluate Jakarta’s Odd-Even traffic policy, observe the Department of Transportation’s semi-automation of traffic jam points and locate routes that the MRT network does not cover. Doing so meant JSC could identify and recommend areas that need to be covered by TransJakarta or other public transportation systems, maximising safe public transport options during the virus peak.
Working under the Jakarta government, JSC optimizes the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to know, understand and control various resources to shape Jakarta into a smart city. Similar to JSC, JDS is a Service Centre of Digital, Data, and Geospatial Information operating under the West Java Government.
Setiaji, ST, M.Si, West Java Province’s Head of Communication and Information Technology, explained the benefits of being a Waze for Cities partner: “Waze for Cites data has enabled us to react to issues swiftly and roll out solutions in times of crisis, and will be continually invaluable to our future plans. Whenever we discover potholes and flood points, we are able to inform the relevant parties to overcome problems.
Setiaji continued: “Before using Waze’s data, we had to deploy officers on the ground to monitor traffic traditionally by calculating the volume of vehicles on the roads and checking the CCTVs. Since we came onboard as a Waze for Cities partner in July last year, monitoring the roads has become much easier and more convenient.”
In addition, Juan Intan Kanggrawan, Jakarta Smart City’s Head of Data & Analytics echoed similar sentiments on the value of Waze’s data, which helped his team control Jakarta’s traffic condition: “We are grateful for Waze for Cities data as it has benefited us in numerous ways, especially in maximizing public services.
“Waze data allows us to track and analyse the patterns of the highest traffic jams in Jakarta and turn ideas into actions for a better place to live, justified by quantifiable metrics. When COVID-19 hit, we used Waze’s real-time driver insights to determine the success of PSBB and track outcomes.”
Marlin R. Siahaan, Waze Indonesia Country Manager, explained, “During emergency situations like COVID-19 when PSBB has been implemented, Waze’s real-time data insights provide an imperative resource for our partners. We’re excited to continue empowering JSC and JDS with powerful data insights enabling them to manage traffic and plan for the best possible outcome.”
Waze for Cities Data is part of the Waze for Cities program, where partners can access solutions for managing traffic during crisis situations. The free two-way data share program fosters a better understanding of smart data among municipal leaders, empowering them to make more informed decisions when monitoring city-based policies like the PSBB.
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