Interprovincial and intercity bus fares for economy class passengers will rise 15 to 20 percent in April, while the fares for other categories of tickets will be adjusted according to the facilities they provide, a ministry official said on Friday.

The fare increase will adjust with the rising price of spare bus parts and fuel, Suroyo Alimoeso, the director general for land transport at the Transportation Ministry, told bus operators and related institutions from Central Java and Yogyakarta in a meeting on Friday in Solo.

“The fares for economy buses have been discussed and it is almost final,” he said, adding that the ministry just needs to sign a letter to authorize the change.

Regarding the frequent bus accidents that have recently killed dozens of people, he called on transport authorities to follow the law and protect the public.

“We ask all officials not to abuse their powers,” he said.

Last year, the ministry imposed sanctions on 10 bus companies caught breaking the law.

“If the violation was big, then we revoked their license,” Suroyo said.

The sanctions, however, were applied only on the bus drivers that committed the violations, not on their bus companies.

At the meeting on Friday, Suroyo asked related transport officials to cut the accident rate.

“All factors must be considered,” he said. “For instance, bus terminals should have a resting place for the drivers.”

He said many of the nation’s public bus businesses collapsed between 1997 and 2005 due to a variety of problems but returned to business after they transformed into regular and tourism bus companies.

“We ask Organda to do something internally to overcome problems related to public transportation,” he said, referring to the Organization of Land Transportation Owners.

Bus company owner Rosalia Indah Suroso asked Suroyo to establish a driving school.

“I would be very happy if the directorate general of land transportation could issue certification for bus drivers,” she said.

She said the nation’s bus operators face unhealthy competition from rival entrepreneurs.

“There are many fare wars and violations of operational hours,” she said.

She said bus owners often hire drivers who are