TransportationMemoir
Introduction
I grew up in asmallcitycalledTasikmalayainWestJava,Indonesia.Itisnotexactlyrural,butit is far from being a big urban city like Jakarta. There was noMRT(MassRapidTransit)orBRT (Bus Rapid Transit) system, and the only public transport available was angkot, small public minivans. The main issue with the angkot system in Tasikmalaya was its limited coverage and inefficient routes. Not all areas of the city were included in the angkot routes, whichmeantthat many parts of the citywerenoteasilyaccessiblebypublictransport.Asaresult,privatevehicles werestillverymuchanecessityformostpeople,includingmyfamily.
In my neighborhood, there were no sidewalks, which made walking anywhere quite risky because we had to walk right next to the road. Even in the city center, wheresidewalksexisted, they were often taken over by street vendors, which forced pedestrians to walk on the road.
Growing up in a place with limited public transportation options and lack of walkable infrastructure really shaped how I viewed citiesandthewaypeoplemovethroughthem.Itmade me realize that a well-designed transportation system is essential for making a city livable and accessibleforeveryone.
TransportationExperienceGrowingUp
Before I started using public transport independently in the fourth grade, I used to take a becak (pedicab) to school. From kindergarten until around fourth grade, I had a regular becak driver who would pick me upanddropmeoffeveryday.Irememberonedayvividly,fromwhenIwas in kindergarten. It was the end of the school day, and everyone had been picked up except for me. I was just sitting there, waiting. After what felt like forever, my mom found out that my becak driver had not shown up because he was gambling nearby. That experience made me realize howunreliablethebecakcouldbe,especiallyforsomethingasimportantastakingachild toandfromschool.
By the timeIreachedthefourthgrade,Istartedusingangkottogethomefromschool.Itwasmy first taste of independence, but it came with its own frustrations. The distance between my
school and home was only about 2 kilometers,buttheangkotrouteloopedthroughvariousparts of the city, takingalmostanhourtocompletewhatshouldhavebeenaquicktrip.Ioftenthought about how much faster it would be to walk, but walking was notasafeoptionduetothelackof proper sidewalks. I sometimes still used the becak if I needed to get somewhere quickly, but I also relied on the angkot when I wanted to save money The trade-off between the faster but moreexpensivebecakandthecheaperbutslowerangkotbecameafamiliarpartofmydailylife.
There were other challenges when it came towalkability Iusedtogogroceryshoppingwithmy mom. We would take an angkot, but after getting off, we still had to walk quite far to the supermarket, which was located in the city’s main commercial street. Thesidewalkswerethere, but they were often full of vendors that we ended up walking on the edge of the main road. It always struck me as odd that public transport’s route wasnotplannedclosertothesupermarket, consideringitwasinacentrallocation.
When I moved to Bandung, the capital city of West Java, for university, my transportation experience changed again. I had gotten my driving license when I was 17, but I did not start driving regularly until I was in college. In Bandung, public transportation options were still limited to angkot, just like in Tasikmalaya. However, by this point, I had started driving more frequently, and having my own vehicle allowed me to get around the city more easily. Driving myself gave me a new sense of independence, but I could not helpnoticingtheinefficienciesof the public transport system around me. Just like in Tasikmalaya, many people still relied on privatevehiclestonavigatethecity,andIbegantounderstandhowcriticalitwastohavereliable publictransportationinlargercities.
MyIdealTransportationEnvironment
My entire perspective on transportation changed when I interned in Singapore. Singapore’s transportation system is on a completely different level. The MRT, BRT, and pedestrian infrastructure in Singapore are incredibly well-designed. Public transportation is extensive, reliable, and covers virtually every part of the city. One of the thingsInoticedimmediatelywas how walkable Singapore is. The sidewalks are wide, clean, and shaded by greenbelts, which makes walking comfortable even in the heat. It was such a stark contrast to what I had experiencedinTasikmalayaandBandung,wherewalkingwasoftendangerousorimpractical.
What struck me most about Singapore was how integrated the MRT stations were with the surrounding buildings and infrastructure.Thesestationswerenotjustisolatedtransitpoints;they were seamlessly connected to office buildings, shopping centers, and even residential towers. You could step off the MRT and immediately find yourself in a shopping mall or at your workplace without even having to go outside. This level ofintegrationiswhatInowunderstand to be Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), where the city is designed to maximize the convenience of public transport, walking, and access to everyday services. Singapore was my first real experience seeing TOD in action, and it made me realizehowmuchmoreefficientand enjoyableacitycanbewhenitprioritizespublictransportandpedestriansovercars.
The experience in Singapore reminded me of something I had read in Charles Montgomery’s Happy City. He talks about how walking is as essential for human well-being as flying is for birds. That line stuck with me because it made so much sense after experiencing Singapore’s walkability. Cities that make it easy and pleasant for people to walk create environments where people feel connected, not just to the city itself but to each other. It made me realize that when citiesprioritizewalkingandpublictransport,theycreatehealthier,moreconnectedcommunities.
ComparingthePastandIdealLandscapes
Looking back, I can see how much my experiences growing up in Tasikmalaya and living in Bandung shaped my understanding of what cities should be like. Both of these cities were primarily designed for private vehicles, with public transport and walking being secondary The angkot was the only public transport option in both cities, and it was slow, inefficient, and unreliable. Walking was often notanoptionduetothelackofsidewalksortheunsafeconditions of walking on the streets. These cities did not meet my needs, and they limited my ability to movefreelyandeasily.
By contrast, Singapore represented everything I had been missing. The city’s public transport system was extensive, reliable, and integrated with the rest of the city’s infrastructure. Walking was safe, comfortable, and enjoyable, and I never felt like I needed a car. The seamless integration of transport, housing, and commercial spaces made the city feel connected in a way that I had never experienced before. It was a revelation for me, and it completely reshaped my viewofwhatacityshouldbe.
Now, living in New York City for my master’s program, I continue to see the importance of a well public transport network. New York has one of the highest percentages of residents living near transit, and this makes it easy to live withoutacar.Whilethesubwaysystemisnotperfect, it is still much more reliable than having to rely on a car Public transport is an essentialpartof dailylifeinNewYork,anditallowspeopletomovearoundthecitywithease.
I have also noticed that even in Jakarta, which has developed modern public transportsystems like the MRT,BRT,andKRL,thereisstillaheavyrelianceonGojekandGrab(ourversionof Uber) to get from home to the nearest station. The feedersystems,whichshouldconnectpeople from their neighborhoods to the larger transport hubs, are not yet efficient enough to cover the entire city. As a result, people still rely heavily on ride-hailing services. It is a reminder that while progress has been made, there is still a lot of work to be done to make public transport fullyaccessible.
Reflection
Reflecting on all these experiences, I am reminded of Kevin Lynch and his concept of mental maps, which he introducedin The Image of the City.Lyncharguedthathowpeopleperceiveand navigate their surroundings shapes their experience of urban spaces. His ideas have helped me understand why cities like Singapore and New York are easier to navigate and why they feel more distinctive compared to the cities where I grew up. Their well-designed infrastructure and clear pathways allow people to form strong mental maps, making these cities more legible and easiertoconnectwith.
However, thatdoesnotmeanthecitieswhereIgrewupareanylessmemorable.Forme,acityis not only shaped by its infrastructure but also by the personal memories made within its spaces. And sometimes, it is those small, simple moments—just like taking the angkot with my mother and holding her hand on the way to the supermarket 20 years ago—that make a citytrulyalive. She is no longer here, but that memory stays. Thank you, Ma, for introducing me to my earliestpersonalexperienceswithtransportation.