Editor’s Note
- Mebidang BRT to Use Electric Buses: Operational This Year (2026)
- Transportation Issues in the Mebidang Area
- BRT System Similar to the Jaklingko Concept
Mebidang BRT to Use Electric Buses: Operational This Year (2026)
The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) between Medan, Binjai, and Deliserdang (Mebidang) is expected to open this year. This public transport system will use electric buses in a partnership with China.
In the initial operational phase, the BRT will serve a total of 12 corridors. Of these, 10 corridors are located in the city of Medan and two corridors in the Mebidang area.
Both corridors are managed by the provincial government of North Sumatra (Pemprov) in cooperation with the Ministry of Transport.
The two corridors overseen by the North Sumatra provincial government are the Binjai–Medan–Carrefour route and the Lubukpakam–Amplas–Simpang Pelangi route.
Transportation Problems in the Mebidang Region
The secretary of the North Sumatra Transport Agency (Dishub), Rochani Litiloly, is optimistic that the BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) will help alleviate transportation problems in the Mebidang region.
“This is intended to reduce emissions and the use of private vehicles, as the use of private vehicles continues to increase in our region. This is because public transport is still minimal. Hopefully, we can benefit from it this year,” Rochani said during a press conference at the North Sumatra Communications and Information Agency in Medan.
According to Rochani, the government is currently developing detailed requirements for the buses and preparing for the construction of charging stations for electric buses. After that, the ordering process for the electric buses is expected to take about five months.
“The process is still ongoing, and demand is constantly changing, for example, from 17 to 14 and then to 12 corridors. This determines the number of buses and depots we need. After the contract is finalized, we will have to wait at least another five months before we can order the electric buses, as they are still under construction,” said Rochani.
The BRT system is similar to the Jaklingko concept
Meanwhile, Darwin Purba, an expert with the transport agency of the North Sumatra provincial government, stated that the BRT system to be implemented is similar to the Jaklingko concept in Jakarta. He hopes that existing public transport can serve as a feeder for the BRT route.
“The BRT will have its own dedicated lane, just like Transjakarta, which will make it faster. We are also working to ensure that the existing public transport network (angkot) can serve as a feeder line for the BRT, so that everything is integrated,” said Darwin Purba. ***rel
