The Trans Metro Dewata (TMD) Integrated Highway Bus has officially ceased operations in Bali. The announcement was made on January 1, 2025, via an Instagram post on the official @transmetrodewata page.
The comment section was filled with mixed reactions, with most expressing disappointment over the company’s decision.
“Why so suddenly? The Ministry of Transport should reconsider… We, the lower and middle class, are losing our buses,” one user lamented.
“How am I supposed to get to the office now? I was planning to move to Tabanan because this bus was available there. The government is disappointing. Now there will be even more traffic jams. They said they wanted to reduce congestion, but now they’re stopping public transport. I don’t understand what’s happening at all,” another commented.
For many Bali residents, Trans Metro Dewata was more than just transportation—it was a symbol of eco-friendly commuting and an effort to ease the island’s notorious traffic. The buses were widely used by schoolchildren who didn’t yet have motorbikes to travel to their schools.
Activists have now launched a petition to save the red buses, raising an urgent question: What’s next for public transportation in Bali?
With the TMD buses no longer in service, many former passengers are now switching to the blue Trans Sarbagita buses. A commuter named Nova shared his frustration about having to adjust to new routes and the limited availability of the Trans Sarbagita fleet. He now has to be at Mengwi Terminal by 6:30 AM to catch his bus on time. Nova is disheartened by the shutdown of Bali’s most modern public transport system, which previously allowed passengers to track buses via an app, ensuring punctuality and reliability.
The Head of Bali’s Transportation Agency, Samsi Gunarta, confirmed that Trans Metro Dewata services officially ended in January 2025 due to uncertainty over budgetary support from Indonesia’s Ministry of Transport.
“We are preparing temporary measures until there is clarity on Trans Metro Dewata’s operations,” Samsi Gunarta stated.
He explained that the shutdown resulted from the removal of TMD bus subsidies from the 2025 state budget, which had funded TMD’s operations since 2020.
The Bali Provincial Transport Agency and the Ministry of Transport are currently in discussions about securing additional funding to keep TMD running until the Bali provincial government can fully take over the system.
“The transition will be carried out gradually based on financial capacity,” he added.
The Bali provincial government has allocated funds for one route in 2025, but Samsi Gunarta emphasized that further financial planning and evaluation are necessary. According to him, maintaining the service would require an estimated IDR 80 billion per year.
With uncertainty looming over public transport in Bali, residents now face a critical transition period. Whether TMD buses make a comeback or vanish permanently remains to be seen.
Sources: nusabali, tribunbali
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