Jakarta – The group of junior high school students waited impatiently on the side of the road on busy Jl. Plumpang, North Jakarta. And waited.

Their two school buses never arrived Wednesday, a day after the vehicles were subject to their second attack in a week by minivan drivers. The angry drivers say the free service – provided by charity foundation Dompet Dhuafa – has caused a drastic drop in their income.

For students, the service operating three times a day along Jl. Plumpang and the main thoroughfare of Jl. Yos Sudarso is more than a free ride. Amid Jakarta's chaotic public transportation services, students from more affluent families have the option of using private cars or bus services provided by their schools. For the rest, taking public transportation can be risky and difficult, with many buses refusing to stop for students because they do not pay full fare.

The service, passing along six schools on the route and open to any students in school uniform, allows them to save their daily transportation money – "I can buy more food," one student said. They also socialize with friends, or, as another admitted bashfully, can take a close look at the boy she has a crush on.

Annur Khirisa, a third-year student at state-run SMA 73, said she was often forced to pay full fare on public transportation. "The student fare is Rp 1,000 (less than US$1). But minivan drivers make us pay Rp 1,500 to Rp 2,500," she said.

"I usually try to run if I only have Rp 1,000 left in my wallet," said another SMA 73 student, Imam Abdullah. "But the minivan driver will blow his horn and yell at me." If the vehicles do relent and pick up students, the latter are often forced to hang precariously out of doors as the drivers and conductors pack on passengers.

A security guard at SMA 73, Slamet, said many students had died in traffic accidents along busy Jl. Yos Sudarso. "Last week, a student from nearby Islamic school MAN 5 died after a speeding truck hit him," he said.

The bus offers other advantages to noisy and stuffy public transportation. "We can watch videotapes, such as from the Discovery Channel, or other educational programs on the bus," Imam said.

Some students were on the buses during the attacks by the drivers, but they said they would continue to use the service. "They didn't attack us. But it's frightening," Resti Febriliza said.

The charity's corporate secretary, Sunaryo Adyatmoko, said his organization would try to compromise with the drivers. "We will use eight of their vehicles as free transportation for the students." He said the city administration should keep the attacks in mind in launching its own free bus service for students.

The city has allocated Rp 22 billion (about US$2 million) in its 2006 budget for the procurement of the yellow free school buses. For the first stage, the administration will provide school buses serving five routes.

But in the meantime, despite the harassment, the Plumpang area students will continue to take the buses. And there will be another plus to riding them.

"We will have a chaperone to accompany the students but this person must be one with educational expertise, so the students can share with them about anything, from their school assignments or lessons to other problems," Sunaryo said.