Efisiensi (bus company)

After studying at the Faculty of Economics at the Islamic University of Indonesia, Teuku Ery Rubihamsyah, a Kebumen resident, entered the transportation business world. In his youth, he developed a passion for the automotive world, inherited from his parents, who were also in the automotive business. He was skilled at modifying vehicles used in motorcycle racing. Using his talent for vehicle repair and modification, he opened a driving course. Using the profits from his driving course business, Rubihamsyah started his bus business. ^[1]

Rubihamsyah stated on the official UII Faculty of Business website that in business, one must find the right "spirit" (meaning "passion") for the business, because if it doesn't, the business will fail. It is known that before opening a repair shop, he had businesses in the culinary sector, which consistently failed or even went bankrupt. Because he already had a passion for automotive, he instead established himself in the automotive business.^[1]

According to Efisiensi Commercial Manager, Syukron Wahyudi, in an interview with Liputan6.com on December 21, 2016, Efisiensi was first established in 1994, several years after the Rubihamsyah family had opened a repair shop and driving school. Its first route was Kebumen–Yogyakarta with one bus. Rubihamsyah then became the driver.^[2]

In 1997, he could only add two buses, and by 2000, he had purchased seven additional large buses. These buses operate as intercity buses, as well as tourist buses.^[2] The business was successful thanks to Rubihamsyah's collaboration with HS Trans (Yogyakarta–Liwa route) and Bengkulu Indah (Yogyakarta–Bengkulu route) which was signed in 1998, also opening Caltex employee buses.^[3] However, Rubihamsyah's business began to struggle due to the Asian financial crisis, so he was forced to sell many of the assets he already owned. According to him, "The most important thing is to have limits. If it's no longer profitable, just shut down the business."^[1]

In 2003, Efisiensi began expanding into scheduled executive-class "Patas" bus services on the Yogyakarta–Cilacap route, deploying four buses daily. At that time, no other bus company operated AC Patas on that route. Two years later, the company opened a scheduled route on the Yogyakarta–Purwokerto route, competing with other bus companies, including PO Raharja, which has a large fleet. At that time, Efisiensi offered a relatively low initial fare of Rp35,000.00 with a free soft drink, before eventually increasing it to Rp60,000.00.^[2]

Wahyudi said that Rubihamsyah named his bus company Efficiency because Rubihamsyah wanted a more efficient operational management of the company. The company is known for regularly conducting passenger satisfaction surveys. With these surveys, the need for fuel for a single trip can be rationed. Often there is excess fuel, so that the travel time can be less than five hours, but it should not be more than five hours. He admitted that some passengers actually complained about the travel time. This is what makes him argue that these savings have an impact on cheaper bus ticket fares.^[2] For this dedication, on March 21, 2012, the Ministry of Transportation of the Republic of Indonesia awarded him the Best Non-Economy AKAP Service in the Medium Company category.^[4]

In 2012, to accommodate customers from the Purbalingga, opened the Yogyakarta–Purbalingga route. Two years later, Efisiensi then incorporated under the name PT Efisiensi Putra Utama and launched an online ticket sales system.^[5] In 2018, Efisiensi launched the Cilacap–Magelang–Semarang and Purwokerto–Wonosobo–Semarang routes. However, the Purwokerto–Wonosobo route was closed due to bridge repairs in Lodukuh, Temanggung.^[6] In November 2021, Efisiensi opened a new route, this time Cilacap–Semarang–Kudus–Jepara with a physical distancing bus.^[7]

In addition to intercity bus services, Efisiensi also operates a shuttle bus route, accessible from the Efisiensi pool in Ambarketawang, Gamping, Sleman, with routes to Yogyakarta City Center and Ambarketawang Airport. Adisutjipto]].^[2] Efisiensi previously collaborated with SatelQu, a shuttle bus company specializing in the Yogyakarta International Airport route, and even launched a physical distancing bus during the Covid-19 pandemic.^[8]

In March 2022, Rubihamsyah's daughter, Ervinda, was given the responsibility of succeeding Efisiensi after graduating from Melbourne, Australia. According to him, he was assigned this task because Efisiensi was still lacking leadership, while his own brother had already filled positions in the courier and package divisions. He also said that Efisiensi did not yet have an adequate and integrated electronic ticketing system at that time. His career at Efisiensi is what made him a "new idol" among Indonesian bus fans and the Efisiensi bus fan community.^[9]

Efisien is known for frequently replacing its bus fleet, no more than every two years. According to Rubihamsyah, Efisiensi must have clear targets and market share, and make customer comfort a key factor in business.^[1] Meanwhile, according to Syukron Wahyudi, Efisiensi has chosen not to add more than 60 buses. Its 80% occupancy rate ensures that the savings achieved can sustain the company, which continues to compete with other bus companies and other modes of transportation.^[2]

Efisien uses chassis and bodywork from various manufacturers. However, Efisiensi is better known for using chassis made by Hino (RM 280^[10] and RK8 R260^[11]) and bodywork made by Adi Putro (Jetbus).^[10] Although more often using Adi Putro Jetbus, Efisiensi (and its subsidiaries) also operate other bodywork, such as Laksana Legacy SR-3 for its Suites Combi class buses.^[12] In addition, Efisiensi is also known to have operated a double-decker bus with a Daimler Truck chassis OC 500 RF 2542 with a New Setra Jetbus2+ SDD (Super Double-Decker) bodywork produced by Adi Putro.^[13]

In March 2025, Efisiensi announced that they were collaborating with Kalista to trial an electric bus, using the Cilacap–Yogyakarta route as a trial route.^[14]

Efisiensi's main business line is intercity bus routes serving Central Java and the Special Region of Yogyakarta. Efisiensi Bus operates as a large intercity interprovincial bus (AKAP), intercity within the province (AKDP), and interprovincial shuttle bus (shuttle), centered on routes with final destinations in important cities in Central Java and the Special Region of Yogyakarta, such as Magelang, Semarang, Yogyakarta, and Surakarta.^[15][7][5]

Efisiensi operates a special route segment, namely the Yogyakarta International Airport route. Efisiensi has partnered with the SatelQu shuttle bus company to serve this route.^[8]

Efisian has a tourist bus subsidiary called PT Tividi Putra Sarana.^[16] and has a shared garage with Efisiensi in Ambarketawang, Gamping, Sleman.

On March 18, 2021, Tividi expanded its service reach by opening an intercity bus route between DKI Jakarta and the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Central Java, and East Java. The Tividi bus's inaugural trip to DKI Jakarta served the Jakarta–Yogyakarta route via Kebumen and Temanggung with "Gold Class" executive-class buses. This bus has a 2-2 reclining seat facility with 26 seats with legrests, toilets, Wi-Fi, free snacks, dispenser, and meal service.^[17] Then, at the end of 2023 Tividi was known to have opened the Cilacap–Surabaya–Malang route via toll road.^[18]

Two other subsidiaries known to be part of the Efisiensi group and offering tourist bus services are PT Putri Berlian Transindo (RV Trans) and PT Ratna Sari Putra Gemilang. At its initial launch, Ratna Sari released 10 new buses with the same paint scheme as Efisiensi and Tividi. The Ratna Sari bus was introduced in the bus manufacturing area at the Adi Putro bodywork company in October 2024.^[19]

Efisiensi is the pioneer of the horn telolet whose use went viral on social media in 2016. According to Rubihamsyah, he was inspired to use the telolet horn when he was traveling to the Middle East, and found a car with a very distinctive horn sound.^[2]