Handoyo (bus company)

Handoyo was founded in 1975 by Yohanes Dibyo Wibowo in Magelang, Central Java. At the beginning of its establishment, this bus company focused on serving intercity bus routes within the province and between provinces with short to medium distances.^[1] Some of the initial routes served include Yogyakarta–Semarang, as well as AKDP routes such as Magelang–Weleri and Magelang–Ngadirejo. Handoyo's presence at that time became a major pillar of public mobility in Central Java and the surrounding area. ^[2]

Entering 1988, PO Handoyo began a strategic shift by shifting to serving long-distance intercity and intercity (AKAP) routes. The routes developed included trips from Yogyakarta, Magelang City, and surrounding areas to the Greater Jakarta area. This service expansion marked a significant step for Handoyo in entering the long-distance intercity transportation market. As demand increased, the company's fleet and operational network continued to grow. ^[2]

The name "Handoyo" itself is taken from the name of the founder's son, Daniel Handoyo, who would later become the company's President Director. This name reflects the founder's hope that the business would continue across generations. In its operations, PO Handoyo carries the slogan "Servant of the Community" as a manifestation of its commitment to serving public transportation needs. ^[1] In addition, the slogan "Safety first, then money" is also frequently displayed on the bus body as a reminder of the importance of safety for both crew and passengers. ^[3]

In 1995, Handoyo expanded again by opening an inter-island route. This route connects cities in Central Java and East Java to various regions on the island of Sumatra. The expansion broadened Handoyo's service reach while strengthening its position as a national bus company. Since then, Handoyo has become increasingly well-known among intercity and inter-island transportation users.^[2]

After the leadership was transferred to Daniel Handoyo, the company experienced very rapid development. Under his management, Handoyo even grew beyond the initial vision envisioned by the founder. The nickname "King of the Roads from the Tidar Valley" stuck to this company. In its expansion process, Handoyo acquired a bus company from East Java, PO Mandala, along with its strategic routes, such as routes from Bandung, Tasikmalaya, and Banjar to Purwokerto to cities in East Java such as Jombang, Ngawi, and Surabaya.^[1][4]

In March 2015, Handoyo Group officially became a limited liability company under the name PT Indo Transport Abdimas. At that time, the company operated approximately 250 buses under four main brands: Handoyo, HD Transport, Mandala, and Indo Trans. ^[5] After becoming a PT, Handoyo began expanding into the tourist bus sector to meet the high public interest and support the national tourism program, which began to be implemented in 2017. ^[2] However, on October 4, 2022, PT Indo Transport Abdimas announced the closure of Mandala bus operations for the Bandung–Surabaya route, effective the following day.^[4]

At its main garage on Jalan Soekarno-Hatta, Magelang City, Handoyo is known to operate 100 buses and is adjacent to garages belonging to other bus companies, including Sumber Waras, Santoso, and Maju Makmur. Handoyo is known to rely on bus chassis made by Hino, including AK and RK chassis, as well as a small number from Mercedes-Benz.^[6] PO Handoyo's modern fleet relies heavily on the Hino RM 280 Air Suspension Euro 4 chassis which has the advantage of stability and comfort thanks to the air suspension system. This chassis also uses a space frame construction that allows for more spacious luggage because the storage space can penetrate from the right side to the left.^[7][8]

When it comes to bus bodywork, Handoyo is not picky. Handoyo has previously owned buses manufactured by New Armada and Rahayu Santosa. However, currently Handoyo is obsessed with bus units with Adi Putro and Laksana bodies.^[6][9] Several of the newest bus units launched use the Laksana Legacy SR-3 XHD Prime Ultimate or Legacy SR-3 XHD Ultimate body which is known to have a modern and luxurious design. The distinctive features of this body include the use of a double glass windshield with a headband accent on the fascia, a full LED light display, and a futuristic exterior design. PO Handoyo is known for its visual identity in the form of a golden yellow paint pattern combined with black and a lion head ornament on the side of the body. In addition, some special edition units even feature the company's anniversary commemorative writing as part of their exterior design. In the interior, the bus is designed for comfortable long-distance travel with a 2-2 seat configuration equipped with armrests and footrests, as well as additional facilities such as television, air conditioning, and a toilet at the rear.^[7][8]

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Handoyo launched a special bus with the theme of "social distancing" as an adaptation to health protocols in public transportation. This bus uses a Laksana Legacy SR-2 body with a Hino R260 chassis, but has a different cabin configuration from buses in general. While intercity buses usually use a 2-2 or 2-3 seating pattern, this fleet uses a 1-1-1 configuration with two aisles, so the number of seats is only around 27. This layout makes the distance between passengers much wider, thereby reducing the risk of disease transmission while increasing comfort during long-distance travel. The launch of this bus is part of PO Handoyo's effort to provide safer transportation services that meet the mobility needs of the community during the pandemic. ^[10]

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PO Handoyo makes the intercity interprovincial bus (AKAP) service the main business line that supports the company's operations. This bus company is known to have a fairly extensive route network, especially on the islands of Java and Sumatra, with various routes connecting large and medium-sized cities. Almost all areas in Java, including Madura, are covered by Handoyo services, making it one of the well-known bus operators on that route. In its operations, Handoyo focuses more on non-economy bus services that emphasize the comfort of long-distance travel. The Service classes offered vary, ranging from VIP, Executive, Super Executive, to Suites Class, the highest class with a more exclusive level of comfort than the other classes.^[8][11]

To support passenger comfort, Handoyo buses are equipped with various facilities commonly available on non-economy bus fleets. These facilities include air conditioning (AC), ergonomic seats equipped with leg rests to support the legs during long journeys, and seat belts as basic safety features. Passengers also get a cup holder on the seat to store drinks, as well as two television units in the cabin that function as entertainment during the trip.^[8] In addition to operating the main brand Handoyo, this company runs two other bus brands as part of service development, namely HD Transport and Mandala. However, Mandala operations serving the Bandung–Surabaya route were finally stopped on October 5, 2022 after being affected by the condition of the transportation industry during the Covid-19 pandemic.^[5][4]

In addition to intercity and regional transportation (AKAP) services, since 2017, PO Handoyo has also operated a tour bus service, typically used for tourism activities, group trips, study trips, and even agency or corporate trips. Handoyo's tour buses use the "Indo Trans" brand.^[2] In August 2020, Indo Trans, along with other POs in the former Kedu Residency area, such as Safari Dharma Raya, was also known to offer tour packages in the form of "open trips," specifically with routes to various tourist destinations in the Special Region of Yogyakarta. The trip starts from Parakan, Temanggung to the PO Handoyo garage in Magelang, then continues to Yogyakarta with two package options: religious tourism and beach and shopping tourism. The religious tourism packages served include the Tomb of Gunung Pring, Parangtritis Beach, and the Tomb of Sunan Pandanaran. Meanwhile, for shopping tourism, the tourist attractions include Parangtritis, Parangkusumo Sand Dunes, Cemoro Sewu, and Malioboro Street.^[12]

Handoyo also provides shuttle buses, under the brand name "Indo Trans Travel", with routes from Surabaya to Bali, Banyuwangi Regency, Jember, Lumajang Regency, and Malang.