Safari Dharma Raya

In the post-independence era, Temanggung Regency faced serious challenges in freight transportation, particularly in transporting agricultural produce. Geographical conditions and limited transportation facilities prevented optimal distribution of agricultural products. Seeing this opportunity, Oei Bie Lay, later known as Darmojuwono, a Chinese-Indonesian entrepreneur, took the initiative to enter the transportation sector. In 1951, he founded a transportation business called "OBL," which are the initials of his own name, with the primary goal of serving the transportation of agricultural products in the Temanggung area and its surroundings. ^[1]

In the early stages, Oei ran his business with very limited capital, namely only two sedans. Both vehicles were simply modified to function as small buses for transporting goods and passengers. Although starting on a small scale, this expedition business showed quite rapid growth as the public's transportation needs increased. This growth prompted Oei to consolidate the business, which ultimately resulted in the birth of a new company called Hien Truck Company. In its early operations, Hien Truck Company served the route Magelang–Ngadirojo, Magelang.^[1]

Over time, the mobility needs of the Javanese people, particularly in the intercity bus segment, continued to grow. Seeing this opportunity, Oei decided to expand his business into the broader passenger transport sector. In 1969, he formed a new sole proprietorship called Safari Dharma Raya, which houses two brands: Safari Dharma Raya for executive and super executive classes, and Safari Dharma Jaya for non-AC economy class. Along with the establishment of this company, Oei opened an intercity bus route within the province, namely Magelang–Candiroto, Temanggung]] and Temanggung–Wonosobo–Purwokerto, by operating five bus units as initial capital.^[2]

The growing demand for transportation encouraged Safari Dharma Raya to go further. In 1971, the company began operating an intercity, interprovincial night bus service, while also opening the Temanggung–Surabaya–Malang route. In the same year, Oei also began bringing in a fleet of Dodge Fargo-engined buses to support operations. Subsequently, the fleet was strengthened with the addition of Dodge K700 buses and Mercedes-Benz LP911, which increased the capacity and reliability of the company's services.^[1][3]

The name Safari Dharma Raya itself has a profound philosophical meaning. According to Oei, the word "safari" means "journey," "dharma" means "blessing," and "raya" refers to the highway. Overall, the name reflects the hope that the company will be able to provide travel services full of blessings and safety, both for passengers and other road users. This philosophy has been the foundation of the company's operational values ​​since its inception. ^[4]

Route expansion continued in the following years. In 1974, Safari Dharma Raya opened a new route connecting Yogyakarta City with Jakarta via Magelang and Semarang. To support this development, Oei again brought in a new fleet of Mercedes-Benz OF 1113 buses. The increasingly large and structured business development ultimately led Safari Dharma Raya to obtain limited liability company legal status in 1981 under the name PT Safari Dharma Sakti, focusing on intercity and interprovincial bus and logistics services.^[1][3]

In 1989, the leadership began to involve the second generation, when Oei's two sons, Hendro and Santoso, served as commissioner and president director, respectively. Both implemented an expansion strategy by opening offices in DKI Jakarta and Temanggung to strengthen the company's operational network.^[4] In the late 1990s to early 2000s, Safari Dharma Raya expanded its service reach to Bali and West Nusa Tenggara West Nusa Tenggara. In 1997, the routes DKI Jakarta–Surabaya–Denpasar–Mataram and Temanggung–Surabaya–Denpasar–Mataram were opened.^[1]

Expansion continued with the opening of several new routes, including Bima City on Sumbawa Island. In addition, the bus company partnered with PT Gapura Angkasa as an apron bus operator at Juanda International Airport and I Gusti Ngurah Rai and began developing tour bus services.] After Santoso's death in 2011, the company's leadership was continued by Setiawati as commissioner and Hendro as director. Until now, Safari Dharma Raya operates around 200 bus units and employs approximately 500 employees spread across the regions of Java, Bali, and West Nusa Tenggara.^[1][2][5]

Safari Dharma Raya is widely known as a bus company that dares to use a fleet with specifications that are unconventional compared to the majority of buses in Indonesia. The company has operated or currently operates buses with chassis from various brands, such as Mercedes-Benz, Hino, King Long, Scania, and MAN. Some units are even imported in "completely built-up" (CBU) condition, emphasizing their focus on quality and uniqueness. Among its entire fleet ready for operation, the Mercedes-Benz chassis remains the mainstay. This establishes Safari Dharma Raya's identity as a company closely aligned with European manufacturing technology and innovation.^[4]

The dominance of Mercedes-Benz in Safari Dharma Raya's fleet is evident in the variety of models used, from the OH 1526, OH 1626, OH 1830, OH 1836, to the OH 2542. This wide variety of models makes Safari Dharma Raya frequently chosen as a "guinea pig" for testing and implementing new technologies from Daimler Commercial Vehicles Indonesia (DCVI). These experiments cover aspects of the engine, chassis configuration, and suitability to operational needs in Indonesia. This approach often distinguishes Safari Dharma Raya's fleet from other companies that tend to play it safe. From a technical standpoint, their fleet is known for its robustness and uniqueness.^[4]

For bus bodies, Safari Dharma Raya relies heavily on Adi Putro and Morodadi Prima bodywork. In the 1990s to the early 2010s, this company was known for consistently following the trend of Mercedes-Benz chassis combined with Adi Putro bodywork. In fact, Safari Dharma Raya was recorded as the first customer to order Adi Putro-produced bus bodies, along with Bandung Express and Kramat Djati. The Neoplan bus with Adi Putro-assembled monocoque chassis and body was once part of their fleet. This step strengthened Safari Dharma Raya's image as a pioneer in the use of modern bus bodies at that time.^[6]

Entering the modern fleet era, Safari Dharma Raya is increasingly using custom-designed bodies. Morodadi Prima has become its go-to bodywork company, especially for combining relatively uncommon chassis. One example is the use of a Mercedes-Benz OF 917 chassis with a long wheelbase paired with a Satria VR body. This body was originally designed for a medium bus, but was adapted to the needs of Safari Dharma Raya services. The interior layout also maintains the Patriot body style, complete with an 18-seat 2-1 configuration, leg rests, a toilet, and a smoking area.^[7]

The uniqueness of the Safari Dharma Raya fleet is also reflected in the presence of a luxury double-decker bus named "Khaleesi". This bus uses a Mercedes-Benz OC 500 RF 2542 chassis and a Morodadi Prima Patriot DD bodywork with a distinctive European double-decker bus feel. Its configuration is very exclusive, providing only 8 seats on the lower floor and 48 seats on the upper floor, and is equipped with a toilet and smoking area. This unit was operated on the Jakarta–Jatipuro, Karanganyar route as an executive class service. However, since May 7, 2023, the bus has been discontinued from the main route due to operational considerations.^[8][9]

Besides its fleet, Safari Dharma Raya has a distinctive visual signature that is easily recognizable. The "OBL" logo is always displayed on the front and rear windows of the bus, which are the initials of the founder and the original name of the company. The most iconic feature is the painting or sticker of four elephants on the side of the bus body. The four elephants symbolize Oei's four children, who are expected to become a solid and united family company. The combination of a unique fleet and consistent visual symbolism gives Safari Dharma Raya a strong identity in the Indonesian bus transportation industry.

Meanwhile, Safari Dharma Raya's modern buses also feature a more modern and fresh paint scheme. This includes a play on areas, such as blue diamond-shaped accents on the sides and red on the rear. This adds to the modern and adaptable feel emphasized by this bus company. Additionally, these modern buses feature many chrome accents on the windshield, grille, bumper, side windows, and the hood near the front door.^[7]

Since its launch, PO Safari Dharma Raya has made intercity buses its primary business line. Safari Dharma Raya serves intercity bus routes between Java and the Nusa Tenggara Islands. As one of the bus companies that has grown rapidly since its inception, Safari Dharma Raya not only focuses on routes within one island but also expands its service network outside Java, including long routes to Bali and West Nusa Tenggara such as Bima, Sumbawa and Mataram, Lombok which are part of a round trip across several different geographical zones.^[10][11]

In its operations on the island of Java, Safari Dharma Raya is known to serve various important routes between major cities, including popular routes such as DKI Jakarta–Temanggung–Yogyakarta which as of 2023 will be equipped with luxury medium Bus units. On this route, the company offers buses with fewer seats but equipped with premium amenities such as reclining seats, leg rests, toilets, and single-glass windshields that provide passengers with expansive views, demonstrating the company's commitment to providing comfort beyond that of traditional large buses. ^[7]

Safari Dharma Raya's expansion also includes interprovincial services connecting Java with West Nusa Tenggara, with its flagship routes Temanggung Regency–Mataram City, Lombok Island, and its longest route, Jakarta–Bima City. Both routes are very long distances and require long travel times, making them challenging yet crucial inter-island intercity (AKAP) routes for inter-island mobility. These long journeys not only serve tourists or families, but also play a vital role in supporting the educational and economic mobility of local communities, especially those from areas like West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) who frequently travel to Yogyakarta or other major cities.^[10][11][12]

Despite focusing on the survival phase with its fleet and routes, Safari Dharma Raya also faces operational challenges. For example, the company had to stop operations on several less profitable routes, such as the DKI Jakarta–Surakarta route, due to low passenger occupancy so that it was no longer business-friendly to maintain. Such route adjustments and fleet allocation are part of the company's strategy to maintain efficiency and overall service quality, while still striving to meet the road travel needs of the public in the various regions it serves.^[13]