A Number of Innovations KAI Presents at the Age of 77 Years

Right on September 28, 2022, PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) commemorated its 77th anniversary. With the theme Rise Faster, Serve Better, the company began providing a number of innovations in its services so that service to customers becomes even better.

Welcoming the 77th Anniversary, KAI Presents Hype Trip KA Taksaka for Millennials

Several innovations that have been provided in welcoming this new theme include shortening the travel time of five intercity trains as of September 28, 2022, by up to 31 minutes. Documenting faster travel time is an innovation KAI is making so that customers can arrive at their destinations faster.

All of this can be realized through infrastructure improvements by KAI and the Directorate General of Railways of the Ministry of Transportation to increase infrastructure speed capabilities. These improvements were carried out on various lines such as Ciawi – Ciamis, Banjar – Kroya, Blitar – Kertosono, and other lines.

The improvements made included building double railway tracks, improving the quality of rail track materials, upgrading signaling systems, re-engineering curve geometry, and improving the quality of rail track and bridge maintenance.
With these improvements implemented, the maximum speed of train travel increased from the previous 105 km per hour to up to 120 km per hour. Despite the increase in speed, KAI always prioritizes train travel safety.

In addition, KAI also continues to improve services by launching KA Taksaka on the Yogyakarta-Gambir route under the title Hype Trip: Traveling Feel More Fun. In this innovation, KAI offers a train ride experience with a modern, trendy impression, starting from the atmosphere, facilities, food menu, crew uniforms, to the livery.

The new face of train service was also presented in the context of KAI's 77th anniversary by updating frontliner uniforms. To present an exclusive design, KAI collaborated with famous fashion designer Anne Avantie so that KAI frontliner employees look much more elegant.
This uniform change aims to bring even better service to the public. It is also a reflection of KAI's commitment to responding to customer needs, providing a different and memorable travel experience.

In addition to service innovations, KAI is also intensifying digital transformation as a spirit to face an increasingly sophisticated era that demands digitalization in all aspects. One form of this digital transformation is trialing face recognition boarding gate facilities at Bandung Station. The presence of the face recognition boarding gate aims to make it easier for Long-Distance Train customers who want to board the train, without the hassle of showing various documents such as physical boarding passes, e-boarding passes, identity cards (KTP), or vaccination documents.

VP Public Relations of KAI Joni Martinus said KAI is trialing the face recognition boarding gate facility at Bandung Station in order to ensure and perfect this latest innovative service from KAI. It is targeted that by early 2023, this service can already be applied at all Long-Distance Train stations in various regions.

Every innovation should be in line with the spirit of preserving the environment. This is also what became the background for KAI utilizing Solar Power Plants (PLTS) or Solar Panels installed at KAI stations and offices. The installation of these Solar Panels is an energy transition effort carried out by KAI by using New and Renewable Energy (NRE) to supply electricity across various KAI assets.

“The implementation of Solar Panels at KAI stations and offices is part of the KAI 77th Anniversary series with the theme Rise Faster, Serve Better. At this anniversary momentum, KAI wants to participate in greening Indonesia through Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) in the utilization of NRE to create a better and sustainable business ecosystem,” said KAI Director of Finance and Risk Management Salusra Wijaya.

The innovations provided by the company are certainly not only for loyal customers, but also for internal employees, where employees are one of the vital components in supporting the company.

Innovations within the internal company are also a form of improving service quality so that KAI can serve customers better. KAISA (KAI Smart Assistant) and RAPID (Rail Procurement in Digital) are two innovations that will make work more effective and efficient. KAISA is a smart assistant within a robotic process automation (RPA) platform that is capable of performing repetitive, clerical, routine, manual, and high-volume tasks. Meanwhile, RAPID is an end-to-end procurement application and becomes the company's procurement supply chain. Prioritizing transparency or good corporate governance (GCG), the procurement process for goods and services is much faster and can be accessed anywhere.