Not Only Trucks from Lampung, Vehicles from Outside Also Hunt for Subsidized Solar Fuel

"It's okay to buy fuel in Bandar Lampung, as long as you follow the rules, queue, and don’t do anything strange," he said.

By "strange," Herman meant acquiring subsidized fuel improperly, then queuing again to get another allocation.

"Queuing once, then the fuel is siphoned off somewhere else, then queuing again. Don't do that. That's cheating. It's already hard for us," he added.

Fellow Drivers Urged Not to Cut in Line

Similar remarks were made by Suryadi, another truck driver.

He explained that it is normal to find vehicles from various regions along the Lampung crossroad because the area is a route for interregional freight transport.

"On this highway, vehicles come from all over, so there are definitely many from outside regions," Suryadi said.

He does not mind vehicles from outside Lampung filling biodiesel in Lampung as long as all drivers comply with the rules.

"The important thing is don’t cheat. We truck drivers must be understanding, queue together, and endure hardship together. The key is orderliness," he added.

Suryadi also admitted he had received advice from the police to report any suspected fraud in buying subsidized biodiesel.

"A police officer came by recently. They said if there’s cheating, like siphoning or tampering with gas station staff, we should report it," he said.

He welcomed the oversight but hopes the queue problem does not end with fuel running out before all vehicles waiting get their allocation.

"Queuing is fine, but don’t have vehicles waiting a long time only to find no fuel left," Suryadi said.

Lampung Quota, Consumption from Cross-Region Vehicles

The drivers’ statements provide another perspective on the biodiesel queue issue in Lampung.

Vehicles from outside the region do not automatically mean they are violating regulations.

Many are freight transport vehicles on interregional trips that need fuel to continue their journeys.