A Utilitarian Analysis of the Policy Exempting Electric Vehicles from the Odd-Even System to Achieve Optimal Utility

Abstract

The increase in the number of motor vehicles in Jakarta has led to increasingly complex traffic congestion problems. One of the policies implemented by the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government to control vehicle volume is the odd-even policy. Under this system, electric vehicles (EVs) are exempt from these restrictions as an incentive to encourage the use of environmentally friendly vehicles and reduce emissions. However, the increasing number of EVs poses a problem because these exemptions have the potential to reduce the effectiveness of the odd-even policy in controlling traffic congestion. This study aims to analyze the odd-even policy, particularly the exemptions for EVs, and to formulate an ideal policy to address this issue. This study employs a normative legal approach. The study findings indicate that, at the outset of its implementation, the exemption for EVs was beneficial because it encouraged the transition to environmentally friendly transportation without significantly impacting road capacity when the number of EVs was still limited. However, as the number of EVs increases, the exemption has the potential to undermine the effectiveness of the odd-even policy as a traffic control measure.  According to utilitarian theory, adaptive regulations are needed that take into account the time of day, the area, the number of vehicles, and the level of traffic density.