Jakarta. The Transport Ministry has launched an investigative audit into electric taxi operator Green SM, as authorities probe whether one of its vehicles played a role in the deadly train collision in East Bekasi that has killed at least 16 people.

Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said the audit aims to trace all parties linked to the incident, including a taxi reportedly stopped at a railway crossing moments before the crash involving a commuter line train and the long-distance Argo Bromo Anggrek service.

“We have begun an investigative audit of the green taxi company involved in yesterday’s accident, particularly at the pool where the vehicle was stationed,” Dudy said at East Bekasi Station on Wednesday.

The audit will cover operational, technical and human resource aspects to ensure compliance with safety standards and procedures. Dudy warned that the government would take firm action if serious violations are found.

“We ask for your patience. We will update the media on the audit results, and we will not hesitate to impose sanctions if serious violations are identified,” he said.

The ministry carried out a surprise inspection at Green SM’s Bekasi pool on Tuesday night, the operational base of the vehicle suspected to be involved, followed by a direct inspection by the minister on Wednesday.

Director General of Land Transport Aan Suhanan said the inspection reviewed key safety elements, including pre-trip vehicle checks, driver competency and health, administrative compliance and fleet readiness.

“We want to ensure that safety management systems in public transport companies, including Green SM, are implemented in accordance with regulations. Initial inspections have revealed several findings that will be examined further,” Aan said.

Follow-up checks are scheduled at the company’s main pool in Kemayoran, Jakarta, to establish a comprehensive assessment. Authorities are also coordinating with police and the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT).

Separately, Jakarta Police spokesperson Budi Hermanto said investigators are focusing on two main lines of inquiry: human error and potential failures in railway communication systems.

Police plan to question key parties, including the online taxi driver suspected of triggering the incident and the train operators of both services, to reconstruct the sequence of events.

Preliminary findings suggest the crash was triggered by a series of events beginning at a level crossing in the Bulak Kapal area. According to state railway company KAI’s Jakarta spokesman, Franoto Wibowo, a taxi collided with a Jakarta-bound commuter train (KRL), forcing it to stop on the tracks. Another train heading to Cikampek also halted alongside the Jakarta-bound train.

Moments later, the intercity Argo Bromo Anggrek, traveling on the same line, struck the Cikampek-bound commuter train from behind.

The death toll rose to 16 as of Wednesday, after a critically injured woman died following surgery. All the deceased were women who had been in the women-only carriage. Around 90 people were injured, with 46 still receiving treatment and 44 discharged.

In a statement posted on its official Instagram account, Green SM said it has provided relevant information to authorities and is fully supporting the ongoing investigation.

“We have submitted relevant information to the authorities and fully support the ongoing investigation,” the company said.

The Vietnam-based electric taxi operator added that safety remains its top priority and pledged to maintain high standards through operational systems, monitoring and continuous service improvements.