Ojek – Unreliable Public Transport: Jakarta, West Java

As a news reporter, traversing all the five municipalities of Jakarta every day is the norm. But getting back to the office in time to meet deadlines amidst horrendous evening traffic is something else.

None of Jakarta’s public transport is without its flaws.

Taking the bus means extra guts — and a lot of sweat — to bear the drivers’ breakneck, reckless driving. Taking the train means dealing with thieves.

Taxis are expensive and can’t beat the traffic, while bajaj (three-wheeled motorized vehicle) are just too noisy.

So I settle on ojek (motorcycle taxis) as the answer to all my problems.

In a city of more than seven million people, which doubles in daytime, more than 2.5 million private cars and 3.8 million motorcycles ply the streets. According to data from the transportation agency, 1,035 additional motorcycles and 296 cars enter Jakarta every day. But there is no accurate data on the number of ojek in the capital.

Riding an ojek means saving time, some cash and getting a little extra air to breath, even if the air quality might be doubtful. At very least, ojek can take me everywhere in no time, including the city’s narrow streets.

But it’s not all perfect.

If I bargain with ojek drivers over the fare when there’s heavy traffic, most times they will try to raise the price. Just like yesterday when I asked an ojek driver to take me to my rented room in Kalibata, Pasar Minggu from Tanah Abang. He asked me for Rp 35,000 (US$3.8) to cover the trip.

“I better ride a taxi for Rp 35,000,” I said. When I asked him to reduce it to Rp 15,000, he asked for Rp 20,000. “The traffic is jammed up,” he said.

“Of course, this is Jakarta,” I said.

And when I gave it a second thought I realized something else. He was charging me for a traffic jam, something that I had absolutely nothing to do with.

Besides, as an ojek driver isn’t he supposed to get used to Jakarta’s traffic?

I ended up agreeing even though I was a little irritated with the request.

He then drove me home through Kuningan, one of Jakarta’s most traffic prone streets.

From any of the alternative streets why on earth would he have chosen Kuningan, I thought. But since he was driving, I didn’t want to interrupt him with the question.

When we arrived, I asked the driver to wait for me and take me somewhere else. When I asked him how much I was supposed to pay him for that, he asked the same price as before, giving the same reason of traffic, even though the next destination was not as far as the last.

But since I was in a hurry I didn’t think much of it and so accepted his offer. And then once again he drove through Kuningan, again avoiding the closer and less congested option closer to Jl. Medan Merdeka, my destination.

The driver apparently only knew the road he usually takes from his house Tanah Abang. But it makes me wonder: What are we paying for?

If taxis can use a meter, what can’t ojek drivers? Are they charging us for every bead of perspiration they produce on each trip. Or is it the total energy they expend?

Or is it that because they know little about Jakarta’s roads — or at least pretend to, like many taxi drivers?

I’m no longer wondering why more and more people are taking their bikes to work.

Too bad the city administration doesn’t seem to be excited about supporting bikers by building bikeways for them. It’s just another reason I haven’t yet been convinced to buy one myself.

— Irawaty Wardany