Cycling to earn a living in Jakarta<\/p>\n
By Sri Muninggar Saraswati<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Cycling is more than a way of keeping fit, for
\nsome people it is actually how they earn their living.<\/p>\n
It may sound a little bit strange, but within the hustle and
\nbustle of a major urban center like Jakarta, you can still find
\nbicycle taxis (ojek sepeda).<\/p>\n
Unlike motorcycle taxis which operate all over the city, the
\nbicycle taxis are mostly found in North Jakarta and West Jakarta.<\/p>\n
In North Jakarta, you will find them, for example, near Kota
\nrailroad station, at Sunda Kelapa harbor, and in Koja, Mangga Dua
\nand Ancol, while in West Jakarta, they operate in the Jelambar,
\nDaan Mogot, Kapuk, Teluk Gong and Cengkareng areas, as well as
\nsome other places.<\/p>\n
If you are passing near Sunda Kelapa harbor on Jakarta Bay,
\nyou will probably come across them. Dozens of drivers usually
\nwait for passengers in front of the harbor entrance.<\/p>\n
One of them is Arsa, 57, who said he became a bicycle taxi
\ndriver two years ago to pass the time (he is retired), and earn
\nsome money into the bargain.<\/p>\n
\"I have nothing to do now that I'm retired, so I decided to
\nstart working as a bicycle taxi driver,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Before retiring, he was a low-level employee of RRI state
\nradio on Jl. Medan Merdeka, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Arsa's wife passed away in 1998 while his only daughter, Ati,
\nlives in Semarang, Central Java, with her family.<\/p>\n
\"I can meet and talk to my passengers. Some of them know me
\nwell,\" he noted, saying that he preferred to take middle-aged
\nlady passengers since they liked to talk a lot.<\/p>\n
\"It's good entertainment for me,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Arsa's services are available six days a week from 8 a.m. to 6
\np.m. He always stops for a break between midday and 1 p.m.<\/p>\n
He earns an average of Rp 20,000 a day.<\/p>\n
The charge for a short ride of a few hundred meters is Rp
\n1,000, while for longer trip one has to pay up to Rp 2,500.<\/p>\n
\"The price is negotiable, however,\" Arsa said.<\/p>\n
Another driver, Tohar, 40, said he works almost everyday from
\n8 a.m. to 8 p.m. He carries between 10 and 30 passengers per day.<\/p>\n
Most of the passengers are residents living in the vicinity of
\nthe harbor or harbor employees. It's a couple of hundred meters
\nto the harbor offices from the main gate, while residential areas
\naround the harbor are located about one or two kilometers away.<\/p>\n
Central Javanese by birth, Tohar moved to Jakarta seven years
\nago, hoping for a better life like his brother, who runs a small
\nwarung (food stall) not far from the port. Tohar, however, found
\nit hard to get a job and, following his brother's suggestion, he
\nbought a second-hand bicycle for Rp 50,000 ($5.80) and started to
\nwork as a bicycle taxi driver.<\/p>\n
\"My family and I can survive because of the money from this
\njob,\" Tohar said happily. He can earn up to Rp 30,000 per day, if
\nhe is lucky.<\/p>\n
He has a wife and five children, with the eldest being a
\njunior high school student.<\/p>\n
Tohar understands the risky nature of his work. Three years
\nago, he was involved in an accident with a taxi. He was not
\ninjured, but his bike was damaged. Luckily, the taxi driver paid
\nRp 30,000 to have the bike repaired.<\/p>\n
He said he always tried to keep fit by eating regularly,
\ndrinking jamu (traditional herbal medicine), and wearing a
\nraincoat whenever it rained.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Dudi, a passenger, said he preferred taking bicycle
\ntaxis as they were cheaper than the three-wheel motorized bajaj
\nor motorcycle taxis.<\/p>\n
\"I need a bicycle taxi to take me to the main road where I can
\nget a bus to go to work,\" he remarked.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/cycling-to-earn-a-living-in-jakarta-1447893297",
"image": ""
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