Jakarta has experienced a ride-hailing crisis over recent days, with\nnumerous complaints about the difficulty of securing online transport\nservices (ojol). Both CNBC Indonesia\u2019s own monitoring and widespread\nuser reports confirm that vehicles from both Grab and Gojek are\nexceptionally difficult to obtain, affecting not only passenger\ntransport but also food delivery services.<\/p>\n
When drivers do eventually become available, they are often located\nfar from pickup points, resulting in frequent order cancellations.\nWhilst service shortages typically occur during peak hours such as\noffice closing times or during heavy rainfall, the current crisis has\naffected even standard service requests, not just discounted\noptions.<\/p>\n
Both Grab and Gojek have issued statements addressing the\nsituation.<\/p>\n
Grab\u2019s Response<\/p>\n
Tyas Widyastuti, Director of Mobility, Food, & Logistics at Grab\nIndonesia, confirmed that Grab services are operating normally, though\ncertain users in specific times and areas are experiencing longer\nwaiting times than usual. According to her, the shortage stems from a\nsignificant increase in service demand, whilst driver availability is\naffected by several factors including flooding from extreme rainfall and\nunusually heavy traffic congestion.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn recent times, demand for mobility services and delivery,\nincluding GrabExpress, GrabFood, and other services, has increased quite\nsubstantially,\u201d Widyastuti told CNBC Indonesia on Thursday, 12 March\n2026. \u201cSimultaneously, driver partner availability has also been\naffected by several factors, including extreme weather conditions that\ncaused flooding on numerous road segments, as well as traffic congestion\nhigher than usual.\u201d<\/p>\n
Widyastuti explained that Grab\u2019s operational team is implementing\nvarious measures to stabilise driver availability and maintain service\nquality, including operational adjustments to ensure balance between\nservice demand and driver supply, particularly in high-demand areas. The\ncompany will continue monitoring developments and making necessary\noperational adjustments to optimise services for users, merchants, and\ndrivers, especially as the Ramadan and Eid period approaches.<\/p>\n
\u201cGrab remains committed to ensuring all our services function\noptimally for users whilst maintaining safety standards for driver\npartners, merchants, and users, particularly during the pre-Eid period,\u201d\nshe stated.<\/p>\n
Gojek\u2019s Response<\/p>\n
Gojek explained that several factors are affecting driver\navailability during Ramadan. Bambang Adi Wirawan, Head of Driver\nOperations at Gojek, noted that some drivers, particularly in major\ncities, have chosen to return to their hometowns and spend time with\nfamily during the final period of Ramadan.<\/p>\n
External factors such as heavy rainfall causing waterlogging at\nvarious points and resulting in traffic congestion also impact driver\navailability. \u201cBeyond these factors, external conditions such as heavy\nrainfall causing waterlogging at certain points and resulting in traffic\ncongestion also affect driver partner availability. Consequently,\ncustomer orders during this period often require additional time for\nacceptance by partners,\u201d Bambang explained.<\/p>\n
He also noted a change in ordering patterns towards the end of\nRamadan and approaching the Eid holiday, with a surge in demand during\npeak hours beginning at 3:30 PM and peaking between 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM,\nparticularly in central Jakarta\u2019s business areas.<\/p>\n
In response to this phenomenon, Bambang urged users to allocate\nadditional time for placing orders and planning journeys. For drivers,\nGojek will implement special tariff schemes and income incentives during\nthe Eid holiday period to boost driver earnings and express appreciation\nfor those continuing to serve the public during the holiday.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom the driver partner side, we will implement special tariff\nschemes applicable during the Eid holiday period to increase earning\nopportunities for partners. There will also be income incentives or\nbonuses for driver partners who complete a certain number of orders.\nThis step is important for us to appreciate driver partners who choose\nto continue serving the public during the Eid holiday period,\u201d he\nexplained.<\/p>\n
\u201cGojek remains committed to ensuring convenience and comfort for\nusers whilst simultaneously offering an ecosystem that provides\nopportunities for driver partners to earn sustainable income,\u201d he\nadded.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jakarta-ride-hailing-crisis-grab-and-gojek-respond-to-service-shortage-complaints-1773291273", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }