Tale of the hard working Indian-made 'bajaj'<\/p>\n
By Alex Abraham<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): It looks like an unsuccessful cross between a
\nkitchen cupboard and a tricycle, sounds like stones rolling on a
\ntin roof and smokes like a battalion of kretek (clove cigarettes)
\naddicts. Yet, after years of yeoman service, this intrepid
\nsurvivor of Jakarta's crowded arteries chugs on, defying time,
\ntechnology, restrictions and sheer age. This saga of survival is
\nindeed a tale of flexibility, adaptation, innovation and renewal.<\/p>\n
The bajaj (three-wheeled motorized vehicle) made its first
\nappearance in Indonesia 29 years ago from distant India. In over
\ntwo years, 9,000 bajaj were imported into the country. Its
\nconsiderable popularity and immediate adoption as a popular means
\nof \"private\" transport -- as one moved upmarket from the public
\nbuses -- was attributed to its very attractive economics. The
\nother strengths of the bajaj evolved over time.<\/p>\n
Powered by a simple 150 cc single-cylinder low-speed two-
\nstroke engine, the bajaj is the offspring of the marriage of the
\nItalian Vespa and Indian need driven relevant technological
\ninnovation. The vehicle is named after its Indian collaborator,
\nMr. Bajaj (of Gujerati origin). He was a close friend, helper and
\nconfidant of Mahatma Gandhi. From very small beginnings in the
\n1950s in Pimpri, a suburb of Poona, Bajaj can now proudly claim
\nto be the biggest scooter manufacturer in the world!<\/p>\n
From a two wheeler to a three wheeler was a logical evolution.
\nAn extra wheel, a base plate, a sofa-like seat for two (although
\n16 souls have claimed a Guinness record carrying capacity), with
\na part cover of tin and canvass that would be the envy of an
\naging tortoise, the bajaj was born. Here, then, was real
\ncompetition to the established taxi trade at lower capital cost,
\nlower revenue cost, lower maintenance and space costs! And to the
\ncustomer, it provided an economic means to get from point A to
\nPoint B.<\/p>\n
The elementary simplicity of the technology ensured the
\nlongevity. The engine, transmission, chassis, steering and lights
\nare all the very essence of basics. Young, deft-fingered,
\nskillful self-taught mechanics rip apart and put together, with
\naffection, these aging workhorses. Most parts lend themselves to
\nlocal \"manufacture\" of sorts, normally achieved through cutting,
\ngrinding, drilling, shaping and riveting. The starter is no
\nmodern day electronic gizmo, just a three-foot galvanized iron
\npipe. The benzene tank? A reconditioned oilcan of five liters to
\nseven liters capacity, welded to the front right of the driver.
\nThe single foot pedal on the floorboard connects to the two rear
\nbrakes, and the rudimentary engine sits directly beneath the
\ndriver's seat.<\/p>\n
Tatok, a seasoned and wiry veteran of 15 years of bajaj
\nexperience, said: \"It is this stark simplicity that makes for the
\nlow operating costs. We can reweld chains, grind a crankshaft and
\neven do our own wheel balancing. But for this, it would have been
\nimpossible for us to survive at the low prices we charge.\"<\/p>\n
Have you seen a bajaj full of krupuk (crackers), bulging out
\nboth sides like blown up jowls, make morning deliveries to shops
\naround the town? Or stagger under a Herculean load of potted
\npalms and plants en route to set up a roadside nursery stall?
\nCarry 10 children from a kampong to a nearby school? Or watched
\nit move a whole family early in the morning from Gambir Station
\nwith their three boxes, two baskets and six bags, all the way to
\nGlodok? Then you begin to comprehend the capacity, the
\nversatility and the very essentiality of the bajaj!<\/p>\n
And it does all this at a quarter of the cost of a taxi. Many
\nvehicles are provided with a tiny three-volt battery that serves
\nto activate blinking colored sidelights. Some even sport a first
\naid box, securely locked, with medicine to help the passenger in
\ncase of an unwelcome emergency. Each vehicle is officially
\nregistered to carry 20 kg of goods and three people, although a
\nkeen observer will conclude that this is a regulation often
\ninterpreted very liberally.<\/p>\n
A question often raised is why the authorities decree a dull
\norange color for all bajaj? Given freedom, the eclectically
\nbrilliant artistry of the people would certainly have found
\ncolorful expression in our bajaj outshining the Jeepney of
\nManila.<\/p>\n
Most of the machines belong to fleet owners. The lot of a
\nbajaj driver is not an easy one. Hiring the vehicle from the
\nowner at Rp 50,000 per day, teams of two drivers break the day
\ninto two long shifts.<\/p>\n
\"On a good day we can make Rp 30,000 to Rp 40,000,\" said
\nAgung, quickly added \"but sometimes in the rain, when there is
\ntrouble, or on holidays, we are lucky to get Rp 10,000.\"<\/p>\n
In the old days, an occasional tourist took a novelty ride and
\nthat could mean some generous money. But now, even that
\nopportunity is gone with the tourists no longer pouring into
\nJakarta, he said.<\/p>\n
A majority of these drivers come from Cirebon, Indramayu,
\nTegal and other parts of Central Java.<\/p>\n
\"The cost of spares is skyrocketing,\" moaned Teguh as he
\ncleaned and oiled the engine under his seat. \"Even the light
\nbulbs and spark plugs are becoming near impossible to replace.\"<\/p>\n
Each day, they have to contend with the heat, the dust, the
\nrain and the pollution. Grudging customers, who would bargain
\nwith them down to the last Rp 50 on a ride, do not help to make
\ntheir day any easier.<\/p>\n
Mudi observed with native perception, \"People seem to think we
\nare better off just because we drive a bajaj. On a blazing sunny
\nday, the heat of the engine adds to the heat of the day, adding
\nto our torture. On rainy days, the agony of avoiding big water-
\nfilled portholes in the kampong alleys is nerve-racking.<\/p>\n
\"There is no suspension, like in cars, and many of us are
\nprone to bad back pains. I wish they'd pause to think that we,
\ntoo, are trying to eke out a living in these difficult times and
\nthat we have so many costs and so many problems.\"<\/p>\n
Joko interjected on a more philosophical plane, \"Mudi,
\ncomplaining is a part of human nature. Don't expect sympathy.
\nEach one has to adjust to survive!\"<\/p>\n
And still the bajaj chugs bravely on, serving thousands across
\nthe land.<\/p>",
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