Bandung taxi drivers protest Blu Bird fleet

Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung

Hundreds of taxi drivers here protested on Monday against a government license allowing Blue Bird cabs into the city, saying the increased competition was ruining their business.

Drivers said Blue Bird cabs had began operations in the city since last week, and the extra competition had significantly reduced their incomes.

A driver, Apul, 26, said he and his colleagues earnings had dropped by 50 percent after the Jakarta-based taxi fleet began serving routes in the city.

"They entered exactly during the peak of the Idul Fitri holiday when we could usually earn Rp 70,000 (US$7.00) to Rp 100,000 (a day). We are only getting around Rp 20,000 to Rp 50,000 a day now. Consequently, the municipal administration should revoke the company's operation permit to prevent many other drivers from suffering," he said at the protest held at the Bandung City Council building.

The protesters drove about 300 taxis to the office. Before the protest, some demonstrators reportedly attacked a passing Blue Bird cab carrying a passenger near Jl. Aceh, where many of them had gathered.

Responding to the drivers, Bandung Mayor Dada Rosada said that the reason the municipality had issued a license to the Blue Bird chain company to operate 200 taxis in Bandung was to encourage taxis in the city to improve their services.

"We have received various complaints from consumers who are not satisfied with the services (the non-Blue Bird companies) have provided. Many of the taxi drivers refuse to use meters. Most of the fleets are already in a dilapidated state and provide poor services," Dada said.

Dada said only 50 Blue Bird taxis had been working in the city during the past week.

He said that it was appropriate for the municipality to issue such a permit because the provincial government had allocated a quota of 2,000 taxis in Bandung, while there were only around 1,400 taxis operating in the city now -- a deficit of 600.

"Let the public have a wider choice of taxis to choose from," said Dada.

Blue Bird had established the standard for providing good services in Jakarta, he said.