Gojek addresses ride-hailing crisis: many driver partners returning to hometowns for Eid

Jakarta — Complaints from residents about the difficulty in obtaining ride-hailing services (ojol) in Jakarta during Ramadan have recently become widely discussed on social media.

A number of users have reported difficulty ordering transportation and food delivery services, particularly as iftar approaches. The phenomenon, often referred to as the “ride-hailing crisis,” has been extensively discussed on the Instagram account @jakarta.terkini.

Many social media users complained about the long waiting times to find a driver, with some even having to postpone their iftar because they were waiting for their food orders to arrive.

Gojek’s Head of Driver Operations, Bambang Adi Wirawan, stated that the surge in demand occurred earlier than on normal days, particularly in business areas in central Jakarta.

“During the final period of Ramadan and approaching the Eid al-Fitr holiday, we have observed a change in ordering patterns. Peak hours typically begin at 15:30 and reach their maximum between 16:00 and 18:00, particularly in business areas in central Jakarta,” Bambang told Kompas.com on Thursday (12 March 2026).

On the other hand, driver availability has also decreased because many driver partners chose to return to their hometowns earlier to celebrate Eid al-Fitr with their families.

“We understand that during the final period of Ramadan, some Gojek driver partners, particularly those operating in major cities, have already returned to their hometowns and chosen to spend time with their families,” explained Bambang.

Based on Gojek’s internal data from 2025, driver partners typically resume their activities gradually during the first to second week after Eid, as public activity returns to normal.

In addition to the exodus to hometowns, external conditions also affected driver availability in the field. Bambang noted that heavy rain causing flooding at several locations and traffic congestion also impacted travel times.

“Heavy rain causing flooding at several points and traffic congestion also affect driver partner availability,” he said.

“As a result, during this period, customer orders often require additional time before being accepted by a partner,” he continued.

Consequently, Gojek has urged users to allocate more time when placing orders, especially during peak hours approaching iftar.