Inside the Jakarta to Surabaya mobile market

Inside the Jakarta to Surabaya mobile market

JAKARTA (JP): The noise inside the Gaya Baru Malam train is like that of a traditional market. Only the roaring of the wheels across the tracks deafens passengers to the sound of dozens of vendors shouting out the goods they have for sale. They offer fried bananas, 'lontong' (boiled rice wrapped in banana leaf), ice lollies, toys and books on religion, usually Islam. Dangdut music, from individual passenger's tape decks under their seats, adds to the racket.

Every night since 1975, the Gaya Baru Malam (GBM) train has served the Jakarta to Surabaya route. What makes the train unique is the number of vendors. They far outnumber those on other economy class trains.

A few seconds before the train leaves for from Kota station at 17.35 p.m., the vendors enter the coaches. They follow on the heals of the passengers.

"If I jostle with the passengers, my goods may get broken," Amin, a vendor who sells ice lollies, explained to The Jakarta Post.

The boy, who is in year five at elementary school, has been selling on the GBM for two years. He can earn Rp 2,000 (US .90) a day. "For my school fee," he said flatly.

Amin and the other vendors from Jakarta jump off at Bekasi and return home by any train heading for Kota station. They are quickly replaced by other noisy vendors.

The vendors get on and off at every station. During the day, their presence doesn't create too many problems. They service the passengers who have not brought food with them.

"Getting food is no problem at all on this train," assured Sukardi, a salesman for house hold goods on his way to Surabaya.

He isn't exaggerating. 'Lontong' and its plain side dishes such as soybean curd cost only Rp 500. Filling their stomachs is more of a concern for most passengers than taste. But once a passenger discovers a good food seller, they will never buy from another vendor. A popular vendor is usually very busy serving his regular customers.

A 30 year-old woman named Anik (not her real name), sells 'lontong' and boiled bananas and is the most popular vendor on the train. She operates between Tegal and Pemalang in Central Java. She is kept busy by customers waving at her from all directions. It's possible that the passengers not only like her food but also her smile. The good looking woman only smiles if passengers flirt with her, and cunningly uses it to attract new customers.

"But that doesn't mean that my food is always sold out," she said.

When it does, Anik takes home Rp 5,000.

"It is pretty good for my children's pocket money," explained the mother of four.

Anik doesn't have any financial problems because her husband, who works at a private bank in Tegal, earns enough to meet the family's needs.

"She does this because she has sold food on this train since she was a little girl," said Munawar, another vendor.

Munawar himself, who has three children, began to sell fried soybean curd on the train a year ago. He had previously only sold it at a market in Tegal. Munawar began hawking his homemade fried soybean curd on the train because of a scarcity of customers at the market. The results have been good.

"At least, I have never lost my money," he explained.

When he fails to sell all his curd, he peddles it at the market the following day.

Working the train is only a side job for most vendors. Most of them labor on the farm or at the market in the morning and are train vendors in the afternoon or at night.

Their presence on the train late at night can be quite annoying. Their shouts prevent passengers from sleeping and they often step on passengers lying on the floor. A few passengers shout at them, and call them names. The vendors don't show any guilt.

"We are only earning a living," said Munawar.

Vendors don't just step on passengers' bodies, some pinch passengers' belongings. According to a GBM official, they steal wallets, cases and bags. Between Cirebon and Pemalang is notoriously the worst part of the trip.

"Not all of the vendors are bad. Only certain people steal," Munawar argued.

He claimed that he has never glanced at a passengers' goods since beginning to sell on the train.

Munawar said he was very aware that his shouts disturb passengers who want to sleep or rest.

"But if I wasn't here, would the train be more comfortable?" he asked.

Probably not. Even without the vendors, the train is far from comfortable. A 68 seat coach is often crowded with more than 100 passengers. Those who don't get a seat usually stand, sit or even lie on the floor which looks as if it has never been washed. They roll out newspapers or mats if they want to sleep.

Ventilation inside the coaches is also very bad. Only if the train is moving is there any fresh air -- if the passengers haven't ingeniously closed all the windows. The three fans on the ceiling of each coach don't work and the room is very stuffy when the train stops. Odors from the toilet also assault the passengers' nostrils.

To make matters worse, the GBM stops at every station. That is a total of 20 official stops from Jakarta to Surabaya. Sometimes, the train also stops in the middle of rice fields to allow other trains to pass. Every time it stops, the train is assaulted by hordes of vendors and beggars.

"I accept the poor conditions because it is a train for the common people," said Sukardi.

He was referring to the ticket price of Rp. 10,000. It is the cheapest form of transportation from Jakarta to Surabaya.

Passengers seeking a little more comfort can hide in the dining car. Although it is only half the size of the coach, the car isn't packed because only those eating or drinking are allowed in.

To stay in the most luxurious coach on the GBM, you have to buy a continuous stream of food or drink, which is relatively expensive. A glass of tea or coffee costs Rp 600.

Dining car patrons usually hurry back to their seat within half an hour to guard their belongings against irresponsible vendors.

K. Candra Negara/X-T/ Features Syndication