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