Ojol Driver's Complaint on Eve of Eid in Jakarta: 5 Hours of Work Yields Only 3 Passengers

The quietness of Jakarta on the eve of Eid al-Fitr 1447 Hijriah, Friday (20/3/2026), has directly impacted the decline in online motorcycle taxi (ojol) orders. Drivers admit that the number of passenger transport orders has dropped drastically compared to regular days. This situation occurs alongside reduced activities among residents who have started travelling home for the holidays or chosen to stay at home. Nevertheless, orders for food and goods deliveries tend to increase. One driver, Afifudin (36), who usually operates in the Juanda area, Central Jakarta, admitted to getting only a few passengers since the morning. “I’ve been online bidding since 08:00 WIB. Now at 13:00 WIB, I’ve only got three passengers,” said Afifudin when met on Friday afternoon. Normally, on a regular day, he could get nine to ten passengers in the same time frame. According to him, this condition has become a pattern every time leading up to Eid. Afifudin explained that on regular days, he more often serves short-distance trips, such as from Juanda to Sawah Besar, Kemayoran, or Gambir. He also admitted to maintaining his account performance by not turning off economy mode and rarely cancelling orders. “So on a daily basis, my ojol account is already established. More orders come in economy mode, but the distances aren’t too far,” he said. However, leading up to Eid, passenger demand decreases because community activities are reduced. “Maybe they’re focusing on Eid preparations, and people have already gone back to their hometowns,” he added. According to him, goods deliveries often face communication hurdles with recipients, especially if the address is in an apartment or multi-storey building. “Usually when delivering goods, but the recipient doesn’t pick up when I call. I’ve gone up to the upper floor and still no answer. It has happened before,” he said.