Online Taxi Drivers Welcome Removal of 'Budget' Programs, Claim They Only Benefit Customers

TANGERANG — Online motorcycle taxi drivers have stated that ‘budget’ programmes on ride-hailing applications only assist customers in obtaining cheaper fares without providing any benefit to the drivers. These programmes are said to burden drivers due to service fee deductions and low trip tariffs.

This sentiment has led drivers to agree with the potential removal of budget programmes on two major applications. “The budget programme is not free. We pay to access ‘Bike Hemat’ and other budget-specific meters,” said Anjas when contacted on Wednesday (20/05/2026).

According to him, participating in the programme often makes him a priority when orders arrive. However, he noted that drivers must pay a certain amount to the application provider, depending on the number of orders received each day. “In Grab, it depends on the orders. For one to two orders, it is Rp 3,000. For two to four orders, it is Rp 8,500. The maximum per day can reach Rp 20,000,” he explained.

Anjas believes the programme is more profitable for customers than for drivers, as it offers cheaper trip rates. Conversely, driver income decreases due to the programme’s fee deductions, which can reach up to Rp 20,000. He also assessed that current ‘Hemat’ service rates are far too low for drivers.

Nevertheless, Anjas remains concerned about the actual removal of the ‘Hemat’ service. He fears that customers might switch to other application providers if trip tariffs become more expensive. “I would be happy if it were removed, but I worry customers will move to other platforms because there are no more budget prices. I am afraid orders will decrease,” he said.

Another driver, Cecep (45), does not participate in the ‘Hemat’ programme, but he noted that many drivers frequently complain about the excessively low tariffs.