Taxi drivers count their losses at start of Ramadhan

JAKARTA (JP): Taxi drivers said on Monday they were dealing with plummeting daily earnings during the Ramadhan fasting month.

Interviewed separately by The Jakarta Post, drivers from various taxi companies said many people were preferring to rest at home.

Others said the closure of many nightspots in the city was keeping people from venturing out.

Taxi operators admitted business was down.

"We lost between 20 percent and 30 percent (of our daily income) during the early days of Ramadhan," said Ateng Aryono, vice director of operation affairs of the Blue Bird group, which operates some 3,000 taxis on the capital's streets.

Kosti Jaya taxi driver Yatinal Boer said he usually brought home a daily average of Rp 40,000.

"But during the early days of Ramadhan until today I can only get Rp 20,000 per day," he said while waiting for passengers at a bus stop in front of the Jakarta Hilton Convention Center in Central Jakarta.

Machri of Prestasi taxi said: "We can no longer get passengers at late night hours because many pubs and discotheques are (temporarily) closed."

He said he now collected about half of his regular daily earnings of some Rp 70,000.

A Ratax driver complained that he came home empty-handed since Ramadhan began on Thursday.

"I have to spend extra money, around Rp 20,000 per day, to meet the standard daily income to my company," he said.

A Blue Bird driver voiced the fear of many of his colleagues that the situation might continue until the last week of Ramadhan when people started to go shopping in preparation for the post- fasting month holiday of Idul Fitri.

In an attempt to help the drivers, many taxi companies have slightly lowered the standard amount drivers are required to pay.

"We reduced the 'rental fees' of our taxi to Rp 105,000 during Ramadhan from the normal rate of Rp 110,00 per day ," said Reginald Karly Laguais, personnel manager of PT Ratax Armada, which operates Ratax taxis.

Unlike many taxi companies, the Blue Bird group uses a commission system for its drivers.

According to Ateng, the drivers could bring home 10 percent of the total fares collected on a given day.

Taxi drivers said they often faced problems in collecting rides, but the situation appeared worse this year.

"Before Ramadhan, we faced heavy traffic congestion every day. During Ramadhan, the streets are empty and so are the taxis," said Muhidin, another taxi driver. (asa/bsr)