Transport Minister Praises Becak Driver Compensation Programme Supporting Smooth Eid Travel in West Java
Cirebon — Indonesia’s Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi has commended the West Java Provincial Government’s compensation programme for becak drivers, stating that it has facilitated smooth Eid travel flows in the region for 2026.
During his visit to Cirebon on Saturday, Dudy stated that the programme has effectively assisted field officials in maintaining traffic flow whilst providing support to becak drivers during the Eid exodus period.
“This programme is excellent and highly valuable. We greatly appreciate the steps taken by the Governor,” said Dudy.
He assessed that the policy contributes to creating a smoother and more comfortable journey for the public, particularly on major arterial routes.
According to him, the programme also provides becak drivers with the opportunity to temporarily cease operations on the roads during the exodus period whilst continuing to receive assistance from local authorities.
Dudy stated that similar policies could be implemented in other regions as one approach to traffic management during the peak travel season. However, he emphasised that programme implementation depends on each local government’s budgetary capacity.
“We consistently urge other local governments to implement similar measures, but naturally adapted to their respective regional capacities,” he said.
He assessed that West Java’s provincial government has sufficient budgetary support to implement the programme during the exodus period.
Regarding current traffic conditions, Dudy noted that vehicle movement has increased, though not dramatically at present. Nevertheless, the government continues to monitor traffic developments to anticipate potential vehicle surges in the coming days.
Dudy added that based on survey results, the peak exodus flow is estimated to occur on 18 March 2026.
He encouraged the public to utilise the Work From Anywhere (WFA) policy to choose more flexible travel times, thereby preventing vehicle congestion at any single moment.
Meanwhile, West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi stated that compensation to becak drivers was provided to reduce queuing activities on main routes that could trigger congestion.
According to him, each becak driver receives assistance of 1.4 million rupiah as compensation for temporarily ceasing operations ahead of Eid al-Fitr.
Dedi noted that Cirebon region has approximately 557 becak drivers receiving the assistance, with the possibility of additional recipients through other funding support.
“Overall there are 5,000 compensation recipients, but we will shortly have additional recipients covered by other funds,” he said.