Ride-hailing app, Grab Indonesia, plans to take measures to increase its drivers’ income in response to their protest earlier this week.
“We will study this. We all agree to make a joint effort to increase the income [of the drivers],” said Grab Indonesia managing director Ridzki Kramadibrata at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday as reported by kontan.co.id.
Ridzki and a representative of Go-Jek, another ride-hailing app, were at the palace on the invitation of Presidential Chief of Staff (KSP) Moeldoko to discuss the issue, following the meeting between President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and representatives of the protesting drivers on Tuesday.
Jokowi met with the drivers’ representatives after thousands of drivers protested on Tuesday morning to demand the tariff increase, which is currently Rp 1,600 per kilometre. Jokowi promised mediation between the drivers and the ride-hailing apps.
“The government has shown goodwill by asking us to negotiate [with the drivers]. We have already understood the problem. It is about income. But the drivers have to understand that tariffs are not the only factor in increasing their incomes,” Ridzki said.
Meanwhile, Moeldoko said the drivers demanded the tariff increase to Rp 4,000 per km from Rp 1,600.
He said the Transportation Ministry had also made calculations about the new tariffs that would be proposed in the mediation meeting.
Source: The Jakarta Post
Photo courtesy of NY Daily News