Winding Road For Ridesharing in Indonesia

Ilustrasi (dok)

JAKARTA (IndoTelko) - The road for app-based transportation provider mode (Ridesharing) to be recognized as legal and public transport is believed to still long and winding road despite the partnering driver has already established cooperatives legal status namely the Indonesian Rental Employers Association (PRRI).

"There are a number of things to be fixed, especially related to the transport regulation to be eligible to be considered as a transport service operator provider," said Acting Director General of Land Transportation, Ministry of Transportation Sugihardjo yesterday.

Sugiharjo said that measures to be taken for ridesharing partnering drivers is to propose permission from the public transport organizer to Jakarta city government or to the Ministry of Transportation. The permission is to legalize PRRI to provide rented public transport so that it can cooperate with application service provider companies like Uber or Grab.

Later, in public transport operating license, the government will limit the number of fleet in operation. The amount is determined based on the company's operational feasibility of a business entity.

PPRI operations legality must also be submitted to the Police because the permit is for rented public transport vehicle. The association's will receive a special sticker and recognized by the police.

Special plates for rented public transport are not different from the personal vehicle's black white number plate. Besides, the driver needed to poses a B type driver's license instead of the common A type driver's license.

Temporarily Block
The chairman of the Association of Land Transport drivers (PPAD) Cecep Handoko is disappointed with the steps taken by the Minister of Communication and Information Rudiantara for not blocking the Uber app and GrabCar.

"We demand equality in all aspects and compete fairly. Don't tie us up with various rules, whereas online taxis are exempted under the pretext of creativity and community needs," said Cecep.

Cecep was surprises on the government who favors Uber and GrabCar. In fact, conventional public transport is also needed by the community. "The government forgot that transportation is a means of unifying the nation and now trampled by foreign interests and not complying with the law in the Republic of Indonesia," said Cecep.

Cecep said that Rudiantara is insensitive in witnessing the social situations and creates the social conflict in the future. "In this case I reckon that we are being clashed into national horizontal conflict. Do we aware of ourselves as a sovereign and dignified nation and now being clashed with the temporarily benefit of online taxi," he said.

Separately, President Director of Blue Bird Prawiro Purnomo admitted that the company is not afraid to compete as long as playing in the same field. "We were always able to face the competitive dynamics of the business by implementing various innovations," he said.

Blue Bird is recorded as the first company in the world that develops a mobile taxi ordering app in 2011 at the Blackberry system. Currently, an application called My Blue Bird is also available on various platforms such as Android and iOS.

Monitor
On another occasion, Rudiantara confessed to have been monitoring the ridesharing issue.

He said that the owners of app based transport modes will register their business licenses through the One Stop Services (PTSP) of the Jakarta Provincial Government in order to resume operations.

"They have registered at the registered PTSP Jakarta and hopefully it will be permitted, and everything will be done," he said.

Meanwhile e-commerce analyst of ITB Kun Arief Cahyantoro predicted that the app-based transportation business will continue to be sought.

"People are happy that is easy and inexpensive. Application makers can meet the demand. But there will be obstacles related regulations and licensing support when in touch with the existing business. For example Uber and Grab," he concluded.

Earlier, the Ministry of Transportation Ignatius Jonan have dismantled the sins committed by Uber and Grab Car online transportation services for operating in the country.

Ridesharing is violating Law No. 22 Year 2009 regarding Traffic and Road Transportation. Law No. 6 of 1983 on general provisions and procedures of taxation. Law No. 25 of 2007 on capital investment. Presidential Decree No. 90 of 2000 on representative offices of foreign companies. Government Regulation No. 82 of the Implementation System and Electronic Transactions.

While Rudiantara want app-based transportation businesses (Ridesharing) and conventional can run their business side by side without any chaos in the field.(es)