Struggle for the Streets

Taxi services based on digital technology should not be viewed from a narrow perspective. The demonstration by drivers of conventional taxis, with the support of the companies that employ them, was a childish reaction. They should take a good look at themselves. On-line taxi fares are lower than those of normal taxis, but this is not solely because they do not pay taxes. It is because there is no mechanism they can use to do so. And most probably, the reason conventional taxis are inefficient is because they take too much profit.

Busy people living in Jakarta and other large cities are happy with internet-based transport services: It is easy to call them, they are relatively safe and they are cheap. With a cellphone in hand, people can make use of Uber, Grab and Go-Jek, a motorbike taxi service based on an online app, without needing to hail them on the street. This is one of the blessings of digital technology: It makes things faster and easier.