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espite bicycle courier services being almost unheard of in Jakarta amid the popularity of online-based motorcycle courier services, bike couriers under the Indonesia Bicycle Messenger Association (IBMA) are looking to make their own mark in the city.

The IBMA is currently preparing to host the annual Cycle Messenger World Championship (CMWC) in September 2019 in Jakarta.

Held since 1993, the CMWC is an annual urban cycling competition in which competitors showcase their skills in cycling, while simulating the work of bicycle messengers by picking up and delivering packages throughout the host city as quickly and efficiently as possible during the main bicycle race.

According to IBMA head Duenno Ludissa, Indonesia has participated in the championship since 2015, with up to four representatives from the Westbike Messenger Service (WMS) representing Indonesia in the competition. WMS is the only one of 27 IBMA members that has been established as a legal entity.

WMS is a Jakarta-based bicycle courier service founded in 2013, and has expanded its operation to Bandung, West Java, and Surabaya, East Java. It is now in the process of expanding to Bandar Lampung and Medan, North Sumatra.

“Our mission is to learn about the urban bike messenger culture in developed countries so that we know what to do to develop this service in Indonesia,” he told The Jakarta Post recently.

Praising Duenno, WMS cofounder Hendi Rachmat said that since the culture of bicycle courier services in Indonesia had yet to be developed, they had no intention of competing with ride-hailing companies such as Go-Jek or Grab, which also offer courier services.

“We are focusing on business-to-business operations,” Hendi told the Post.

WMS employs 65 bicycle couriers, with only four being part-timers.

One of the WMS couriers Danang, 23, said that he worked as a full-time courier while finishing his broadcast journalism degree at Budi Luhur University in South Jakarta.

Danang, who lives in Tangerang with his parents, said he signed up to become a bicycle courier because he wanted to be more financially independent.

“The pay is enough to go to Starbucks every day,” he joked, referring to the coffee chain popular among Jakarta’s middle-upper class.

His colleague Adi, 27, said that he enjoyed working full-time as a bicycle courier more than his old office job.

“Personally, I’ve found satisfaction in being a bicycle courier. That is something money can’t buy. It sounds cliché, but it’s true,” Adi said.

Duenno said that Indonesia was chosen as host for the 2019 CMWC event after participating in a bid during the 2017 championship held in Montreal, Canada.

Duenno said the 2019 CMWC slated to be held in September, would see up to 600 competitors from around 30 countries taking part.

Currently the association are intensifying discussions with the Jakarta administration on the preparations for the championship.

“We are currently looking for the right venue. Because it is a big event so it will be a great opportunity for Jakarta to show that it is a city that cares for cyclists and the environment,” Duenno said.(ami)