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fter rising criticism of taxi drivers who held extensive rallies, some of which turned violent, on Tuesday, taxi companies are trying to win back the hearts of customers by apologizing and even offering free rides.

The country'€™s biggest taxi operator Blue Bird announced on Tuesday afternoon that its service would be free for 24 hours the next day as compensation for traffic disruption caused by the rallies.

On Wednesday, Blue Bird drivers were overwhelmed by the increase in orders. Blue Bird, which covered all expenses, said it would punish any driver found asking for fares.

'€œI feel like a celebrity today. Many people on the road have requested to be taken to the airport. I'€™m sick of driving to the airport now, I'€™ve taken passengers there twice today,'€ Blue Bird taxi driver Asmani, 41, told tribunnews.com on Wednesday.

While drivers worked, hashtag #percumagratis (free-of-charge but futile) appeared on Twitter, used by netizens to vent their anger over the violent protests as well as drivers who were still asking to be paid and difficulties ordering a taxi on the free-of-charge day.

The company also requested that drivers apologize to anyone using their service.

'€œI read an instruction in the morning that said all drivers should provide free rides and apologize to customers,'€ said Asmani.

The apologies continued on Thursday, but this time taxi drivers expressed their regrets to ojek (motorcycle taxi) drivers, some of whom were targeted in Tuesday'€™s rallies.

'€œSome Blue Bird drivers visited me and my friends on Jl. Fatmawati [in South Jakarta] to say sorry this morning. They apologized for the incidents on Tuesday, in which some of our friends were victims,'€ Slamet, a driver for ride-hailing app Go-Jek, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

As well as Blue Bird, taxi operator Express Group has also apologized for the violence at Tuesday'€™s demonstration. Both Blue Bird and Express said they did not instruct their drivers to participate in the rallies.

Participants at the rallies demanded that the government ban app-based taxi services for not complying with regulations, claiming that their incomes have been in decline since app-based services came to the capital. However, some of the rallies took a more reactionary turn.

Some participants were seen beating app-based ojek drivers at several locations, such as Jl. Gatot Subroto in Semanggi, South Jakarta.

Besides taxi drivers, operators of other traditional modes of transportation such as angkot (minivan), bajaj (three-wheeled taxi) and buses also joined the rallies.

Jakarta Police general crimes director Sr. Comr. Krishna Murti said 150 taxis from Blue Bird alone were damaged.

The Jakarta Police previously named five suspects and were questioning 79 others. The suspects have been charged with committing provocation, disrupting public order and damaging property.

Those appealing for the banning of ride-sharing companies such as Grab and Uber say that the companies are in violation of the land transportation law. Article 139 of the law, for example, stipulates that public transportation vehicles must be provided by state-owned enterprise, provincially-owned companies or private companies. Under this article, owners of cars used by ride-sharing companies are required to have a legal entity to offer their services.

Grab and Uber recently established a cooperative for their car owners in an effort to comply with the law.

In response to the issue, Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan told ride-sharing companies on Thursday that they have two months to fulfill the requirements, adding that companies would be allowed to operate during this period.

Fulfilling these requirements will mean that car owners must operate as a legal entity, as well as attain a road-worthy certificate and public transport driving license.