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Hundreds of cab drivers in Yogyakarta rally against ride-sharing apps
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Hundreds of taxis are parked in Yogyakarta on Feb. 17 while the drivers stage a rally against ride-sharing apps Uber, GoCar and GrabCar. (JP/Bambang Muryanto)
About 300 taxi drivers held a rally in North Alun Alun, Yogyakarta, against ride-sharing apps Uber, GoCar and GrabCar on Friday.
They demanded that the Yogyakarta administration ban ride-sharing apps in the province.
Sutiman, the coordinator of Yogyakarta Metered Taxi Drivers Community (Kopetayo), said app-based hire cars offered lower prices and hurt their livelihoods.
“Our income has dropped 90 percent. This is our lowest point,” he said Friday.
He said before the proliferation of the ride-sharing app services, a driver could earn up to Rp 500,000 per day, but now Rp 150,000 was difficult to earn, resulting in their failure to pay the taxi companies the minimum share of income, ranging from Rp 300,000 to Rp 500,000.
“If nothing happens, we will take to the streets again,” Sutiman said.
A top official at Yogyakarta’s Land Transportation Organization (Organda), Taryoto, said there were 20 conventional taxi companies with a total fleet of 1,025 and 2,500 drivers.
“Taxis number 1,020 and that should not be expanded,” he said.
In July last year, the Yogyakarta Transportation Agency prohibited ride-sharing apps, but they continue to operate.
Yogyakarta Governor Hamengkubuwono said ride-sharing app services were against regulations and promised to discuss the matter with the Transportation Ministry. (evi)
