The government has pledged to include motorcycle taxi (ojek) drivers working for ride-hailing apps in the insurance schemes of both the Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) and the Workers Social Security Agency (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan).

Transportation Ministry Roads Director General Budi Setiyadi said this was stipulated in Transportation Ministerial Regulation No. 12/2019 on the protection of motorcycle users for public transportation, issued earlier this month.

“The participation of the drivers in both the BPJS Kesehatana and BPJS ketenagakerjaan is an important [element in the regulation],” he said, as quoted by komaps.com after announcing the new fares for app-based ojek in Jakarta on Monday.

He said the inclusion of the drivers in those insurance programs was important because of their high-risk occupation.

“With their inclusion, should they be involved in any traffic accidents, the cost of their treatment would be covered by the BPJS and other insurances,” Budi said.

In Jakarta alone, the number of app-based ojek drivers is estimated at more than 1 million. (bbn)