Discourse On Ojol Tariffs Up To 15 Percent, Who Benefits?

A number of online motorcycle taxi drivers rallied in the Horse Statue area, Jakarta, Tuesday (20/5/2025). (ANTARA/Jasmine Nadhya Thanaya/rwa/am)

JAKARTA The Ministry of Transportation's plan to increase online motorcycle taxi (ojol) rates by a maximum of 15 percent is in the spotlight. He said this policy was carried out to improve driver welfare.

The government's plan to increase the ojol rate by 8 to 15 percent was put forward by the Director General of Land Transportation of the Ministry of Transportation Aan Suhanan. This plan, he said, had entered the final stage study and the new rules would be launched in the near future.

"We have reviewed and it is final for changes in tariffs, especially two wheels, there are several increases. Varying, the increase is said to be 15 percent, there is 8 percent, depending on the zone we determine," said Aan in a Working Meeting with Commission V DPR RI in Central Jakarta, Monday (30/6).

Currently, the ojol tariff is divided into three zones, in accordance with the Decree of the Minister of Transportation Number KP 564/2022. This means that the ojol tariff has not changed for the last three years.

The Ministry of Transportation said that the planned tariff increase was based on requests from drivers who were members of various associations. Previously, ojol drivers held several demonstrations demanding the reduction in application costs which reached 20 percent.

However, the plan reaps the pros and cons among the community. On the one hand, it is believed that this tariff increase plan can help improve driver welfare amid increasing community needs. But on the other hand, the increase in tariffs has the potential to reduce consumer interest in ojol.

Online motorcycle taxi rates are currently divided into three zones, namely zone I regulates tariffs in Sumatra, Java (in addition to Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi), and Bali. The tariff in this zone is IDR 1,850 to IDR 2,300 per kilometer. If it increases, the tariff is estimated to be IDR 1,998 to IDR 2,645 per km.

Zone II includes Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi. The tariff is IDR 2,600 to 2,700 per km. The tariff in this zone is IDR 2,808-IDR 3,105 per km if the government actually imposes a new tariff.

While Zone III includes Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara and its surroundings, as well as Maluku and Papua. The tariff in this zone is set at IDR 2,100-2,600 for each kilometer. Estimated tariff after rising to IDR 2,268-IDR 2,990 per km.

Economists from the Center of Economic and Law Studies Nailul Huda, including those who support the government's intention to increase the occupancy rate, which has not changed for three years.

According to Huda, the increase in service rates is in line with the increase in community needs shown by inflation. That way, this policy can be an option to accommodate the needs of the drivers. Huda also assesses that the increase in ojol rates can be done regularly, like annually.

"The government conducts a study, not only to determine the amount of the tariff increase, but also the formula for the increase," Huda told VOI.

"So there is a standard formulation to be used as a guide to determine tariffs every year. The formula includes at least inflation and sectoral growth as a variable for tariff growth," he added.

With this formulation, said Huda, this year's tariff increase can be adjusted. For example, reflecting on inflation in 2025 which is targeted to reach 2.5 percent and economic growth at 4.8 percent, the increase could be at 7.3 percent.

He did not deny that there was a possibility that the community would be burdened by this tariff increase. However, this objection can be minimized if the increase is done on an annual basis.

There will be the potential to reduce demand from passengers if the increase is beyond reasonable limits and there is no scientific explanation. However, if the increase can be explained by scientific methods and is not too high, I think passengers can receive it well," he said.

Meanwhile, Institute for Democracy and Affluence Studies (IDEAS) researcher Muhammad Anwar emphasized that the price difference that will be pocketed by drivers will remain small even with the increase in tariffs. One of the reasons is because the increase in the price of basic necessities and operating costs of vehicles are also greater in increase.

Anwar also tried to simulate driver's income before and after the tariff changes.

If an ojol driver completes an average of 10 trips per day with a distance of 5 km per trip, it means the total daily distance of the driver reaches 50 km.

"If you use the assumption that the basic tariff before the increase is Rp. 2,500 per km, the driver's daily gross income is Rp. 125 thousand. However, with a 20 percent discount from the applicator, the net income that the driver brings home is only around Rp. 100,000 per day," Anwar calculated.

With the increase in the occupancy rate to Rp2,700 to Rp2,975 per km and the same distance, the daily gross income increased to Rp135,000 in the 8 percent scenario, and to Rp143,750 in the 15 percent increase. But after deducting 20 percent by the applicator, the driver will bring home Rp108 thousand to Rp115 thousand per day.

In other words, the daily net income of ojol drivers only increased by between Rp. 8,000 and Rp. 15 thousand. That's why according to Anwar, the benefits of the tariff increase clearly did not feel significant because the 20 percent discount was still not removed.

According to Anwar, the increase in ojol tariffs planned by the government is actually more profitable for the applicator. Because ojol companies will automatically get additional money. For example, from a total gross income of Rp. 135 thousand per day when the tariff is up 8 percent, the applicator can immediately earn Rp. 27 thousand from just one driver.

"Furthermore, this tariff increase policy can actually be seen as a diversion of pressure from applicators to consumers, without touching the root demands of drivers who have long asked for a reduction in commission cuts, a transparent incentive system, and job protection like the formal sector," said Anwar.

"The increase in ojol rates will clearly increase the burden on passengers, especially those who depend on this service every day for work mobility, school, or family needs. However, in the midst of inadequate public transportation conditions, it is not comfortable, and has not reached many residential areas, the choice of the community, especially urban workers, is still very limited," said Anwar. end.