The motorbike taxi driver waiting for customers was cheerful

Motorbike taxi driver waiting for customers at an intersection

There is the shadow of a taxi at the intersection of the streets. I think so when I walk around Jakarta. That's how much a three-wheeled taxi called Bajaj is parked at the intersection of wide streets. Of course, there are not only Bajaj but also motorbike taxis. But there was no pedicab called becak in the city center. They are sometimes seen in residential areas, but they are not allowed to enter the city center of Jakarta because they are causes of traffic jams.

The cheerful man in this photo was also a motorbike taxi driver. Like others, he parked his vehicle at the intersection, smoked a cigarette, and waited for his customers to come. From the looks of it, the man was not registered with either Grab or Gojek, the two major services of motorbike taxis in Jakarta. Both services have green as their corporate color, and their registered riders often wear rider suits and helmets with a green logo. But this guy was not dressed that way. He was dressed as if he was going to the convenience store for a moment, or as if he had just left home. These independent motorbike taxi drivers were called OJEK.

OJEK is a service that has been around since before smartphones were around, and the fare is negotiable and payment is in cash. This is not easy to use for locals as well as tourists like me. That's why more and more drivers will join Gojek and Grab. Sooner or later, there will no longer be anyone called OJEK.

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