Yahoo – AFP, Olivia Rondonuwu, December 30, 2015
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| Several motorbike taxi services with women drivers entered the Indonesian market in 2015 after years of growing piety in the country (AFP Photo/Bay Ismoyo) |
Female
motorbike taxi drivers in headscarves zig-zag through heavy traffic in the
Indonesian capital Jakarta, the latest two-wheeled transport service for women
making a dent in the male-dominated world of ride-hailing apps in the Muslim
nation.
A flurry of
new motorbike taxi options have in the past year appeared in the metropolis of
10 million, led by popular service Go-Jek, giving Indonesia's growing middle
class a greater choice of transport to get through some of the world's worst
traffic jams.
The
services -- many inspired by ride-sharing app Uber and accessible on
smartphones -- are a challenge to traditional motorbike taxis in Indonesia,
known as "ojeks", which are ubiquitous but have drawn criticism with
their dishevelled, dangerous drivers and unpredictable pricing.
Several
services with women drivers entered the market in 2015 after years of growing
piety in Indonesia, which has the world's biggest Muslim population, and amid
heightened safety concerns following reports of attacks on women by male
motorbike taxi drivers.
They are in
part designed with religious sensitivities in mind, as an increasing number of
Muslim women wear headscarves and follow strict interpretations of Islam that
forbid close contact with the opposite sex, except between married couples.
"The
need for transportation for women is huge, especially in big cities where rates
of crime and sexual harassment are very high," Evilita Adriani, co-founder
of motorbike taxi company Ojek Syari, told AFP.
Only
Muslim drivers
Popularly
known by its nickname "Ojesy", it is the service that aims most
clearly at devout female passengers, requiring its drivers to be Muslim women
wearing headscarves and loose-fitting clothes.
Ojesy
drivers can currently only be hailed by a phone call or through mobile messaging
service WhatsApp, but the service is also developing an app that was being
tested out this month.
The
service, which began in Indonesia's second-biggest city Surabaya in March
before expanding across the main island of Java, only accepts female passengers
or children.
"I
feel more comfortable sharing a ride with a fellow Muslim woman," said
Nurlaila, a Surabaya housewife who goes by one name.
She uses
the service to take her children to school -- a common practice in the country
where whole families often travel squashed together on a motorbike.
"Thank
God for Ojesy."
The company
says business is booming -- after starting in March with Adriani as its only
driver, it now has 350 drivers.
Other
motorbike taxi companies vying for a stake in the female market include
app-based service LadyJek, whose drivers dress in pink jackets and helmets, and
Sister-Ojek, a start-up that began operations earlier this year with capital of
just $100.
Indonesia
stands out for the number of motorbike taxi services aimed at women that it
boasts, with female drivers relatively rare in many developing nations where
the mode of transport is popular.
But they do
exist in some other countries, including in Liberia where a group of female
drivers, sick of being robbed, took to the wheel, reportedly donning pink
helmets and jackets and calling themselves "The Pink Panthers".
The trend
for motorbike taxi-hailing services started in earnest last year with Go-Jek in
Jakarta, a general service for anyone wishing to order a motorbike ride, which
was quickly followed by others such as GrabBike and Blu-jek.
Tough
security measures
The
women-only services are slightly more expensive than others, but insist they
have better security measures.
Calls have
been growing for heightened security after reports of women being stalked and
harassed by male motorbike taxi drivers, while the rape of a young woman in
India by an Uber driver last year also added to safety concerns about
ride-hailing services.
LadyJek
drivers can activate a loud alarm if they are attacked or feel threatened,
while Ojesy and Sister-Ojek only operate between sunrise and sunset.
However the
services are unlikely to overtake major competitors like Go-Jek as many women
in Indonesia, where the majority practise a moderate form of Islam, have few
qualms about taking a motorbike taxi driven by a man.
The
services also try to make themselves attractive to drivers, with Ojesy allowing
Muslim housewives and university students to work part-time.
