Arya Dipa, Bandung, West Java – Empty streets were seen in areas across Bandung, West Java, on Thursday as hundreds of public transportation drivers operating in the city staged a strike to protest app-based ride-hailing services.

Traffic gridlock, which usually hits several streets across Bandung every morning, did not happen. The traffic conditions from Jl. Ciwastra to the Kordon Market and from the Leuwipanjang areas to the Cicaheum Terminal were relatively quite on Thursday morning.

The public transportation drivers chose to gather in front of the Gedung Sate heritage building to call for the revocation of Transportation Ministerial Regulation (Permenhub) No. 32/2016 concerning app-based transportation.

The drivers of public minivans and taxis, who staged the strike, said Permenhub No. 32, which allowed the operation of public transportation without specific routes, had led them to suffer a decline in revenues.

Public minivan cooperative Koperasi Bandung Tertib (Kobanter) secretary Ahmad Setiyadi said drivers from several public transportation cooperatives, including Koperasi Bina Usaha Transport, Koperasi Angkutan Masyarakat and Gabungan Pengemudi Taksi Bandung, participated in the rally.

They said they called for the revocation of Permenhub No. 32 because it was the legal basis for the operation of ride-hailing services such as Uber, Grab and Go-Jek. (hol/ebf)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2017/03/09/quiet-streets-in-bandung-as-drivers-stage-strike.html