Indonesia: Grab launches ‘bajaj’ ride-hailing service in Jakarta

• May 24, 2019

People in Greater Jakarta have been able to book an ojek (motorcycle taxi) online since 2015 thanks to Go-Jek. They can book an angkot (public minivan) as of this month thanks to TRON. Now they can book bajaj (three-wheeled taxi) as of this week thanks to Grab.

The Singapore-based ride-hailing decacorn launched its latest GrabBajay service in Jakarta on Thursday. Bajaj are currently available at ITC Mangga Dua shopping center, Kota Station, Sawah Besar Station, Mangga Besar Station and Pasar Baru Market.

Grab Indonesia public affairs head Tri Sukma Anreianno said the new service was part of the company’s commitment to providing “openly accessible transportation for everybody”.

The company charges a base fare of Rp 3,000 (21 US cents) per kilometer for the new service and has given assurances that all drivers are licensed drivers. 

He said that Grab was proud not because it offered such an “iconic Jakartan mode of transportation”, but because the service was offered through a “fixed and integrated” pricing scheme.

Drivers of three-wheeled taxis wait for passengers after the launch of Grab’s new GrabBajay ride-hailing service in Jakarta on Thursday. (JP/Norman Harsono)

The latter point referred to how users could check trip fares on the Grab app prior to boarding a bajaj, whereas without the app, passengers had to haggle fares.

Grab launched a similar three-wheeled taxi ride-hailing service called GrabTukTuk in Cambodia and GrabThoneBane in Myanmar last year.

Grab’s decision to launch the service in Indonesia comes after founder Anthony Tan announced in March that the company would invest almost US$1.46 billion in capturing the largest market in Southeast Asia.  (bbn)

Source: https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2019/05/24/grab-launches-bajaj-ride-hailing-service-in-jakarta.html