Indonesia motorcycle taxi drivers shield themselves from coronavirus

Record ID: 1556605

  • Title: Indonesia motorcycle taxi drivers shield themselves from coronavirus
  • Date: 10th June 2020
  • Summary: JAKARTA, INDONESIA (JUNE 9, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MOTORCYCLE TAXI DRIVER PUTTING ON BACKPACK-STYLE PLASTIC SHIELD (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) MOTORCYCLE TAXI DRIVER, GUSTI AFIANDI, SAYING: "This partition is very useful, helpful and brings many benefits to passengers and drivers. For example, when the driver coughs the droplets won't spread to the back with the wind, or when the passenger coughs they (the droplets) will not reach the driver." DRIVER WEARING PLASTIC SHIELD VARIOUS OF MOTORCYCLE TAXI DRIVERS PREPARING TO LEAVE PARKING LOT AT THEIR COMPANY'S HEADQUARTERS CUSTOMER, ANDRE SAPUTRA, WALKING TOWARDS MOTORCYCLE TAXI SAPUTRA PUTTING ON HEAD COVER AND FACE MASK (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) CUSTOMER, ANDRE SAPUTRA, SAYING: "With this tool I feel safe from the spread of coronavirus, because I use motorcycle taxis every day." VARIOUS OF MOTORCYCLE TAXI DRIVING THROUGH TRAFFIC SAPUTRA ARRIVING AT DESTINATION / PAYING FOR RIDE / MOTORCYCLE TAXI DRIVING AWAY (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) CUSTOMER, BETTY ARIANI, SAYING: "Cool, this makes the customers more comfortable while carrying out activities during the 'new normal.' We feel safe." VARIOUS OF DRIVERS WEARING PLASTIC SHIELDS (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) MOTORCYCLE TAXI DRIVER, DEDE JAFARI, SAYING: "It is a good day if I could earn 150,000 Indonesian rupiah (approx. $11). We lost a lot of our income, many had to pawn items to cover their expenses. My calculations show I lost around six million rupiah (approx. $428) each month." VARIOUS OF DRIVER PUTTING ON SHIELD HEALTH PROTOCOLS TRAINING SESSION WITH DRIVERS IN PROGRESS GRAB INDONESIA'S PRESIDENT, RIDZKI KRAMADIBRATA, SPEAKING KRAMADIBRATA SPEAKING, DRIVERS LOOKING ON (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) PRESIDENT OF GRAB INDONESIA, RIDZKI KRAMADIBRATA, SAYING: "We cooperate with the government to ensure we carry out economic activities while minimizing the risk of spreading COVID-19, and we follow a few standard procedures to make sure this happens." KRAMADIBRATA SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) PRESIDENT OF GRAB INDONESIA, RIDZKI KRAMADIBRATA SAYING: "This plastic partition is one of our commitments to improve standards. We hope it can help boost public confidence. There are no official rules that require this (using a barrier), but it is important for us that this is a standard service, especially for our ride-hailing service." JAKARTA, INDONESIA (JUNE 10, 2020) (REUTERS) TRAFFIC DURING MORNING PEAK HOUR MOTORCYCLES DRIVING ON ROAD VARIOUS OF TRAFFIC
  • Embargoed: 24th June 2020 11:02
  • Keywords: Indonesia coronavirus driver health motorcycle taxi plastic separator shield
  • Location: JAKARTA, INDONESIA
  • City: JAKARTA, INDONESIA
  • Country: Indonesia
  • Topics: Health/Medicine
  • Reuters ID: LVA001CHSCK07
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: As Indonesia's capital allows more public transport to resume operations, motorbike taxi drivers are preparing to strap on backpack-style plastic shields to help protect nervous passengers and them selves from coronavirus infections.
    The most efficient way to get around Jakarta's traffic-clogged streets, the city's motorbike taxis have been particularly hard hit during the pandemic after authorities limited drivers to carrying takeaway food and goods and not passengers.
    Motorbike taxi driver Gusti Afiandi, 40, said the partition would allow him get more passengers and avoid the risk of droplets from coughs reaching anyone on the motorbike.
    "This separator is very useful, helpful and has many benefits for passengers or drivers," said Afiandi, as he received a plastic shield from ride-hailing company Grab, his employer.
    Customer Betty Ariani agreed and said the separator gave her a sense of safety and comfort.
    There is no official data on the exact number of motorcycle taxi drivers operating in Indonesia. According to local media at least 1.25 million active drivers work in the greater Jakarta area.
    Authorities in Jakarta recently relaxed rules on carrying passengers on motorbike taxis as part of a gradual lifting of some coronavirus restrictions.
    Ridzki Kramadibrata, the president of Grab Indonesia, said though not required, the device was among health protocols the company was rolling out to ensure the safety of drivers and passengers alongside other precautions such as wearing masks and temperature checks.
    Motorbike taxi driver Dede Jafari, 38, said before the pandemic he had been earning at least 150,000 rupiah ($10.80) a day, but this had slumped with restrictions.
    "We lost a lot of our income, many had to pawn possessions," said Jafari.
    The lifting of curbs in the Indonesian capital comes as the country reported record daily rises in infections this week and fatalities hit nearly 2,000, the highest toll in Southeast Asia.
    (Production: Tommy Ardiansyah, Heru Asprihanto)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register