Pandemic Covid-19 and PSBB: ‘Ojol’, F&B, Airports, and Trains Undergo Operational Changes

Last updated on May 11th, 2021 at 08:48 am

Jakarta started imposing the large-scale social restriction (PSBB) policy on Friday, following the coronavirus pandemic. It takes effect for 14 days starting from April 10 to 23.

The Jakartans are temporarily prohibited to perform several activities in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus or Covid-19 in the city.

Two big online ride-hailing companies, GoJek and Grab, no longer provide motorcycle taxi or ojek online (ojol) service on its apps.

On Gojek app, icon GoRide for ojek was even scraped. But other features, such as GoCar and GoFood are still accessible.

Meanwhile, Grab’s ojek feature, GrabBike, can still be found on its app but when it is clicked, the user is be diverted to GrabCar service.

One of those is the prohibition for motorcycle to carry a passenger. As for online ojek, they are only allowed to transport goods after DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan officially signed Governor Regulation Number 33 of 2020 about this policy.

Even though motorcycle taxi service is temporarily halted, 4-wheeled transportation services such as GoCar, GoBluebird, and GrabCar are still accessible for those who need it.

“With the maximum of 2 passengers in order to maintain the physical distancing,” Gojek Chief of Corporate Affairs Nila Marita said.

Another industry that is now regulated by the PSBB policy is the food and beverage (F&B industry).

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has stipulated food and beverage practitioners, such as restaurant owners, restaurateurs or owners of other similar businesses, to strictly limit their service only to takeout.

There are a total of nine regulations stipulated in the PSBB related to the food and beverage industry, namely Strictly limit service to takeaways (online ordering, and/ or by telephone or delivery service), Maintain a distance of one meter between customers, Applying the hygenic principle of food sanitation, Provide equipments such as gloves and/ or food tongs, Ensuring adequate heating, Cleaning work areas, facilities and equipment, Provide hand washing area equipped with soap, Prohibit employees to work if they are sick, Requiring food handlers to use gloves, head masks and work clothes.

Meanwhile, State airport operator Angkasa Pura II (AP II) shortened the operational hours of 12 airports under its management following the coronavirus pandemic.

The twelve airports that will also operate in the shorter hours than usual, include Kertajati (Majalengka), Sultan Thaha (Jambi), Depati Amir (Pangkalpinang), Fatmawati Soekarno (Bengkulu), Sultan Iskandar Muda (Aceh), Tjilik Riwut (Palangkaraya) dan Raja Haji Fisabilillah (Tanjung Pinang), Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II (Palembang), Radin Inten II (Lampung), Supadio (Pontianak), Sultan Syarif Kasim II (Pekanbaru) and Banyuwangi.

However, according to AP II CEO Muhammad Awaluddin, that the airports will remain alert to anticipate a number of flights in certain conditions.

Another public transportation, trains operations have been adjusted following the enforcement of PSBB. The state railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) has made adjustments to the operational hours of trains departing from Jakarta.

As of Friday, April 10, until April 23, there are only seven long-distance trains departing from the Jakarta Operation Area 1, with reduced operational time.

In addition to that, KAI Jakarta Operation Area 1 Chief of Public Relations, Eva Chairunisa, stated that the adjustments were also made due to the decline in passengers of long distance trains in the Jakarta Operation Area 1.

“The decline is around 80 percent,” Eva Chairunisa said, on Thursday, April 9.

Five of the seven long distance trains from Jakarta depart from Gambir Station, and are headed to Bandung, Cirebon and Surabaya, as its final destinations. Two trains depart from Pasar Senen Station and head to Purwokerto and Surabaya.

“The trains only operate from 6:00 to 18:00 local time,” Eva added.

The counter service at the stations also adjusted operational hours following the restriciton, which is until 16:00 Western Indonesia Time (WIB).

As a result of the PSBB enactment in Jakarta, as many 63 trains in total have been put out of operation, from April 10 to April 23.