Starting July 1, Gojek, Grab, and Maxim officially cut their motorcycle taxi passenger service commission from 20% to 8%. While online motorcycle taxi drivers are grateful, economists and the online motorcycle taxi driver association warn that there's a significant gap that hasn't been filled.
For motorcycle taxi drivers who have been protesting for years to demand a reduction in app fees, this is long-awaited news. However, not all drivers welcomed it with complete relief.
"It would be better if it were 8%. But I don't know how the Hemat program will work. It could cut Rp 20 a day," online motorcycle taxi driver Ayaturohman told Katadata.co.id last weekend.
These concerns highlight that for online motorcycle taxi (ojol) drivers, income is not solely about the app's commission. Over the past few years, complaints from online motorcycle taxi drivers have expanded far beyond the 20% cut. They also highlight low-fare programs, incentive and disincentive systems, and the algorithms that determine order distribution.
So the question that now arises is: does Presidential Decree Number 27 of 2026 also regulate other matters that have a direct impact on the income of ojol drivers?
A Victory That Holds Question Marks
The government has not yet released the text of Presidential Regulation No. 27 of 2026 to the public, so the details of its regulations are unknown. What is certain is that this regulation reduces the app's commission for delivery services from 20% to 8%.
Paramadina Public Policy Institute (PPPI) Research Director Muhammad Fajar Anandi warned that commission cuts could potentially reduce the profit margins of app companies.
If business margins are under pressure, companies will likely seek alternative ways to maintain their financial health. "For example, the Hemat program—which previously had a quota of 10 users—has become 15. From a user perspective, this increases app revenue. However, for drivers, it becomes a burden because the prices are low," Fajar told Katadata.co.id on Monday (June 29).
Besides the commission issue, ojol drivers have been complaining about programs like Argo Goceng (Aceng), Slot, and Hemat — which mostly involve food and goods delivery, and fall under the authority of the Ministry of Communication and Digital.
Another risk of concern is a decrease in the number of orders. Grab and Maxim have stated that fares will remain affordable. However, Fajar believes the most logical option for app providers to compensate for the reduced margins is to increase the base user fare—and higher fares risk reducing the number of passengers.
Research by PPPI and INDEF shows that ojol (motorcycle taxi) users have a psychological threshold for fare increases. "The maximum psychological increase is Rp 5.000. Anything higher than that will cause consumers to reconsider and possibly switch to other modes of transportation," Fajar said.
In Greater Jakarta (Jabodetabek), consumers have alternatives like the Jaklingko Microtrans, which covers almost all residential areas and operates free of charge. If motorcycle taxi fares exceed this psychological threshold, consumers may shift to other modes of transportation.
"Automatically, the number of orders will decrease. This is a paradox—percentage-wise, drivers' income from the user fee structure is indeed higher. But cumulatively, it has the potential to decrease," Fajar said.
IDInsight research also shows that the income of ojol driver partners was already under pressure even before Presidential Decree Number 27 of 2026 was announced.
Jimmy Daniel Berlianto, a researcher and senior policy analyst at the Center for Indonesian Policy Studies (CIPS), believes the more fundamental problem lies in the transparency of the algorithm.
According to Jimmy, the relationship between motorcycle taxi drivers and app providers has been characterized by a decline in trust due to the lack of transparency in the digital work system. Drivers are often unaware of how algorithms determine order distribution, incentive calculations, and the factors that influence their income.
As a result, even if the commission drops to 8%, driver welfare will not necessarily improve if the mechanism that determines daily income remains unchanged.
CIPS research also shows that many drivers perceive their working conditions as “pseudo-flexibility” — free to choose their working hours, but at the same time restricted by platform mechanisms that are not fully transparent.
"Algorithmic transparency, particularly regarding tariff determination and work systems, could have a more significant impact on improving the welfare of service providers like motorcycle taxi drivers. This is because these regulations target their autonomy and bargaining power," Jimmy told Katadata.co.id on Monday (June 29).
Ari Wibowo, a researcher at The Prakarsa, echoed this sentiment. He warned of the potential "balloon effect" following commission reductions. First, the unregulated commissions on food delivery and logistics services could potentially encourage companies to engage in cross-subsidization, covering declining margins from ride-hailing services by maintaining or even increasing discounts on food and goods services.
Second, app developers could potentially adjust their algorithms by increasing the distribution of low-cost orders, such as the "Save" program, so drivers have to complete more orders or work longer hours to earn the same income.
Third, applicators have the potential to change incentive schemes, either by reducing bonuses or tightening achievement requirements to compensate for the reduced commissions.
The Chairperson of the Indonesian Transport Workers Union (SPAI), Lily Pujiati, emphasized the same point: reducing the commission to 8% does not address the root of the problem, namely the employment relationship disguised as a partnership scheme.
When Ojol Drivers and Applicants Both Have to Survive
Amidst the draft of Presidential Decree Number 27 of 2026 which is not yet publicly accessible, Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) reminded that the 8% commission policy should not be viewed solely from the perspective of ojol drivers.
"Hopefully, we can continue to monitor this and achieve a positive revenue increase. However, we must also ensure the company's financial health. A healthy company is also better for the well-being of its partners," AHY said.
Maybank analysts estimate the policy's impact on Grab will be limited, as the Indonesian motorcycle taxi (ojol) service contributes relatively little to the group's total revenue. Grab also has other revenue streams from food delivery, logistics, and digital finance.
Grab Holdings Chief Financial Officer Peter Oey stated that this policy requires a recalibration of the fare structure and business model for two-wheeled vehicles in Indonesia. "Clearly, this is no small change," he said, as quoted by The Edge Malaysia last May.
MNC Sekuritas analyst Christian Sitorus assessed that the impact of the commission reduction on Gojek's GoTo platform would be temporary. "Business lines other than motorcycle taxis (ojol) are still solid," he said in his analysis in May.
However, PPPI Research Director Fajar Anandi highlighted the potentially more serious impact on smaller platforms like inDrive and Maxim. When commission limits are standardized through regulation, the competitive advantage of these two platforms—which have traditionally competed closely on price—risks eroding.
"The presence of inDrive and Maxim balances the price competition. They're very competitive. If the prices were all the same, that competition would disappear," Fajar said.
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This article was first published on Katadata.co.id
Author: Desy Setyowati