Express, Uber team up to tap opportunities in Indonesian market

Despite its roller coaster relationship with new competitors, publicly listed taxi operator Express Transindo Utama announced on Monday it would team up with ride-hailing application Uber for a ride-sharing integration in hope to improve services and increase revenue.

Under the collaboration, Express drivers will be able to use Uber’s application to take uberX orders apart from running conventional services.

“Through collaboration with Uber, we expect to improve the utilization of our fleet,” Express Group chief operating officer Benny Setiawan said in a statement.

Express, Benny went on, was also developing a scheme that would allow Uber partner drivers to purchase cars from Express through an installment scheme.

Uber also shared enthusiasm about its partnership with Express.

“We are enthusiastic that Express Group, a prominent taxi operator in Indonesia, now uses ride-sharing and technology to expand its market,” Uber Asia Pacific head of business Eric Alexander said.

On March 22, over 10,000 conventional transportation drivers—mostly Express and Blue Bird taxi drivers, as well as drivers of angkot (public minivans), buses and bajaj (three-wheeled vehicles)—took to several thoroughfares in Jakarta to stage a protest.

The protesters accused the government of failing to regulate increasingly popular app-based transportation services, such as Grab, Uber and Go-Jek, which they say were eroding their incomes.

During the protest, conventional taxi drivers initially targeted Go-Jek and Grab drivers, though groups of ojek (motorcycle taxi) drivers later retaliated, smashing cab windows.