The affordability of Indonesia’s public transportation makes it an ideal choice for millions of citizens, but for some passengers, such as women, the elderly, and the disabled, the trip is not always perfect. A lack of barrier-free sidewalks and other age-appropriate infrastructure, for example, often make getting around between the waiting area and the entry point a challenge for older passengers.
Understanding the diverse needs of Indonesian passengers is critical to operating an inclusive transportation system, but until recently, acquiring an in-depth knowledge of the passenger experience has been cost prohibitive in terms of time and resources. This is especially the case in a geography as complex as Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands spanning three time zones.
Technologies such as smart cards and online ticketing now offer an efficient way of collecting big data on driving behavior and passenger behavior in public transport. Disaggregate this data: filter it by categories, which may reflect experiences based on gender, age, ethnicity, or marginalized groups , among other things, can contribute to a more human-centered approach to transportation. More inclusive transport is good for business, but it also accelerates progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
“Apart from having to generate profits, state-owned enterprises (BUMN)  must also become agents of development,” Erick Thohir, the Indonesian state-owned enterprises minister, said in his keynote speech at this year’s UN Global Compact Leaders’ Summit in June. “Their mission is to specifically serve the Indonesian people and protect their welfare.”
The latest research collaboration on data analysis between the UN Global Pulse Jakarta office (Pulse Lab Jakarta), the National Development Planning Agency (Bappoco) and PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI), the Indonesian national railway company, is part of this mission. The collaboration seeks to use big data to better understand the behavior and needs of PT KAI’s customer base, and in particular the needs of the vulnerable populations who use its railways.
The size and reach of PT KAI, which has served the Indonesian public since 1945 and operating in Java and Sumatra, means that improving its service offering will not only improve social welfare, but also contribute to the growth of the economy in some of the most densely populated regions contributes from Indonesia.
The pandemic has affected human mobility across the country’s archipelago, particularly given the recent expansion of restrictions on movement related to COVID19 in some provinces. Safer, more efficient and more inclusive transportation services can play a critical role in bringing people back to work after the pandemic, but integrating transportation in Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous country, is a logistically complex undertaking.
Almost 50 percent of the Indonesian population are women, more than 16 million citizens are over 64 years old and more than 20 million people with disabilities. Recovery from the socio-economic impact of the pandemic requires better access to economic opportunities for all.
Through our joint research analyzing big data collected from users of PT KAI services in 2019, we found that half of all passengers that year were women and a significant proportion of them traveled in the afternoons. In addition, more than 1.5 million trips. of passengers over 60 years of age in 2019, the data shows that only 4 percent of older passengers took advantage of the state travel allowance. PT KAI and the government have raised public awareness of this allowance and simplified the process for travelers want to use it.
Our research shows that both women and the elderly face certain challenges in transit and require assistance and supportive infrastructure to improve their comfort and safety. Pulse Lab and UN Women’s 2019 After Dark social research, with the an attempt was made to understand how women in Indonesia use public transport to navigate, found that women’s safety considerations are complex: they exist on a spectrum and are not a dichotomy of safe and unsafe. However, after-dark research suggests that the quality of public infrastructure, the efficiency of transportation services, and women’s own sense of familiarity with their entire surroundings all feed into women’s experience of night travel.
We are pleased that both city governments and public transport are taking up the recommendations of After Dark research. The insights from that research have been helping Indonesia’s national railway company identify potential levers for improving service delivery to increase ridership across all its passengers. This includes combining data insights to identify and promote low-passenger routes, especially for subsidized passengers who prefer less hectic and crowded conditions.
Disaggregated data is already paying off for PT KAI and Indonesia, but we know more needs to be done. One area where there is a serious lack of good data is that of people with disabilities. Needs of people with disabilities and examines the more systematic collection of the correct data points for the use of its services by passengers of this group in order to better understand these needs.
Caring for vulnerable passengers is not only a business imperative, it also leads to a number of positive outcomes related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. More attractive public transport means, for example, fewer people using private cars, which in turn reduces economic losses from congestion, while better access to safe and efficient transport helps vulnerable groups live longer, become more independent and build a more mobile workforce . It has never been so urgent. As Indonesia seeks to recover from the unprecedented effects of the COVID19 pandemic, Pulse Lab Jakarta’s collaboration with Bappoco and PT KAI is an example of how the public and private sectors can use disaggregated data to create a more inclusive, sustainable economy to build up.
