UGM students have studied the psychological conditions of multi-platform online motorcycle taxi drivers in Yogyakarta. They found drivers join multiple platforms to increase income. However, this leads to psychological health issues such as exhaustion and stress.
Daffa Naufal Nurrahmad, Salma Nur Rahmasari (Social and Political Sciences 2021), Doni Andika Pradana, Syahriza Indra Utomo (Philosophy 2020), and Mutiara Ananda Putri (Psychology 2020) teamed up for the Student Creativity Program in the field of Social Sciences and Humanities Research.
They conducted research based on data showing that many online motorcycle taxi drivers joined multiple platforms due to the flexibility these ride-hailing companies offer.
However, this has led drivers to compete to increase their workload, resulting in psychological health issues, such as exhaustion and stress.
“We conducted research for approximately four months with the title ‘Phenomenological Study: Dynamics of Motivation and Exploitation of Multi-Platform Online Motorcycle Taxi Drivers in Achieving Well-Being,’” said Daffa Nurrahmad at the UGM campus on Wednesday (October 4).
Daffa Nurrahmad explained that his team adopted an interdisciplinary perspective to comprehensively understand the phenomenon of multi-platform online motorcycle taxi drivers.
Their research aimed to investigate this phenomenon from a socio-political perspective, highlighting the relationships between the government, platform companies, online motorcycle taxi drivers, and the relevant legal framework.
Mutiara Putri added that from a psychological perspective, their team aimed to understand the dynamics of motivation and exploitation experienced by multi-platform online motorcycle taxi drivers.
According to her, well-being can serve as an indicator to assess the dynamics of motivation and exploitation experienced by these drivers.
“Based on the data we collected in the field, multi-platform online motorcycle taxi drivers feel anxious and worried when they receive two or more orders simultaneously,” explained Putri.
Another team member, Salma Rahmasari, added that motorcycle taxi drivers feel that being affiliated with only one platform is insufficient, especially after the end of the “honeymoon” phase for online motorcycle taxi services.
Joining multiple platforms offers better income than relying on a single service provider.
“Economic demands are the primary factors driving motorcycle taxi drivers to join multiple service platforms,” she stated.
Doni Andika Pradana and Syahriza Indra Utomo shared the view that the promised work flexibility by companies does not necessarily lead to the welfare of motorcycle taxi drivers.
According to them, the presence of digital service platform companies as intermediaries is mainly superficial.
The legitimacy of the “partner” status held by motorcycle taxi drivers, underpinned by legal provisions, has created opportunities for exploitation by these platform companies.
“Therefore, we believe mitigation efforts are needed to address this legal issue and the psychological impacts experienced by motorcycle taxi drivers,” said Doni Pradana, accompanied by Syahriza Utomo.
Author: Agung Nugroho