MODERN BECAK IN MEDAN
A becak originally consisted of a pedaled bicycle, and an additional wheel, hence it is called tricycle, and a cabin that could accommodate two passengers. But eventually rickshaws were then modernized, equipped with a motor, to become a motorized tricycle, or an autorickshaw.
In Medan city, for example, most becak are equipped with motor, hence they are called becak motor, or as called by the local people: be-tor. Becak in Medan, North Sumatra , have existed since the 1960s and still survive to this day. Many cities in Indonesia also have motorised autorickshaws of various kinds, but the kind you can find in Medan has a characteristic where the passenger seat is on the left side of the rider. It also has a foldable canopy, which can be very useful in the rain. Eventhough be-tor usually carry two passengers, they are sometimes modified to accommodate up to 4 people.
WILL BECAK SURVIVE?
Unlike in Jakarta, Medan be-tor are still recognized as a mode of public transportation and the Medan City Government regulates the types of motorbikes that can be used for becak and the routes which becak may and may not pass.
Becak have served the people of Medan for decades. Easy to find and relatively inexpensive. However, keeping up with the technology, the existence of these motorized tricycles is starting to be threatened with the increasing number of online transportation services. The ease of online transactions has resulted in reduced public interest in motorized rickshaws.
A becak driver in Medan, Pak Beni, 40 years old, said to Kover that becak used to be a more profitable job option than that when he worked as a manual laborer. Although the rickshaw he drove was still a rented one, his net income could reach up to 100 thousand rupiahs per day. But now, being able to bring home only 50 thousand rupiah is a fortune. The high number of online-service transportations is the cause. Frequently he would go around the city until the fuel runs out, but still would not find a single passenger.
Medan city has many icons that become the main attraction for visiting tourists, one of which is becak. The official number of rickshaws currently still operating in the city of Medan is still unknown. Moreover, the future of Medan rickshaws is not promising. Becak might be history sooner than we think.
Writer : Elsa Malona Silitonga
Video & Photographer : Asep Rizki Nugraha
