Impact Of Pandemi Covid-19 On The Welfare Of Online Motorcycle Taxi Drivers In The City Of Medan

Feb 27, 2025 by ADMIN 97 views

Impact of Pandemi Covid-19 on the Welfare of Online Motorcycle Taxi Drivers in the City of Medan: A Quantitative Analysis

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about unprecedented changes in human life, with far-reaching impacts on various aspects of society, including the economy. Informal workers, particularly online motorcycle taxi drivers, have been among the groups most directly affected by the pandemic. This study aims to investigate the relationship between the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the welfare level of online motorcycle taxi drivers in Medan, Indonesia.

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to widespread lockdowns, social distancing measures, and economic restrictions, which have significantly impacted the livelihoods of informal workers, including online motorcycle taxi drivers. These drivers, who rely on their vehicles to earn a living, have seen a significant decline in demand for their services due to reduced mobility and changes in consumer behavior. Furthermore, the pandemic has also led to increased competition among online motorcycle taxi drivers, making it even more challenging for them to earn a decent income.

Methodology

This study employed a quantitative approach with an explanatory method to investigate the relationship between the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the welfare level of online motorcycle taxi drivers in Medan. A total of 100 online motorcycle taxi drivers were selected using the "Unknown People" formula, and a questionnaire with a Likert scale was used as the research instrument. The data were analyzed using validity, reliability, normality, and linearity tests.

Results

The linearity test results showed a significant linear relationship between the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the welfare level of online motorcycle taxi drivers in Medan. This supports the alternative hypothesis (Ha) and rejects the null hypothesis (H0), indicating that the COVID-19 pandemic has a significant influence on the welfare level of online motorcycle taxi drivers in the city.

Further analysis revealed that 34.6% of the welfare level of online motorcycle taxi drivers in Medan is influenced by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, while 65.4% is influenced by other factors. These factors include:

Government Policy: Social and economic restriction policies during the pandemic can directly affect the income and working hours of online motorcycle taxi drivers.
Changes in Consumer Behavior: Changes in consumption patterns and community mobility due to the pandemic also have an impact on the demand for online motorcycle taxi services.
Competition: Increasing the number of online motorcycle taxi drivers in the middle of the pandemic can also increase competition and reduce income.
Affordability of Living Costs: Increased prices of basic necessities and living costs can reduce the net income of online motorcycle taxi drivers.

Discussion

This study highlights the importance of paying attention to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the welfare of informal workers, such as online motorcycle taxi drivers. The results of this study can serve as a reference for the government and related stakeholders in formulating more effective policies to support the welfare of online motorcycle taxi drivers in the pandemic and post-pandemic period.

Some of the steps that can be taken include:

Increasing Access to Assistance and Social Programs: The government needs to increase access to online motorcycle taxi drivers to social assistance programs, such as direct cash assistance (BLT) or training and development programs.
Support for Online Motorcycle Taxi Platforms: Government and online motorcycle taxi platforms need to work together to run programs that can increase driver revenue, such as special incentives or financing schemes.
Increasing Access to Health Services: Online motorcycle taxi drivers need to have access to affordable and easy-to-reach health services to maintain their health in the middle of the pandemic.

Conclusion

This study provides an overview of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the welfare of online motorcycle taxi drivers in the city of Medan. However, this research has several limitations, such as limited sample scope and research focus. Further research with a broader and deeper scope is needed to understand more comprehensively the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the welfare of online motorcycle taxi drivers in various regions.

Recommendations

Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations are made:

The government should increase access to social assistance programs for online motorcycle taxi drivers, such as direct cash assistance (BLT) or training and development programs.
Government and online motorcycle taxi platforms should work together to run programs that can increase driver revenue, such as special incentives or financing schemes.
Online motorcycle taxi drivers should have access to affordable and easy-to-reach health services to maintain their health in the middle of the pandemic.

Limitations

This study has several limitations, including:

Limited sample scope: The study only focused on online motorcycle taxi drivers in Medan, Indonesia.
Research focus: The study only investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the welfare of online motorcycle taxi drivers, without considering other factors that may influence their welfare.

Future Research Directions

Future research should aim to:

Investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the welfare of online motorcycle taxi drivers in various regions.
Examine the effectiveness of government policies and programs in supporting the welfare of online motorcycle taxi drivers.
Identify other factors that may influence the welfare of online motorcycle taxi drivers, such as changes in consumer behavior, competition, and affordability of living costs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Impact of Pandemi Covid-19 on the Welfare of Online Motorcycle Taxi Drivers in Medan

Q: What is the main objective of this study?

A: The main objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the welfare level of online motorcycle taxi drivers in Medan, Indonesia.

Q: What methodology was used in this study?

A: This study employed a quantitative approach with an explanatory method, using a questionnaire with a Likert scale as the research instrument. A total of 100 online motorcycle taxi drivers were selected using the "Unknown People" formula.

Q: What were the key findings of this study?

A: The key findings of this study include:

A significant linear relationship between the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the welfare level of online motorcycle taxi drivers in Medan.
34.6% of the welfare level of online motorcycle taxi drivers in Medan is influenced by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, while 65.4% is influenced by other factors.
The factors that influence the welfare of online motorcycle taxi drivers include government policy, changes in consumer behavior, competition, and affordability of living costs.

Q: What are the implications of this study?

A: The implications of this study are that the government and related stakeholders need to pay attention to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the welfare of informal workers, such as online motorcycle taxi drivers. The study provides a reference for formulating more effective policies to support the welfare of online motorcycle taxi drivers in the pandemic and post-pandemic period.

Q: What are the recommendations of this study?

A: The recommendations of this study include:

Increasing access to assistance and social programs for online motorcycle taxi drivers.
Supporting online motorcycle taxi platforms to run programs that can increase driver revenue.
Increasing access to health services for online motorcycle taxi drivers.

Q: What are the limitations of this study?

A: The limitations of this study include:

Limited sample scope: The study only focused on online motorcycle taxi drivers in Medan, Indonesia.
Research focus: The study only investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the welfare of online motorcycle taxi drivers, without considering other factors that may influence their welfare.

Q: What are the future research directions?

A: The future research directions include:

Investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the welfare of online motorcycle taxi drivers in various regions.
Examining the effectiveness of government policies and programs in supporting the welfare of online motorcycle taxi drivers.
Identifying other factors that may influence the welfare of online motorcycle taxi drivers, such as changes in consumer behavior, competition, and affordability of living costs.

Q: What are the policy implications of this study?

A: The policy implications of this study are that the government needs to:

Increase access to social assistance programs for online motorcycle taxi drivers.
Support online motorcycle taxi platforms to run programs that can increase driver revenue.
Increase access to health services for online motorcycle taxi drivers.

Q: What are the practical implications of this study?

A: The practical implications of this study are that online motorcycle taxi drivers need to:

Be aware of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their welfare.
Take advantage of government programs and assistance.
Prioritize their health and well-being.

Q: What are the theoretical implications of this study?

A: The theoretical implications of this study are that it contributes to the understanding of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the welfare of informal workers, such as online motorcycle taxi drivers. The study provides a framework for understanding the complex relationships between the pandemic, government policies, and the welfare of online motorcycle taxi drivers.