One of the feature characteristic of Yogyakarta after it is no longer known as the city of bycicles, is the number of becak and andong that can be seen in almost every street. Becak and andong remains well accepted as a means of daily transport. Becak and andong are quite important as transportation means for areas in the middle of the city where bus service isn’t available.
The government of Yogyakarta had decided to keep becak as a public transportation and also as an attraction point for visiting tourists. All becak are registered and the drivers are given trainings on traffic system and rules, also on language skills so they could communicate with foreign tourists. Nowadays you could see each becak in Yogyakarta has vehicle registration number plates just like motor vehicles such as cars or motorcycle.
Becak in Yogyakarta, like all becak in the island of Java, is a pedal-driven becak with the driver positioned at the back part of becak. The high seated position of the driver is often criticized as it requires extra effort for the driver to pedaled the becak. This critic is ignored because the driver’s high seat is regarded as a typical characteristic of Yogyakarta’s becaks.

The right and left wheel fenders are also a typical characteristic of Yogyakarta’s becak. The fenders are usually decorated with paintings of landscapes and writings in Javanese or in Javanese Hanacaraka letters. The fenders are the only part in Yogyakarta becak that is decorated.
The cabin for Yogyakartan becak passengers could be categorized as spacious. It can accomodate two average sized Indonesians quite comfortably. The cabin cover height is also high enough, so passengers can sit without crouching or lowering their head. In a normal bright day, passengers can also ask the becak driver to put down the cabin’s cover for a better view of the surroundings during the becak ride.

Yogyakarta’s Becak « Indonesia at World Expo Shanghai 2010

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