Gorontalo witnessed a silent yet massive three wheeled revolution
In the heart of Gorontalo City a century ago, the dominant street melody was the sound of horses' hooves and the creaking of wooden wheels. The community’s primary mode of transportation was the Bendi, a two-wheeled carriage drawn by a horse a symbol of local tradition and pride. The Bendi was a familiar icon, serving the mobility needs of citizens from the market to the city's outskirts. However, with the passage of time, modernization became inevitable.
Entering the new millennium, around the 2000s, the Bentor—a now-popular acronym—began to proliferate, taking over the role of the Bendi. The Bentor is not merely a vehicle; it is the embodiment of local creativity and pragmatism, combining a swift 'moped' motorcycle with a compact pedicab design. Its presence drastically displaced the Bendi, making it an increasingly rare relic, marginalized by efficiency and speed. This is a story of a transportation change of guard, a narrative of how local innovation transformed the face of Gorontalo, spawned a new industry, and accelerated the economy, extending its reach across Sulawesi.
Bendi: The Fading Elegance of the Past
To understand the Bentor, one must return to the Bendi. This traditional transport had served Gorontalo for a long time, giving a distinctive character to the city nicknamed "The Veranda of Mecca." The Bendi, powered by a horse, offered a relaxed and dignified ride, often serving as a marker of social status in the past. The Bendi driver, skilled in controlling his horse, was an integral part of Gorontalo's social landscape.
However, its charm began to fade against the demands of the times.
The high cost of maintaining a horse, the challenges of keeping the streets clean in an increasingly dense city, and the travel speed that was too slow for modern society were key driving factors behind its decline. Furthermore, when city cleanliness and the achievement of the Adipura award (for urban environment management) became a focus for the local government, the presence of horse manure became an issue requiring a solution. This provided a strong momentum for the emergence of a cleaner and more efficient alternative.
Since the late 1990s, when the first Bentors appeared, the fate of the Gorontalo Bendi became increasingly cornered. From dozens, only a handful of Bendis remain today, operating sparingly, more to satisfy nostalgia or for tourism, and no longer as the backbone of public transportation. The drivers gradually shifted professions, many of them taking the helm of a Bentor instead. They are living witnesses to the transition, from the sound of horse hooves to the roar of the four-stroke engine.
Bentor: From Naming Controversy to a Unique Design
The arrival of the Bentor in Gorontalo around 1997-1998 marked a new era. This vehicle immediately captured the community's heart due to its superiority in mobility. Bentor is an acronym that carries its own philosophy and history.
Although many commonly assume Bentor stands for "Becak Motor" (Motorized Pedicab), its early history refers to "Bendi Motor." This logic emerged because the Bentor's initial design was indeed intended as a Bendi replacement. Instead of a horse, the Bentor used a moped engine placed at the front, pulling a passenger carriage resembling the Bendi's cabin. The concept was 'Bendi' without the horse, making it 'Bendi Motor' or Bentor. This was a clever attempt to preserve the local name while embracing mechanization. This innovation even gained legal recognition through a Regional Regulation in the 2000s, making it an official icon of Gorontalo.
The design of the Gorontalo Bentor is unique. It marries a modified pedicab with a moped motorcycle. The driver sits at the back, while the covered passenger seat, with a capacity for 2-3 people (or even forced up to 5 with additional passengers riding behind the driver), is located in the front. This position offers distinct advantages:
- High Accessibility: The sleek moped allows the Bentor to maneuver deftly and enter narrow residential alleys (gangs) that are difficult for cars or conventional transport to reach.
- Speed and Efficiency: Compared to the Bendi or even the pedal-powered pedicab, the Bentor is much faster, allowing passengers to reach their destination in a short time.
- Carrying Capacity: Its adequate capacity makes it a favorite choice for small families or shopping groups.
This combination of factors has elevated the Bentor to the king of the streets in Gorontalo, making it not just transport, but the pulse of the community's social and economic life.
The Bentor Expansion: The Birth of the Welding Workshop Industry
The Bentor's explosion in popularity did not just create jobs for drivers; it also triggered the growth of a new industry: the business of making Bentor frames. The increasing daily demand automatically transformed many ordinary welding workshops in Gorontalo into specialized workshops for manufacturing Bentor heads or frames.
Interestingly, the Bentor phenomenon did not stop in Gorontalo. Its superiority in mobility and relatively affordable price led the Bentor to penetrate other provinces in Sulawesi, and even as far as North Maluku.
Today, Bentors are operating and have become popular public transportation in:
- Makassar, South Sulawesi
- Kotamobagu, North Sulawesi
- Luwuk, Central Sulawesi
- Ternate, North Maluku (Based on business orders)
This expansion is concrete proof of the Bentor's success as a local transportation solution adopted regionally.
Amidst this rapid growth, local entrepreneurs emerged as driving forces. One such name is Arlin Husain, a Bentor manufacturing entrepreneur whose expertise in welding and motif design has rapidly advanced his business.
Arlin Husain’s operation is significant. Employing thirteen staff, his workshop can reach a maximum production capacity of up to thirty Bentor heads per month. This figure indicates a large business scale and its role in local job creation.
Arlin offers Bentor head units at varying prices, ranging from $3.6$ Million to $5.5$ Million Rupiah (approximately $230 to $350 USD). This price is influenced by factors such as:
- Frame Shape and Width: Ergonomic and passenger comfort requirements.
- Accessory Completeness: The addition of features like sound systems, variation lights, or special motif designs.
The key advantage of Arlin Husain's products, which distinguishes them from other workshops, is their non-patented design and ease of assembly. His Bentor frames can be easily detached from the motorcycle without needing to return to the workshop. This knock-down feature is highly sought after, especially by customers from outside the region like Makassar, Ternate, and Kotamobagu, because it facilitates shipping, repairs, and maintenance. This small innovation has made Arlin Husain a key player in the regional market.
Socio-Economic Impact and Future Challenges
The popularity of the Bentor has a dual impact on Gorontalo. From a socio-economic perspective, the Bentor has become a crucial instrument in reducing unemployment. With relatively affordable capital (only requiring a motorcycle and modification costs), many citizens have found a livelihood as Bentor drivers. This success has even enabled many Bentor drivers to finance their children’s education, affirming the Bentor's role as the economic backbone of families.
However, the growth rate of the Bentor is not without its challenges. The number of Bentors, reaching thousands of units and even exceeding the capacity of conventional public transport, raises critical issues:
- Safety and Regulation: The Bentor is often questioned on safety aspects, especially due to its unique position and the modifications made. The local government must continuously strive to socialize safety standards and regular inspection enforcement.
- City Congestion: The excessive number of Bentors, coupled with their wide design, is often blamed as a cause of congestion in densely populated city areas.
- Competition with Official Public Transport: The Bentor, with its door-to-door service advantage, challenges the existence of city public transport (mikrolet/angkot) whose services are often suboptimal.
The local government in Gorontalo has attempted to address these challenges by creating regulations regarding Bentor operation, acknowledging its existence as an iconic vehicle while trying to manage its orderliness. The high adoption of the Bentor by the community indicates that it has filled a gap in transportation services that could not be met by other modes, especially in residential areas.
The story of the Bentor in Gorontalo is an epic of sustainability and adaptation. The Bentor is more than just a mechanical replacement for the Bendi; it is a cultural evolution that reflects the spirit of pragmatism and creativity of the Gorontalo community.
From the slow trot of the horse's feet to the agile roar of the motorcycle engine, the Bentor has changed the street map, opened new business opportunities like those pursued by Arlin Husain, and carried Gorontalo's name across provincial borders. While the Bendi now remains only as a sweet memory and nostalgic entertainment, the Bentor stands tall as a successful symbol of modernization, an icon that continues to move fast, carrying passengers and the pace of Gorontalo's economy toward an increasingly dynamic future. This is the Bentor: the motorized legacy of the Bendi, the three-wheeled pride of Gorontalo.
Source: Bisnis Cerdas❗Usaha Bengkel pembuatan Bentor di Gorontalo
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