JAKARTA -- Before smartphones were everywhere, before Grab and Go-Jek were multibillion-dollar unicorns, before anyone had even imagined online ride-hailing, Blue Bird was the innovator in Indonesia's transportation market.

Go-Jek's and Grab's motorbikes have swarmed onto taxi operator Blue Bird's turf in Indonesia. (Photo by Dimas Ardian)
Indonesia's taxi trailblazer bets on connected cabs and regulatory lift