Everyone knows Uber, Didi, and inDriver. They are the mobile applications for the transport of people most popular among Costa Ricans. But dd you know that in Costa Rica there way more app options to get around town?
While the top three are international (U.S., China, and Russia), there are four Costa Rican apps competing in the sector: Beego, which has been operating for almost two years; Ultra, which works since last year; Boon, which was to be launched in 2019, but is just beginning and SMrides, which serves both Escazú and Puntarenas.
Special discounts, rewards to driving partners, elimination of dynamic fare or personalized service are part of the strategies that apps use to obtain customer loyalty.
Neither the constant traffic operations, heavy fines, strikes and even the persecution of a part of the formal taxi sector have slowed the rise of multinational apps, or local options.
Since its arrival in Costa Rica in August 2015, Uber has operated under the status of illegality – according to the Transit authorities – despite the fact that representatives of the U.S. company urge the creation of legislation that regulates its operation, as well as the rest of transport collaborative apps.
However, legislators have not managed to agree on the guidelines to follow to regulate the operation of the transport apps and thus equip their requirements and obligations with the red (formal) taxis, around 13,000 drivers.
Over the past year we have been hearing that they – the government and legislators – are “this close” to regulating the sector. The last was to have been by the end of January 2020.
The options based on popularity:
