The apps, such as Uber, DiDi and inDriver are winning the battle to mobilize Costa Ricans, not only in the Central Valley but now also in tourist areas such as beach areas and mountain resorts.
This regardless of the frustration of the taxi sector, which feels cornered by being tied to a government concession and an obsolete tariff model.
The constant operations of the traffic authorities against the mobility platforms (apps) and the million-dollar fines to which they are exposed to being caught providing an illegal service have done of little or nothing to curb their operations and the public’s use.
DiDi, which began operating last week, November 19, is the most recent, with some 5,000driving partners in San José, Heredia, Alajuela, Cartago and Puntarenas.
With discounts of up to 50% on the first two trips and other promotions for users and drivers, DiDi seeks to grow its market share, a market currently dominated by Uber, the pioneer in Costa Rica in this type of service.
InDriver has been operating in the country since April with a different payment method, where the user indicates the maximum amount to be paid for the trip and the driver is the one who chooses whether or not to take the service.
Bee Go and Ultra, which offer the same service, have had to start joining the profit auction to get a portion of the huge cake that is the private transportation service for people.
With these initiatives, more and more taxi drivers are turning in their taxi (license) plates, and more people download and use the applications, which show that technology is imposed on the law.
Against all odds, neither the constant pressure by traffic authorities, nor the strikes and persecution of the formal taxi drivers stop them, has stopped the rise of the transport apps
Carolina Coto, spokeswoman for Uber Central America, said: “We believe that competition is positive for the entire ecosystem: users, collaborating partners (drivers) and mobility options in general. This motivates us to strive and improve ourselves every day.”
Pablo Mondragón, General Manager of DiDi Costa Rica, said: “We are very grateful for the enthusiasm and incredible reception we have obtained with people in Costa Rica.
We are convinced that your expectations, as well as those of our local team, are very high, and we will put all our energy into contributing to the improvement of the mobility of the Ticos through an accessible alternative, with high-quality standards and with the focus on security.”
“We welcome any player who helps foster technological innovation. We have competition in other markets with different players, so this is nothing new for us or here in Costa Rica or globally,” said Eduardo Abud, inDriver PR Manager LATAM.
DiDi
Local manager: Pablo Mondragón
Headquarters: Beijing, China
Countries: 8
Divers in Costa Rica: 5,000
Website: didiglobal.com
InDriver
Region Manager: Eduardo Abud
Headquarters: New York
Countries: 25
Drivers in Costa Rica: N / A
Website: indriver.com
Uber
Country Manager: Andrés Echandi
Headquarters: San Francisco
Countries: 63
Drivers in Costa Rica: 22,000
Website: uber.com/cr/es/
Bee Go
Manager: César Blasco
Headquarters: Costa Rica
Countries: 1
Drivers in Costa Rica: N/A
Website: beegocr.app
