A feasibility study on operating an app-based ride-sharing service in Cambodia is to be conducted by American transportation network giants Uber, with Commerce Minister Pan Sorasak stating that the upcoming E-commerce law and the ever-increasing number of online mobile users will “make the running of Uber’s business here very smooth”.
The Minster recommended that the company, headquartered in San Francisco, should register with them and cooperate with both the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation and the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications to help them fully understand the local demographic. According to Uber representatives, the service is currently updating its technology to allow users to reach their destination more easily.
Last Thursday, a taxi-booking app called Itsumo – available for both Apple and Android phones – was launched in the Kingdom by Japanese company FIGIX Industry Co. Ltd., in collaboration with a group of Cambodian engineers. Developers are guaranteeing a pick up time of no more than three minutes, with base fares starting from 4,500 riel ($1.10) and $0.50 per kilometer thereafter.
Singapore startup Grab is Uber’s biggest competition in Southeast Asia, with operations in Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand, but not yet Cambodia. Meanwhile, a local ride-hailing app called Exnet Taxi has enjoyed a marked increase in users since its launch in the middle of last year.
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