A new ride-hailing mobile app has rolled up on the increasingly competitive Cambodian online market offering the “most reliable and cheapest taxi fares”.
iTsumo – available for free for iOS and Android devices – was developed by local tech company Camitss, which has provided a full line of services, consultancy and operational resources on IT projects for the past six years, including many satisfied customers in Japan.
The Uber-like app is aimed at connecting users who need a reliable ride with vehicle owners looking to earn money driving. By turning on the smartphone’s GPS location function, users can locate drivers nearby and select a destination on a map. The driver’s in turn can locate the users quickly and easily.
According to the developers, iTsumo has been downloaded over 3,000 times, with around 200 drivers currently registered with the service and active day and night across Phnom Penh. Roughly 120 rides are completed each day on average.
Plans are underway to expand the service to destinations such as Siem Reap, Sihanoukville and Battambang.
Both saloon (“small”) cars and SUV taxis are available to book rides with, as well as the recent addition of tuk-tuks. The minimum fares, flag down fees, and rates per kilometer and per minute of ride vary for each vehicle, and are as follows:
| Vehicle | Seats | Minimum Fare | Flag Down Charge | Fee per km | Fee per minute |
| Small Car | 4 | 4,500 riel | 1,000 riel | 1,995 riel | 200 riel |
| SUV Taxi | 4 | 7,500 riel | 1,500 riel | 2,780 riel | 300 riel |
| Tuk-tuk | 3 | 3,500 riel | 1,500 riel | 1,150 riel | 50 riel |
($1 = 4,000 riel is the current exchange rate)
iTsumo claims its rates are the cheapest in town because of its long-term business strategy – the company takes just 5% commission from the driver, which is deducted automatically from their digital wallet issued on registration. The app has been engineered by Cambodians who clearly understand the market environment and trends, with allowances for adaptability according to local demand.
The latest iTsumo features include real time movement of vehicles on the map before pickup and during rides, location arrival alerts, driver profiles for pre-pickup review, and set pickup and drop off destinations. Features set to come in the next update are VOIP calling and digital wallets for users.
Using iTsumo does not just benefit yourself and the driver, it also helps Cambodian children. That’s because for every app downloaded, the company will donate 1,000 riel to Kantha Bopha Children’s Hospital. iTsumo will also donate 250 per passenger to the hospital, which offers free treatment to its young patients.
iTsumo has already garnered a strong following on social media, with over 44,000 likes on their Facebook page to date.
