10 ridesharing cos get licence

FE Report | Published: July 20, 2019 22:49:09

Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) has so far issued licence to 10 ridesharing companies after they started registering app services on July 01 this year.
The registration began 18 months after the guidelines were formulated for ridesharing services in the country.
The companies who got enlistment certificates included Pickme Limited, Pathao, Obhai, Chaldal, Computer Systems, Akash Technology, Ezzyr Technologies Limited, Segesta Limited, Shohoz Limited and Uber Bangladesh Limited.
According to BRTA, Probahon Limited and Buddy Limited also applied for certificates, but they were yet to get approval.
Earlier, some other companies like Golden Reign Limited, Rider Rideshare Enterprise Inc Limited and Akij Online Limited applied for certificates, but not on-line.
Introduced in 2016, app-based ridesharing services have gained popularity particularly in Dhaka and Chattogram cities even without any government approval.
However, the companies who would fail to show 100 vehicles on their fleet would not get certificates even after getting approval, said Wasim Uddin, an official of BRTA involved with the licensing process.
According to article 'Ka' of the guidelines, all ridesharing companies will have to receive enlistment certificates from BRTA to provide services.
Currently, the companies need to apply for certificates online. They also need to print the certificates online, said officials.
Article 'Ka' also states that no ridesharing companies will be allowed to provide services if they don't have a minimum number of motor vehicles in their fleet area-wise.
The provision for getting licence-ability to dial 999, national emergency helpline, and using ridesharing apps-was made optional as the police were not ready to deliver services.
A BRTA official said even though service providers were almost ready to provide dial 999 services, the police were not.
App-based ridesharing services were launched in Dhaka in May 2015. More than two dozen service provider companies are now operating in the city.
The cabinet in January last year approved "Ride-Sharing Service Guideline 2017" which came into effect on March 08 the same year.
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