Motorcycle ride-hailing firm Move It, which was recently acquired by Grab, said the Department of Transportation’s support to legalize the operations of motorcycle taxis will benefit commuters in dire need of more efficient transportation.
“The country’s growing motorcycle taxi industry has just found a strong ally in Secretary Jaime Bautista. We thank him for adding his voice to the urgent need to recognize motorcycle taxis as a public transport option,” Move It chairperson Francis Juan said Friday.
According to Juan, Move It is one with Bautista in hoping that Congress will pass a law that will legitimize and regulate the motorcycle ride-hailing services in the country.
Proponents of the bill argue that motorcycle taxis would not only help address the transport crisis in some parts of the country but also ease the burden of commuters by providing them with more transportation options.
Above board
Juan also reiterated that Grab’s acquisition of its operations does not warrant the latter’s re-entry into the bike taxi industry.
“Like we have always said our transaction is above board and beyond scrutiny, and we feel that Secretary Bautista’s statement should reassure those who think otherwise,” Juan added.
Grab will only help Move It scale its existing motorcycle taxi fleet of fewer than 1,000. It will add at least 6,000 more partner riders to maximize its allotment of 7,000 riders in the pilot study.
According to Juan, Move It remains the third motorcycle taxi operator in the country, underscoring that the two entities continue to operate separately.
The three players included in the motorcycle taxi study are Angkas, JoyRide, and Move It. Angkas, however, claimed that it has a fleet of over 20,000 bikers, which was way above the allowed number of riders under the initial study.