Indonesia’s Go-Jek wants to operate in PH – LTFRB exec

SCREENGRAB from Go-Jek website

Indonesian ride-hailing firm Go-Jek has expressed its interest in joining the country’s transport network vehicle service (TNVS) industry, an official from the Land Transportation Franchise and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said on Monday.

LTFRB board member Aileen Lizada welcomed the move but said that Go-Jek’s entry would still have to undergo strict deliberation.

“Go-Jek is interested to enter and provide TNVS services, which is only 1 of the 18 services they offer,” Lizada told reporters.

“Go-Jek is big. We need to study well as we need to protect the local players,” she added.

Go-Jek officials Rohan Monga and Shinto Nugroho were at the LTFRB on Monday and introduced their company to the LTFRB board.

According to Lizada, Go-Jek plans to enter all cities in the country that have taxi services. Currently, there are only three cities nationwide that have taxi operations: Metro Manila, Cebu, and Pampanga.

She noted that Go-Jek has 250,000 active TNVS in Indonesia. She also said that since there was no regulation of TNVS in Indonesia, Go-Jek can surge its charges up to five times more than its normal price.

Lizada told Go-Jek officials that they might only be allowed up to two times surge in their price should they be allowed to operate in the country. Go-Jek officials, in turn, said they would have to study that concern.  /kga – Faye Orellana