Angkas riders corner more than half of motorcycle taxis in MM

In a statement on Tuesday, the Department of Transportation’s Technical Working Group on motor-taxis (TWG) released the final tally of riders allowed to operate in its pilot program within Metro Manila — Angkas with 23,164 riders; JoyRide, 15,000; and Move It with 6,836. (PNA file photo by Joey O. Razon)

MANILA — Transport network company (TNC) Angkas is getting more than half of the 45,000-motor-taxi rider cap in Metro Manila, keeping its lead in the motorcycle taxi (motor-taxi) space.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Department of Transportation’s Technical Working Group on motor-taxis (TWG) released the final tally of riders allowed to operate in its pilot program within Metro Manila — Angkas with 23,164 riders; JoyRide, 15,000; and Move It with 6,836.

In Metro Manila, a total of 41,836 riders were registered before the deadline, with the remaining 3,164 rider slots up for grabs in a “first come, first served” basis, according to the TWG.

Angkas won the remaining 3,164 rider slots by submitting its additional list of riders less than 30 minutes earlier than JoyRide.

“On 14 February 2020, Angkas and Joyride were able to submit their respective additional lists of riders — Angkas submitted their final list dated 14 February 2020 at 5:42 p.m. while Joyride submitted its final list dated 14 February 2020 at 6:09 p.m.,” the statement read.

On February 12, the TWG closed the registration of riders in the three areas where the motor-taxi pilot program would be held — Metro Manila with a 45,000-rider cap, Metro Cebu, and Cagayan de Oro City with 9,000 each.

In Metro Cebu, Angkas registered 4,500 riders, JoyRide with 4,488, and Move It with none — with only 12 unused slots in the metropolis.

In Cagayan de Oro City, Angkas registered 925 riders, JoyRide with 176, and Move It with none — still under the 9,000-rider cap by 7,899.