Weeks after launching its bus-booking service in Egypt, Careem has introduced yet another product, Tuk Tuks in Cairo – an area characterised with traffic. Tuk Tuks are now accessible as a ride alternative inside Careem’s main app, Menabytes reports.
The service is currently available in select areas in Cairo and Giza. The Tuk Tuks rides in Egypt have a starting fee and minimum ride fare pegged as 3.5 EGP (0.2 USD), according to Careem’s app, for each kilometre, charges are 2.75 EGP and 0.22 EGP charged per minute for waiting.
This means that bike is cheaper than Tuk Tuks in terms of each kilometer charges but have a higher starting fee and minimum fare. Egypt is not the first Africa market where Tuk Tuks ride will be launched. Similar services have been launched in Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa and some other African countries.
See Also: Careem Launches Bus-Booking Service in Egypt
Careem is to compete with Halan, a Cairo-based company that had started this in 2017. Halan is the first app in Egypt and Sudan that lets you order a motorbike for transit. To augment its service, the company recently raised over $4 million in Series A funding from regional and global investors including Uber’s founding CTO.
Tuk Tuks were introduced to Egypt in 2000 and have become a major mode of transportation. Almost 2 million Tuk Tuks are available in the country but only 109,000 are licensed.
Egyptian legislator, Abdul Fattah Mohammed is planning to present a draft bill to legalize Tuk Tuks in the country. “Legalising the Tuk Tuks should happen as soon as possible in order to protect people and curb traffic chaos. Most areas of Egypt are suffering from the non-regulated proliferation of the Tuk Tuks. In several cases, children are seen driving them, posing danger to passengers and pedestrians alike.”