The market for gray taxis is growing in Russia, which “did not exist five years ago,” according to the address of Arseny Shcheltsin, CEO of ANO Digital Platforms, to Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
The analytical agency Pressindex found that 234 groups and 29 chatbots for calling taxis are registered on Telegram, and on VKontakte there are 3.8 thousand groups for calling taxis and sharing rides.
The number of communities is growing, and Telegram even has aggregator channels with their own commissions for drivers.
Users began to negotiate trips more often on social networks due to rising prices for legal taxis. According to Rosstat estimates, in July 2024, taxi fares per 1 km increased by 26% year-on-year, to 43.11 rubles. Illegally working drivers can offer passengers prices at least half as low, since they do not share 20–30% of their revenue with the aggregator and do not pay the taxi company 2–3 thousand rubles a day for renting a car.
Taxi ordering services and aggregators are already experiencing an outflow of customers to illegal channels, Maxim confirms. (Kommersant)
Source: www.iphones.ru
