The Dire Effects On Tuk-tuk Drivers After Arrival of PassApp

Phnom Penh- Traditionallly, tuk-tuks are used to transport people and goods hailing from small to large amounts, and there are no fixed prices. Customers have to bargain the price according to the distance and how much the driver charges.

However with the arrival of PassApp, imported Indian rickshaws have severely changed the competition in the market with them being smaller, cheaper with fixed prices, and faster to get around with by just using the mobile app to hail a ride rather than going out onto the street to find one and bargain price with the driver.

According to an interview between KhmerTimes and Mr. Phat Sros, a traditional tuk-tuk driver, says his income has nearly been halved from about $12 to $20 a day to just $5 to $7.50. Tuk-tuks are usually pricier because they use gasoline whereas the PassApp rickshaws use liquefied gas which is cheaper.

Mr. Phat Sros is urging drivers and customers to support the heritage of the tuk-tuks however it seems to be a losing battle as the numbers of tuk-tuk drivers opting for the PassApp rickshaws are growing. The traditional tuk-tuk costs around $2000 while the rickshaws cost $3000. Most of the drivers that have converted to the rickshaws and hooking up with the app has expressed their content with plentiful customers per day to which they earn $12 to $18.

Taing Vengheang, operations manger for PassApp, has said that the company has added the traditional Khmer tuk-tuks to their service to improve the livelihoods of drivers who do not hat rickshaws, however they just have to sign up. Some are still standing their ground on traditional tuk-tuks because they believe they can earn more however, their future’s certainty seems to be troubled if countermeasures are used.

Tuk Tuk vs PassApp in Cambodia