The use of motorcycles as a means of transportation has increased in the Dominican Republic due -in part- to the large traffic jams that make it difficult for people to reach their destinations on time, a situation that is aggravated by the recklessness of some drivers by disrespecting the land traffic regulations.
This need to avoid setbacks due to vehicular traffic leads users to use the “motoconcho” as a faster alternative, which promotes the regularization of this type of means of transport through digital platforms.
In the country there are technological platforms that allow users to order a transportation service online in the streets of Santo Domingo, such as Uber, InDriver and DiDi, each with different service products intended for each user’s need, such as sending packages, taxi and delivery for food orders at home.
“I earn my pesos by taking trips when I get off work and I don’t earn more because I don’t do that,” says José Rafael López, a citizen who uses his motor to generate extra income.
The young employee, 35 years old, comments that the concho was not an option for him, since he did not have time, but with the digital platforms he checks the route of the services and produces up to 800 pesos in the afternoon while he goes home.
when conversing with Free Journal, He regrets that his salary is not enough to cover his needs, but he comments that he completes the fuel and something for his family’s dinner.
But, what makes the Dominican market so attractive for two of the above international companies to venture into their platform for motorized transfers?
For the general director of DiDi for Central America, the Caribbean, Colombia and Ecuador, Jorge Ordóñez, the way in which economic dynamism is developing and the facilities offered by Dominican legislation make companies want to invest in the country.
Vehicle fleet
Ordonez indicated to Free Journal that another factor that makes the Dominican market interesting is the composition of its vehicle fleet, which increased by 5.6% in April 2022 compared to the same month last year, dominated by motorcycles with 56% of vehicles registered in the General Directorate of Internal Taxes (DGII).
The use of “motoconchos”, in addition to being a way to decongest public roads, serve as a mechanism to save fuel costs and are a source of economic income in an agile and easy way due to the incentives that drivers can receive from the platform. , he expressed.
DGII statistics indicate that the number of existing vehicles in the country went from 4,974,199 vehicles to 5,255,197, for an increase of 280,998 during the analyzed period.
When calculating the flow of engines in circulation, it is recorded that this type of vehicle grew by 6.2% in April 2022, going from 2,760,151 in 2021 to 2,931,833 this year.
The DGII reports that from January to April some 55,713 new motorcycles were incorporated.
Security
One of the concerns of the passenger who uses motors to move is the danger to which they are exposed for not knowing the driver, not knowing the route they will use to take him and because of the little security offered by this two-wheeled vehicle.
Rosmery de los Santos uses several vehicles to get to the beauty salon where she has been working for nine years. She says that since the Metro was installed, she has had a lighter routine that has been improved by other factors, including the motorcyclist who prevents her from walking about five blocks and leaves her at the door of work.
“Before, I had to wait for one (a motorist) to pass by, but with the application I ask for it while I’m in the cart and that way I don’t waste time,” the lady points out, expressing her satisfaction with the service she receives.
“The only problem,” she says, is that “you’re not very safe,” so she tries to contact her assigned driver to tell him not to speed her up.
In this sense, the director of DiDi pointed out that as a company they have invested 300 million pesos in incentives and promotions. Of that amount, a proportion was allocated to the purchase of protective helmets so that the driving partners who use their platform have how to provide passenger safety.
The National Institute of Traffic and Land Transport (Intrant), as part of its citizen security strategy, launched the National Motorcycle Registration Plan with which it encourages motorcyclists to use a protective helmet due to the requirement to place the number on them. of plate in the security accessory.
