Considering that 225,000 taxi drivers are registered to Kakao Taxi, Kakao Mobility claimed that the app created economic utility worth more than 2.2 trillion won. (image: Yonhap)
SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Korea Bizwire) — Taxi drivers saw a more than 37 percent rise in their income after Kakao Taxi, a mobile taxi-hailing service, was introduced three and a half years ago.
Kakao Mobility announced on Monday that taxi drivers, who used to earn 110,894 won per day back in early 2016, now earn 152,436 won.
Kakao Mobility said that “Kakao Taxi helped increase income by 37.5 percent considering that taxi fares remained constant during this period.”
Working 20 days each month, taxi drivers saw their income rise by 830,000 won per month, or 9.97 million won per year.
Considering that 225,000 taxi drivers are registered to Kakao Taxi, Kakao Mobility claimed that the app created economic utility worth more than 2.2 trillion won.
Kakao Mobility explained that monthly income using Kakao Taxi increased each year, from 410,000 won in 2015, 640,000 won in 2016 and 810,000 won in 2017 to 960,000 won during the January to August period of this year.
On the issue of not having enough taxis during rush hour, at night, at large events, and during inclement weather, Kakao Mobility pointed to the problem of aging taxi drivers, and suggested implementing surge pricing, lifting restrictions on service regions, and adding carpool services as possible solutions.
Compared to last year’s July to August period, more taxis were hailed to go to movie theaters (118 percent), museums (101 percent), art galleries (234 percent), exhibitions (167 percent), gyms (138 percent), fitness clubs (159 percent), golf ranges (90 percent), and tennis courts (159 percent), most likely a result of a government-mandated reduction in weekly working hours from 68 hours to 52 that was implemented in July.
Nighttime surges of taxi-hailing between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. in major business districts in and around Seoul also dropped significantly after working hours were reduced.
Kakao Mobility explained that “people are getting off work earlier, so there are more people catching cabs to go to cultural or fitness facilities.”
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
