Since Uber exited Southeast Asia, Grab has held a monopoly over the Philippine ride-hailing industry, which led to the current situation with high fares and price surcharges. An upcoming ride-hailing app called Tara aims to tip the balance and present riders with an alternative.

Tara

Founded and designed by Benilde alumnus Erwin Dee, Tara is self-described as a “cost-effective Grab alternative” aiming to fill the gap that gives drivers fair earnings and riders reasonable fares.

“Madali lang naman ibaba yung fare kung ako lang ang magdedesisyon. But the question is, paano ibababa yung fare na hindi makaka-affect sa earnings ng drivers? How do we make it sustainable sa side ng drivers? This is the gap that I’m filling in,” Dee wrote in his Facebook post announcing the new app.

Lower fares

Tara boasts cheaper booking fares, as it follows LTFRB’s fare matrix without any surcharges. A four-seater car will start at PHP 45, with PHP 15 increase per kilometer or PHP 2 per minute, while a six-seater vehicle will have a base fare of PHP 55 and an additional PHP 18 per kilometer or PHP 2 per minute.

The app will also take no commission from drivers, which means 100% of the ride cost goes to the driver.

Subscription-based

Users who want to book a ride will need to choose a Tara subscription, which provides them with tokens that they can use for a single booking. The Basic plan costs PHP 30, which gives it to 3 tokens, while the Regular plan costs PHP 300 for 30 tokens. The most expensive plan is called Partner, which costs PHP 3,000 for 300 tokens.

Invite only

Aside from a subscription-based model, the app will only welcome riders and drivers who have been invited by existing users. This trust-based system encourages safeguards for all parties involved, as well as a sense of community and accountability among riders and drivers.

Concerns

As the announcement post went viral on Facebook, so did it on other platforms, including Reddit, where some Pinoys expressed skepticism over the feasibility and sustainability of the project.

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Time will tell, it seems.

Tara will soon be available for download on the App Store and Google Play Store. You can also join the Tara Facebook group for more updates.

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