Jorge Alberto Gutiérrez Topete, head of the Baja California Sustainable Mobility Institute (Imos), asked citizens not to use the inDrive transportation platform, because “it has very few security controls.”
During the state government’s morning press conference on Wednesday, the official warned that the platform does not have permission to operate in the state.
“inDrive has become very popular. The recommendation is not to use it: it is a platform that does not ask for any requirements. It has sought to integrate itself into the state’s regulatory framework but it does not comply. It does not comply with the conditions to grant it permission. That platform is not authorized: do not use it,” he said.
Gutiérrez Topete said that inDrive is the only digital platform, of the three that provide services in the state, that has not complied with the requirements set by law. The other transportation applications that operate in Baja California are DiDi and Uber.
This is not the first time that Imos has warned about the situation of digital platforms that operate illegally in the state.
In November 2022, for example, Jorge Alberto Gutiérrez pointed out that inDrive and Cabify were promoting themselves in the state without having approached the government to process their permit.
By using services without registration, the head of the Sustainable Mobility Institute explained since that year that people run more risks, given that there is no link with the state security authorities.
The Baja California government is carrying out an intense campaign so that all drivers who collaborate with an application register personally, in order to identify who they are and what vehicles they use.
Once they register, the government places a stamp with a QR code on the vehicle and gives them a badge that they must wear when they are active on the corresponding platform, which serves to let passengers and authorities know who the drivers are.
By scanning the QR code, for example, a person can access the driver’s history, verify that they are linked to a platform and check that everything is in order when they board a trip.
The deadline for driver partners to register is August 31, 2024. The state government is currently in talks with Uber and DiDi to encourage more drivers to become regular drivers.
The head of Imos even said that the platforms have provided subsidies for collaborators to register, since the process costs around 3 thousand pesos.
However, the registration has caused dissatisfaction and protests among the drivers of the platforms and several still refuse to comply. Therefore, the official warned that after the deadline they will no longer be allowed to operate if they are not registered.
This registration is aimed at platform drivers who do have a permit to operate, so inDrive is not contemplated.
For the Baja California government, this platform operates outside the law and, therefore, should not continue to operate until it is regularized.
The Russian-based inDrive platform has become popular in some states of Mexico in recent years, due to its promise of providing fairer prices for trips.
Its differentiator in the market, compared to other large technological platforms, is that it allows users and drivers to negotiate fares. This has caused more people to use the application. This business and negotiation modality has already been adopted by other mobility platforms.
However, inDrive has been accused on several occasions of complying with the regulations of some states, such as Querétaro.
Just last week, the Querétaro government warned citizens about the risks of using unregistered platforms and said that the State Mobility Agency could not guarantee safety and quality conditions when using platforms without permission, such as inDrive and Blablacar.
inDrive, for its part, has reiterated that it has several mechanisms to guarantee the safety of passengers and drivers before, during and after trips.
inDrive assures commitment to safety
At a press conference this Wednesday in Mexico City, Diego Amezcua, Communications Manager for inDrive in Latin America, explained that the platform verifies the data of drivers and vehicles; has a security button to call the police or an ambulance; has the function of sharing the route of the trip, and provides support 24 hours a day.
Without referring specifically to the situation in Baja California or any specific state, Amezcua stressed that inDrive is committed to the safety of its passengers, and is even implementing Artificial Intelligence tools to reinforce security.
Source: dplnews
