What is that car running on roads where 'Tada' has disappeared?

[Asia Economy Reporter Buaeri] It has been a month since the van-hailing service "Tada" stopped operating following the passage of the Passenger Transport Service Act (Passenger Act) amendment. Although Tada has disappeared from the roads, other mobility vehicles are busily roaming the streets. As the government has eased regulations for startups, similar models to "Tada Basic" are being introduced one after another.

◆ Kakao Mobility Takes Flight = According to industry sources on the 15th, while Tada has halted, Kakao Mobility is leading the mobility market. Having partnered early with taxi companies to enter the business, Kakao Mobility's app, KakaoT, saw its user base increase by 1 million in the first half of this year alone, reaching 25 million users currently. The large van taxi, Kakao Venti, is being piloted with about 110 vehicles in Seoul. The number of vehicles under testing has increased recently as individual taxi drivers have joined, up from about 70 last year. The franchise taxi service "KakaoT Blue" operates 5,200 vehicles across 10 regions nationwide. Kakao Mobility plans to expand KakaoT Blue to 10,000 vehicles within this year.

With its taxi business established, Kakao Mobility is eyeing other ventures. Last month, Kakao Mobility added "car rental/leasing business, general travel agency, and advertising business" to its corporate business objectives. It is expected to launch products combining its existing "shuttle" service with travel and to enter the rental car business. Unlike Tada, which caused controversy by providing both drivers and rental cars simultaneously, Kakao Mobility will connect rental cars with drivers. A Kakao Mobility representative said, "There is strong demand from existing corporate members who frequently use private cars, so we are reviewing the rental car business."

◆ From Shared Taxis to Tada-like Models = Makgeolli Taxi, a latecomer, is steadily expanding its presence. According to KST Mobility, the operator of Makgeolli Taxi, the number of taxi members increased by about 16,000 after the passage of the Passenger Act. Makgeolli Taxi is also pursuing various business models such as a "dynamic pricing system" and "short-distance shared rides" during low-demand hours through the government's regulatory sandbox. The dynamic pricing system will be introduced in the second half of this year, and the shared ride model will be launched next year.

Cube Car's Papa operates a rental car business similar to Tada but is legally authorized through government regulatory sandbox approval. Currently, 50 eleven-passenger Papa vans are in operation. Cube Car plans to expand this fleet to 300 vehicles. Kim Boseop, CEO of Cube Car, stated, "Since Tada stopped, the number of subscribers has increased more than threefold compared to usual."

The industry expects that if negotiations on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Mobility Innovation Committee enforcement ordinance, launched on the 14th, proceed flexibly, more companies will enter the mobility sector. The Ministry plans to expand the domestic mobility market, currently worth 8 trillion won, to 15 trillion won by 2030. CEO Kim said, "Even when Tada ceased operations, Papa did not give up because the government promised to be 'flexible.' If the Innovation Committee supports companies to receive investment and grow, more startups will be willing to take on challenges."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.