New ride-hailing app promises low fares

Dhaka is set to get another ride-hailing option by the end of the month named Drivill that promises at least 10 percent lower fares and better security than the current ones in operation.

Drivill, which is set up by non-resident Bangladeshis, has already listed more than 1,000 vehicles including cars, motorcycles and CNG-run three-wheelers under their network in Dhaka and started digital campaigning.

“We are very close to completing our preparation and I can assure you our service will be unique from the security perspective and customers will feel a major difference when they use it,” said Mohammad Ujjal, founder and chief executive officer of the Drivill Inc.

Unlike the existing ride-hailing apps, the Drivill app will not disclose the driver's or the rider's mobile number; both parties will have to communicate through the app.

“A very common complaint of customers is that they get unwanted calls. We have solved the issue technically,” Ujjal said, adding that Drivill will also provide vehicle tracking.

Drivill officials said their fare will be much cheaper than the existing players by at least 10 percent.

Customers can purchase a weak-long pass for travel, which will make the service cheaper. On the other hand, all the payment mechanisms will also be open; driver will be able to cash out their balance anytime through the bKash channel.

At the same time, Drivill will also deliver parcels for e-commerce companies, said Ujjal, who is also working as a network engineer at AT&T Inc. in the US.

Ujjal has 54 percent shares in Drivill Inc after investing about $100,000 from his side. The company will branch out to port city Chatto-gram and Sylhet by June and Khulna, Rajshahi, Cumilla, Barishal, Rangpur and Cox's Bazar within the next one year under a franchise model.

There are plans to launch the same service in some states of the US and Mexico. At present, about a dozen of operators are operating in different segments in Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet.