Overview
In Melbourne, yet another ridesharing service has thrown its hat into the ring, with China's DiDi Chuxing launching its DiDi Express platform across the city today, Monday, June 25.
The new app is now available to download, promising locals 'an affordable, convenient and reliable ride-sharing alternative', as DiDi goes head to head with the likes of Taxify, Ola, Oiii and Uber, which just launched its new carpooling service.
And it's sweetening the deal with some pretty tempting launch incentives, for both riders and drivers. Those travelling with the service will enjoy a tidy 50 percent discount (capped at $10 per trip) on all DiDi rides from now until the end of July, and will receive a $20 credit every time they introduce a friend to the platform.
DiDi drivers can look forward to forking out zero commission when operating during peak times or in a peak area, and no commission plus a $5 bonus when doing both at once. They'll also take advantage of a stable 20 percent commission at other times and introductory bonuses for completing 20 trips in a seven-day period. The company's promising 24/7 support to both drivers and riders, an itinerary sharing feature for those riding, and a strict driver vetting process.
DiDi Chuxing launched in China in 2012 and has quickly become a huge player in the global ridesharing game — it has since bought out Uber's Chinese operations and has stakes in numerous companies, including Ola, Taxify, Lyft and Grab. It'll be interesting to see how its services stack up to what's already on offer and how many drivers will be available at any one time.
You can now download the DiDi Express app from the app store.