Empowering mobility through technology: Moto-hailing for safer and more equitable Latin American communities

Mobility allows individuals to safely gain access to a spectrum of economic opportunities by enabling them to connect with job markets, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and various other essential services critical for socioeconomic advancement. Initiatives that optimize urban mobility, including on-demand transportation platforms facilitated by technologies such as ride-hail and moto-hail, are serving as catalysts for economic inclusivity and growth. For instance, moto-hailing services, which connect passengers with motorbike drivers through digital platforms, offer a convenient and affordable mode of transportation in many cities.

This report, commissioned by the mobility technology platform DiDi, seeks to serve as a fact base on the benefits of cultivating a supportive transportation landscape. It focuses on two cities where moto-hailing services operate (Bogotá and Rio de Janeiro) and two cities where moto-hailing services are not available (Mexico City and São Paulo), assessing how these services benefit users, drivers, and wider society. Key findings include:

1. Moto-hailing saves time for passengers and enables access to economic opportunities, saving commuters more than 100 hours of travel time per year. Access to such services also boosts economic participation, as evidenced by how 60% of moto-hailing trips are made to or from low or middle-income areas.
2. Moto-hailing provides drivers with more flexible income-earning opportunities to support their families, with 60% of drivers being the sole income source for their households. Drivers also see other benefits, such as increased financial independence.
3. Moto-hailing reduces time-related commuting costs while safeguarding road users. Two in 10 moto-hailing trips are multi-modal, bridging mobility gaps and complementing public transport. In addition, over 99.9% of moto-hailing trips in the second half of 2023 occurred without any incident, with 88% of Bogotá users having high levels of confidence around the safety of ride-hailing moto, including 90% of women passengers.

Read more at the links below: