facebook
linkedin
twitter
About Us
  • BFSI
  • Energy
  • Infocom
  • Mining
  • Venture
  • Industry
  • Travel
  • Civic
  • Food, Health, Ag
  • Real Estate
  • Responsibility
  • Economy
  • Law & Justice
  • Interview
  • Analysis

Apparently At War With Alternative Transportation, Duque Administration Orders Liquidation of Picap Ride Hailing Service

Posted On January 11, 2020
By : Loren Moss
Comment: Off
Tag: bogotá, cap technologies, colombia, DEA, hugo ospina, Iván Duque, lime, medellin, ministro de transport, ministro de transportatcion, ministro de transporte, mintransporte, motorcycle, patineta, picap, Ride Hailing, scooter, semana, superintendencia de transporte, Supertransporte, Taxi Drivers, uber

Almost simultaneously with a ruling against Uber, Supertransporte, the enforcement organ of Colombia’s Ministry of Transportation (above photo) has ordered the liquidation of CAP Technologies S.A.S.; the company behind the Picap brand of mobility, a local alternative to Uber.

In a statement issued by the ministry on December 21, the decision to shutter Picap was due to “the critical situation in legal, financial and accounting matters, and above all to provide a solution to the safety of users of the transportation sector, and legality through adequate provision of transportation service.

Unlike Uber, Picap offers an option for motorcycle rides in addition to private cars. “The activity undertaken by CAP Technologies is illegal because it is not authorized to provide public transportation service, and also because the law prohibits passengers on a motorcycle, said the ministry in a statement, even though it is generally legal in Colombia to carry passengers.

These moves come not because of impartial arms-length investigations according to the head of the taxi syndicate Hugo Ospina, but because of a deal cut between the taxi leaders and President Ivan Duque for the taxi leaders not to join other unions and groups in massive protests against the deeply unpopular government.

Ospina said proudly in a video he published on Facebook that the administration of President Ivan Duque agreed to shut down the platforms in a deal that the taxi syndicates would not join the November anti-government protests in exchange for Duque doing their bidding regarding alternative mobility such as Picap, Uber, Lime, and others.

In addition to ride hailing platforms, Ospina declared war even on rented electric scooters after winning a court ruling against Uber last month. “We are going to sue the technology platforms that the state declared illegal!” said Ospina in a radio show last month by Semana magazine.

Bogotá suffers from world-class traffic jams, sometimes taking hours to travel short distances. The scooters are seen by many as a popular ecologically friendly alternative that moves commuters quickly through the city’s bicycle lanes. Other cities like Medellín don’t have Bogotá’s traffic woes but suffer from high pollution levels due to geography and other factors. Medellín sits in a valley for example, reducing air circulation and bringing pollution due to emissions to unhealthy levels.

  • In November, an organized crime ring of taxi drivers were captured for robbing foreigners in the city center of over $140,000 USD.
  • In 2014, seven Bogotá taxi drivers were extradited to the US for murdering an off-duty DEA officer in a botched robbery attempt.

Taxi services in Bogotá suffer a very poor reputation, contributing to the popularity of ride hailing services, which are at times even more expensive—at least compared to official rates. Unlike Medellín and other Colombian cities, taxi operators in Bogotá use a fare system that makes it extremely difficult for the passenger to ascertain the correct legal fare, which is not what the meter says, but based on a formula on a chart that is indecipherable to many locals and most foreigners.

See also: Guest Opinion: A Signal of Caution For Direct Investment in Colombia—Über VP of Global Public Policy

 

Above photo courtesy of Supertransporte, Superintendencia de Transporte

DON'T MISS OUT: The only English-language Colombia news that's strictly business, markets, & investment!
Join global executives & investors by subscribing to our FREE weekly updates
I agree to have my personal information transferred to MailChimp ( more information ) DISCLAIMER: Protección de Datos Personales Artículo 15 de la Constitución Política de Colombia, ley 1581 de 2012 y decreto 1377 de 2013.
We will never spam you or share your email address ¡Nunca Jamás!

Share the news!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Print
  • WhatsApp
  • LinkedIn
  • Skype

Related

Share your thoughts:

comments

About the Author
Loren Moss is the founder and publisher of Finance Colombia. He has over 20 years of international business experience, including over a decade of experience in securities, insurance, and commercial real estate, at the institutional and international level.
  • google-share
Previous Story

Colombian Government Issues Cease & Desist Order to Uber, But Uber Continues to Operate

Next Story

Rappi Sued In US Federal Court For Misappropriation of Trade Secrets

Related Posts

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants today reveals Leonor Espinosa of Leo, Bogotá, as the 2022 winner of The World’s Best Female Chef Award, sponsored by Nude Glass
0

Colombian Leonor Espinosa Named “World’s Best Female Chef”

Posted On May 18, 2022
, By Loren Moss
Grand Bahamas photo © Loren Moss
0

Bahamas Seeks Air Connectivity With Colombia

Posted On May 18, 2022
, By Loren Moss
Roberto Kriete, avianca's main shareholder and chairman of the Board of Directors.
0

Shareholders Of Viva, Avianca & Gol Announce The Creation Of Abra Group To Dominate South American Skies

Posted On May 11, 2022
, By Loren Moss




Search

RECENT

POPULAR

COMMENTS

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants today reveals Leonor Espinosa of Leo, Bogotá, as the 2022 winner of The World’s Best Female Chef Award, sponsored by Nude Glass

Colombian Leonor Espinosa Named "World's Best Female Chef"

Posted On May 18, 2022
Grand Bahamas photo © Loren Moss

Bahamas Seeks Air Connectivity With Colombia

Posted On May 18, 2022
Roberto Kriete, avianca's main shareholder and chairman of the Board of Directors.

Shareholders Of Viva, Avianca & Gol Announce The Creation Of Abra Group To Dominate South American Skies

Posted On May 11, 2022
Colombia’s attorney general charged Russian national Sergein Vagin and six other people

Alleged Russian Spy Charged…With Running A Gambling Mafia

Posted On April 12, 2022

Viva Launches Nonstop Routes To Buenos Aires, Argentina From Medellín & Bogotá, Colombia

Posted On April 12, 2022

Romanian Cybercriminal Mihai Ionut Paunescu Captured In Colombia

Posted On June 29, 2021
Photo montage courtesy EPM

EPM’s Board of Directors Resign En Masse, Creating Crisis For Mayor Daniel Quintero

Posted On August 17, 2020

Court Blocks Colombia’s $370 Million USD Emergency Loan To Bankrupt Avianca Airlines

Posted On September 12, 2020

Deadly Riots & Protests Against Police Brutality Break Out Across Colombia

Posted On September 10, 2020

AVIANCA IS BANKRUPT

Posted On May 10, 2020

[…] damn what she said. She and...

Posted On April 4, 2022

[…] by short sellers seeking to...

Posted On March 22, 2022

[…] no longer travel freely...

Posted On March 8, 2022

[…] Duque’s administration will...

Posted On March 8, 2022

[…] See also: 13 Police Injured In...

Posted On March 3, 2022

Watch This!

Consider Advertising With Us

Click here to visit Expat Group's English site

Subscribe Free

don't forget to include "http://"
* = required field
Your Background / Function








unsubscribe from list

RECENT

POPULAR

COMMENTS

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants today reveals Leonor Espinosa of Leo, Bogotá, as the 2022 winner of The World’s Best Female Chef Award, sponsored by Nude Glass

Colombian Leonor Espinosa Named "World's Best Female Chef"

Posted On May 18, 2022
Grand Bahamas photo © Loren Moss

Bahamas Seeks Air Connectivity With Colombia

Posted On May 18, 2022
Roberto Kriete, avianca's main shareholder and chairman of the Board of Directors.

Shareholders Of Viva, Avianca & Gol Announce The Creation Of Abra Group To Dominate South American Skies

Posted On May 11, 2022

Romanian Cybercriminal Mihai Ionut Paunescu Captured In Colombia

Posted On June 29, 2021
Photo montage courtesy EPM

EPM’s Board of Directors Resign En Masse, Creating Crisis For Mayor Daniel Quintero

Posted On August 17, 2020

Deadly Riots & Protests Against Police Brutality Break Out Across Colombia

Posted On September 10, 2020

[…] damn what she said. She and...

Posted On April 4, 2022

[…] by short sellers seeking to...

Posted On March 22, 2022

[…] no longer travel freely...

Posted On March 8, 2022

Watch This!

Contact Us (Click the image):

Pages

  • About Us
  • Colombia Events, Conferences, Festivals and Important Dates
  • Contact Us
  • main
  • Media Partnerships
  • Privacy Policy
  • Search Results
  • Whatsapp test page
Copyright 2014-2020 Finance Colombia All Rights Reserved. We may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.
Posting....
WhatsApp us