Outside of private cars and public transport, many people rely on ride-hailing services to get around. In Malaysia, the market is largely dominated by Grab, AirAsia MOVE, and Bolt. However, competition could soon become more interesting, as French carpooling platform BlaBlaCar has officially arrived in the country.
For those unfamiliar with the service, BlaBlaCar describes itself as the world’s largest community-based travel app. Unlike conventional ride-hailing services, it matches drivers with passengers travelling to the same destination, primarily for long-distance journeys, allowing them to split travel costs such as fuel and tolls.
In its official press release, BlaBlaCar says the expansion is aimed at addressing mobility needs in fast-growing regions. The company also notes that its entry into these markets comes as fuel prices continue to rise, making carpooling a “natural solution” for travellers looking to reduce transportation costs.
It is also worth noting that BlaBlaCar operates its own intercity bus service, BlaBlaCar Bus, in selected markets. However, the press release does not mention whether the service will be introduced in Malaysia.
The app also facilitates payments, meaning drivers and passengers do not have to exchange their banking details directly. For those curious, BlaBlaCar primarily generates revenue by charging passengers a booking fee, although the exact amount varies depending on the market and journey. Sharetribe estimates that the company generally charges passengers a commission of around 10% to 15% of the ride price, alongside a fixed booking fee, but BlaBlaCar has not publicly standardised this figure across all markets.
BlaBlaCar says it plans to expand into 20 new markets across four regions. Besides Malaysia, the expansion covers the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam in Southeast Asia; Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay in Latin America; Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, North Macedonia and Moldova in Eastern Europe; as well as Morocco in Africa.
For Southeast Asia, BlaBlaCar says it will build on the operational experience it has gained in India. The company adds that public transportation “infrastructure is undersized compared to demographic and economic growth, creating strong demand for shared mobility solutions.”
(Source: BlaBlaCar [1], [2], Sharetribe)
