In brief: US company starts minibus ride-sharing in Jakarta

• US ride-hailing service Via Transportation has begun operating in Indonesia, offering minibus ride shares in Bekasi, an eastern suburb of capital city Jakarta. It’s the latest example of a company from outside the region looking for opportunities in Southeast Asia’s growing ride-hailing market.
• Via is focused on minibuses, rather than motorcycle rides, where competition is fiercest.
• With a local partner, the New York-based company started a service called Tron with a fleet of 150 vehicles.
• Tron customers use an app to tell drivers their location and destination. The service then sends a van that picks up people who are going in the same direction.

Source: Nikkei Asian Review