New taxi app for Cambodia - I tested it in Phnom Penh

The new taxi app is called PassApp, you can download it on your phone and make a profile.

When you need it, you open the app, it determines where you are, you can adjust that but it's quite accurate. Then you choose transport: car, rickshaw or tuktuk. I prefer the rickshaws, three-wheelers on LPG, and metered. They are smaller than a tuk tuk, so easier to move in traffic. On top they have a windscreen, so much less dust and dirt coming in your eyes.

The app then says how long it takes before the driver arrives, you can also follow the driver coming to your place. Then you give the driver your destination, he puts it in his screen and off you go.

At the destination you and the driver get a message about the fare. You pay the driver cash and that's it. Some time later you get an invoice per email with all details.

At pick up there can't be a misunderstanding with another customer, I had one time this happening, the driver checked on his screen and my name and photo showed up so it was my taxi.

All together I'm very satisfied with PassApp, it is accurate, you never wait long, it's cheaper than tuktuks.

The pick up fare for a rickshaw is 2000 riel, the ride per kilometer 1000 riel. Time is not billed, so it doesn't matter how long it takes. Most of the night rides were about 1 km so I paid 3000 riel each time, which is $0,75. The same ride would cost me $2 in a tuktuk.

It is not the lower fare that is important for me. It is the reliability, accuracy and transparent fare system that makes it the best choice for me.
I think it is also a safe way of transport for girls and women, the passengers are more inside and more protected, their name and the driver's name and car ID are all known to the central, on top it is GPS controlled.

After these positive points a few flaws that should be dealt with, I have written to them already about it and await answers.

1. I had different fares for about the same rides. The reason can be that the driver took a longer way than the other driver and the question is did he do that because of traffic jam or to raise the fare?
2. The stated calculation of 2000 riel for pick up and 1000 riel per km worked perfectly for short rides, but the 5km rides I took on 2 consecutive days were billed higher than that. I have asked them why.
3. In two cases the driver did not put the destination on the screen, 1x because he could not find it and it took me 10 minutes to finally show it on my phone, a normal street with a normal number. The other time the driver just didn't do it. In both cases they manipulated the screen during the ride. Also these two drivers came up with a higher fare than the other drivers. So I think they found a way to cheat.

It's all small money but it's about the system. Around the world metered taxis drive longer ways to add to the fare, but it's not correct.

If these flaws are dealt with it is the best taxi system I have encountered, very useful in a large city like Phnom Penh.

Joe