The same free market concept that led to a concession of a taximeter plate of almost zero original cost to reach a value of tens of thousands of dollars, must now be applied to the irruption of collaborative transport services.
EDITORIAL
Jorge Cobas González
Founder of CentralAmericaData
Arguing that traditional taxi services and Uber should coexist simultaneously, the government of Costa Rica presented a proposal to regulate the collaborative transport service.
Uber, the computer platform for passenger transportation that has been operating in Costa Rica for more than three years, has faced, as in other markets, the opposition of local taxi drivers, who claim that they compete under unequal conditions.
In Costa Rica, the Executive Branch urges deputies to move forward with the discussion of the project to regulate non-traditional hosting and its intermediation through digital platforms.
The project suggests that non-traditional hosting companies be required to register with the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT), pay taxes and be registered with the General Directorate of Direct Taxation.
Although new jobs will emerge, technological changes will have a strong impact in the Central American region, where there is a high proportion of jobs with a high risk of automation.
According to forecasts made by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), in 2018 it was estimated that 75% of workers in Guatemala and El Salvador are in high-risk automation jobs.
The Uber technological platform, which in Central America is currently transporting people and food, is planning to expand its service offerings to the freight transport business.
Uber and Uber Eats, platforms for transporting people and delivering prepared food, respectively, are already operating in the countries of the region. However, the U.S. company's new bet for Latin America is to use Uber Freight to transport cargo.
Uber Eats food delivery application will be available in the country from November 23rd and will start operating with 150 affiliated restaurants.
Representatives of Uber Eats for Central America informed that in the first phase of operation, the application will cover food deliveries in some areas of the Metropolitan Area of San Salvador.
Regarding the plans to expand the application, Jose Maria Volio, manager of Uber Eats for Central America, said to Elmundo.sv that "... each month they will reach more territories, because the goal is that by 2019 they can offer their service in the countryside of El Salvador."
The implementation of two applications used for home delivery services in Guatemala reinforces the irreversible trend towards better use of available resources through innovation and technology.
One of the applications now available is Uber Eats, which lets people place orders from different restaurants with varied prices.Another of the companies that has started up is Glovo, dedicated to the purchase, reception and shipping of several product categories.
In Panama 30 hotels are now working with an application that allows travelers to book and rent rooms for a number of hours and not for a full day.
In an attempt to raise their occupancy rate, which at the national level has not managed to exceed 45% in recent years, some hotels in Panama have started trying out alternatives.For example, an application made by the Spanish company ByHours, allows travelers to rent a room for 3, 6 or 12 hours, during any period of the day.
Six months after the vice president of El Salvador himself welcomed the company into the country, the transport authorities now say the service is illegal and intend to suspend it.
The Deputy Minister of Transportation, Nelson García, warned that they will start to fine and confiscate vehicles that are providing private transport services via the application, because it is considered illegal in the country.
The new regulation for the transport technology platform establishes that the service can be provided exclusively in the provinces of Panama Oeste, Panamá, Colón and Coclé.
From a statement issued by the Presidency of Panama:
Drivers working with transportation technology platforms must be over 21 years of age and have a Type E1 license, issued by the Transit and Land Transportation Authority (ATTT).
The National Private Enterprise Meeting is scheduled for November 13 and will deal with issues related to simplification of procedures, big data and the sharing economy.
On November 13, the 17th edition of the National Private Enterprise Meeting (ENADE) will be held, under the theme "Employment and development", as reported by the National Association of Private Enterprise (ANEP), organizer of the activity.
In El Salvador reform of legislation on passenger transport has been proposed to "incorporate business models based on new telecommunications technologies."
From a report by the Superintendency of Competition in El Salvador:
The Board of Directors of theSuperintendency of Competition(CD) issued an opinion on land transport regulations, in relation to the provision of passenger transport services required by users through the use of digital platforms.
As of July this year, 8 thousand people were registered on the web platform along with 14 thousand rooms available for rent in Costa Rica.
While Airbnb.com authorities continue their efforts to consolidate the business by offering to the Ministry of Finance to charge sales tax for transactions made in Costa Rica, the number of Costa Rican rooms and residences available on the website continues to increase, as well as than the number of users within the country.
In Costa Rica a hotel entrepreneur is confronting the Solis government, after it warned that companies carrying out commercial promotions in alliance with Uber will be penalized.
EDITORIAL
Can it be that businesspeople in Costa Rica nowhave to consult the government to validate their marketing plans and strategies for their products and services?
The Varela administration has announced that it will be working on the creation and implementation of a legal framework for the operation of transportation technology platforms such as Uber.
From a statement issued by the Presidency of Panama:
The Cabinet Council has recognized the need to regulate the transport service offered through technological platforms, which is covered by the current e-commerce provisions and is an economic activity that must be regulated under the land transport law.
Recognized Brazilian company of backhoe loaders, telescopic, articulated and other types of cranes looking for companies interested in representing the brand and distributing their machinery in Central America and Mexico. The company manufactures and sells telescopic,...