Ride-sharing apps rise in Venezuela as public transit decays

CARACAS, Venezuela – Ride-sharing apps like Uber, DiDi and Lyft may have driven across much of the globe, but they haven’t yet rolled into Venezuela.

U.S. sanctions and years of hyperinflation and other woes made it difficult to operate there.

So a handful of local entrepreneurs have started their own ride-sharing apps. And they appear to be finding a welcome from customers frustrated by scarce taxis, aging buses and a decrepit subway system.

At least three Venezuelan ride-sharing apps launched during the pandemic. They’ve taken advantage of a de facto switch of currencies from the Venezuelan bolivar to the U.S. dollar.