With all the hubbub about further increasing gas prices and the worsening traffic, most Filipinos would turn to a ride-hailing app to get around Metro Manila, with apps like Grab and various motorcycle taxi apps coming to mind.
But did you know that Lalamove has its own ride-hailing service in the aptly named Lalamove Ride?
During a media roundtable with Trisha Apostol, the Country Marketing Manager of Lalamove Philippines, she explained the basics of how this app works, its beginnings, and what it plans to do in the long run.
Lalamove Ride isn’t new, with the service launching back in January 2025. At this moment, there are over 10,000 verified partner drivers, and by this June or July, the company expects the number of drivers to double.
You can find this within the app under the “Ride” section, and at the moment, you can only book a sedan or an SUV/MPV, with motorcycle taxis to follow soon. All rides are automatically insured for both the driver and passenger, and if you ever travel to Hong Kong, Malaysia, or Indonesia, you’ll be surprised to find out that the ride-hailing service works seamlessly there.
The ride-hailing service works in these places: Metro Manila, South Luzon (Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal), and in Central Luzon, with Bulacan, Pampanga (Angeles, Mabalacat, San Fernando, Mexico, Magalang, Santo Tomas, San Simon, Apalit, Minalin), and Tarlac (Tarlac City, Concepcion, Bamban, and Capas).
Lalamove is hoping that more partner drivers will join in, especially within Pampanga, Subic, and Cebu, to make the service more accessible in those areas.
If you’re a driver who wants to join, you must secure a transport network vehicle service (TNVS) and an LTFRB permit. Plus, the vehicles to be used must be their own.
As a partner driver, Lalamove touts a few benefits, like ease of registration and being able to do deliveries as an additional source of income, and it has partnered with several fuel providers for fuel incentives.
The company is looking to expand its electrified fleet, similar to GreenGSM and other ride-hailing services that utilize hybrid vehicles and EVs. Currently, these vehicles sit at less than 5% of its total fleet, and it wants to grow that number by eventually partnering with other companies to offer more incentives to entice drivers to switch over and add to the number of its fleet.
Eventually, the service will gain more features as it shapes up to battle against other ride-hailing apps in the country, but it’s always nice to see more competition, especially in this space, to make the services better for both the consumer and the drivers.
