DiDi Chuxing launches Express Service in Russia

Beijing-based DiDi Chuxing announced its entry into Eurasian markets, by starting its ride-hailing services in Russia on August 25, 2020. DiDi has been a proactive part of the vehicle-on-rent industry since 2012, and provides services in Australia, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, Costa Rica, Chile, Colombia and Panama. 

Besides, the company started its ‘DiDi Express’ services in Kazan, the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan. Tatarstan is a part of the Russian Federation, where the company will function as ‘DiDi Russia’, a wholly-owned subsidiary of DiDi Chuxing. 

The company chose Tatarstan as their cradle in Russia because of the innovation-driven attitude of the region. The Republic is also home to the largest IT Park in Russia. Driver recruitment reportedly began in late July, and the company got a good response. 

International business has been a pillar in DiDi’s “0188” three-year growth strategy, as announced by Cheng Wei, DiDi’s founder and CEO, in April 2020. The number “0” signifies that safety is a priority, as DiDi will continue to strive for a future without major safety and security incidents. The other three numbers, “188”, represent completing more than 100 million daily trips globally; achieving an 8% penetration rate in China’s mobility market; and reaching 800 million monthly active users globally.

“We look forward to building a broad partnership with Russian fleet partners and drivers to provide better, safer and more convenient services to the public,” said Stephen Zhu, Senior Vice President and Head of DiDi’s International Business. “We are deeply inspired by cities’ resilience and the effective anti-COVID work of all dedicated DiDi teams and partners around the world. This experience is invaluable as we pursue new opportunities and support communities in rebuilding their economy with better and safer transportation services.”

DiDi Chuxing and its services

DiDi is based in China, which was the first country in and first country out of the Covid-19 pandemic. This gave DiDi the advantage to resume their business far sooner than most other global companies. In fact, DiDi’s business went back to pre-Covid numbers by July 2020. 

With the expansion into Russia, the company decided to use its global expertise in transportation to bring localized products, comprehensive safety and health features, and 24/7 human support to meet Russian users’ needs, drivers and fleets.

According to a press statement emailed to Morning Tick, “The company intends to commit long-term investments to provide drivers with a competitive and transparent service fee structure, and riders with safe, value-for-money, and convenient mobility services.” 

DiDi Chuxing would be looking to encompass Russia and other Eurasian markets with the full range of its convenience services in the coming years. This would include services like Designated Driving, Enterprise Solutions, Bike Sharing, E-bike Sharing, Automobile Solutions, Food Delivery and Payment.