{"id":858376,"date":"2026-04-24T11:04:02","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T09:04:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=858376"},"modified":"2026-04-24T11:04:05","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T09:04:05","slug":"indrives-bidding-process-redefines-ride-hailing-in-south-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/industry-news\/858376\/indrives-bidding-process-redefines-ride-hailing-in-south-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"inDrive\u2019s bidding process redefines ride-hailing in South Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>South Africa\u2019s ride-hailing market is evolving, as rising fuel costs and income inequality create demand for a model that offers both affordability and flexibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>inDrive is answering that demand with its peer-to-peer bidding process, which puts control in the hands of riders and drivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indrive.com\/en-za?utm_source=BusinessTech&amp;utm_medium=Article&amp;utm_term=April+2026\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Click here to learn more about inDrive South Africa<\/a>.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike other ride-hailing platforms currently operating in South Africa that rely on algorithm-driven pricing, inDrive allows riders to propose fares directly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Drivers can then accept, reject or submit a counter offer, with the trip confirmed only once both parties agree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This transforms ride-hailing into a transparent marketplace where value is mutually established rather than dictated by an algorithm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why the bidding process matters in South Africa<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>South Africa\u2019s economic landscape makes peer-to-peer bidding particularly relevant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fixed fare systems often price out riders or leave drivers struggling to cover costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>inDrive\u2019s bidding process adapts to real-world conditions, enabling fairer outcomes for both sides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Riders gain control over what they are willing to pay, while drivers decide whether the trip is viable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ashif Black, country representative for inDrive South Africa, explains: \u201cinDrive\u2019s bidding process empowers South African drivers and riders to agree on fares that reflect real-world conditions, from daily commuters to shift workers and informal economy users. This approach improves affordability and fairness, especially where traditional pricing does not capture local supply and demand.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Independent research by <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.streetinsider.com\/Business%2BWire\/In-App%2BFare%2BNegotiation%2BCan%2BExpand%2BMobility%2BAccess%2C%2BReduce%2BInefficiencies%2C%2BNew%2BResearch%2BShows\/25853285.html?utm_source=BusinessTech&amp;utm_medium=Article&amp;utm_term=April+2026\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Oxford Economics in collaboration with inDrive<\/a><\/strong> shows that in-app fare bidding increases completed trips, expands access to transport and improves satisfaction for riders and drivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In South Africa, where trip distances and transport options vary widely, flexible pricing enables rides to reach areas that standard algorithmic pricing often ignores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHaving control over fares ensures riders and drivers in South Africa access a transport system that is fairer, more practical and suited to local conditions. Our research shows that the bidding process helps more people get around while supporting drivers\u2019 livelihoods,\u201d adds Black.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Riders can propose lower fares, drivers can accept based on convenience and competition between drivers can reduce costs further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This system makes rides more accessible to budget-conscious users and allows trips that might otherwise be skipped to take place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Oxford Economics study further highlights that fare bidding allows users to complete more trips and reach locations that might otherwise be uneconomical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is particularly significant in South African townships, peri-urban areas and other hard-to-reach locations, where conventional ride-hailing may not reliably operate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Empowering drivers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For drivers, inDrive\u2019s model offers autonomy and improved earning potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They can reject low offers or negotiate higher fares, and lower commission fees (often under 10%) allow them to retain more of the fare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This flexibility enables drivers to adapt earnings to real-world costs and maximise income without depending on temporary discounts or subsidies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Nationwide reach and growth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>inDrive operates in all nine South African provinces and over 16 cities, including Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Gqeberha, East London and Pietermaritzburg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since launching in 2019, the platform has seen sustained growth as more South Africans choose peer-negotiated fares over rigid pricing models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Globally, the inDrive app has been downloaded over 200 million times and consistently ranks among the world\u2019s most downloaded mobility platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>inDrive is creating a fairer, more adaptable ride-hailing system by giving riders and drivers the power to set fares through a transparent bidding process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It reflects South Africa\u2019s economic realities while supporting drivers and passengers alike, proving that mobility can be flexible, affordable and sustainable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indrive.com\/en-za?utm_source=BusinessTech&amp;utm_medium=Article&amp;utm_term=April+2026\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Click here to learn more about inDrive South Africa<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>South Africa\u2019s ride-hailing market is evolving, as rising fuel costs and income inequality create demand for a model that offers both affordability and flexibility.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":858382,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10459],"tags":[25282,25280,25281],"class_list":["post-858376","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry-news","tag-ashif-black","tag-indrive","tag-ride-hailing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/858376","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/57"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=858376"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/858376\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":858386,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/858376\/revisions\/858386"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/858382"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=858376"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=858376"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=858376"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}