DidiDache and KuaidiDache, two leading domestic taxi apps, join hands with OTA Ctrip to embed their services in the newly launched 5.2 version of Ctrip’s mobile app (report in Chinese).
After opening either of the apps via Ctrip app, the service will locate the starting point of users automatically. Customers only have to input their destination and phone number to get a taxi. Both of the apps provide urban transportation and airport pickup services.
Taxi apps have been under a lot of pressure since Chinese regulators step in to ban the bidding feature this May. To maintain tractions for taxi drivers, they distribute subsidies to divers to make up for losses generated from absence of the bidding feature.
Under fierce competition, map and travel apps are favorable choices for taxi apps to attract larger user base. Aside from Ctrip, both DidiDache and KuaidiDache launched cooperation with Baidu Map and Qunar.
DidiDache reportedly rolled out airport pickup service in 13 cities countrywide. KuaidiDache claimed to launch services in 40 cities with 350,000 registered taxi drivers nationwide. The latter has acquired Dahuangfeng, a Shanghai based competitor, this year.
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