The population of Vientiane is slightly under one million people and with few other major population centers, the major rideshare players were in no rush to enter Laos. That provided room for a local operator to take their successful business model and tweak it a bit to suit the market. LOCA was born.
But what is LOCA?
LOCA is basically the Grab, Gojek or Uber of Laos. There is traditional ridesharing as well as a premium service and additional things, such as on-demand grocery shopping. The startup didn’t reinvent the wheel, but it did refine things a bit to ensure the right fit for local users.
For the big guys, investing in Laos wasn’t feasible for a variety of reasons. None more daunting than the country’s limited internet penetration rate which stands at 43 percent, according to DataReportal.
This was less of a concern for LOCA who understood the country desperately needed an alternative. If you’ve been to Vientiane, you will know firsthand just how annoying getting from point A to point B can be with no real public transit system and taxis charging whatever the hell they feel like.
How does LOCA work?
If you have ever used Grab, Gojek or Uber, you’ve basically already used LOCA. You can pay for a ride via Visa, MasterCard, cash or a few other apps. There is a range of transportation options including cars and motorbikes with the startup screening drivers to ensure they are insured and meet certain standards.
There are a few differences between LOCA and Grab that are important to note. For example, Grab charges a flat fare for trips and while that is an option when using LOCA, some rides do use a meter system.
Another difference between the two is the flexibility users have with LOCA when it comes to cash and credit. It’s possible to pay a driver in cash and then have them credit the change to your account for future rides. This innovative addition is a really cool feature.
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LOCA leads the way for Laos startups
Laos may not be a well-known startup hub, but the country does have quite a few innovators making moves. The success of LOCA may help drive more attention to what is happening in places like Vientiane.
The rideshare startup was honored at the ASEAN Business Awards in the Startup & Innovation Driven Entrepreneur category last year. This was seen as a significant milestone for the firm which began operations in 2017.
Now that you know what LOCA is, here is how you can use it to catch your next ride in Vientiane. Click here to download it on the Apple Store or Google Play.
