Let’s face it. Traffic in Metro Manila sucks. Driving a car around the city these days means potentially being stuck for hours on the road and having to fight for ultra-rare parking spaces. If you’re only a single passenger, fares in regular cabs and ride-hailing services can feel ridiculously expensive as well.
Sometimes when you’re in a rush to get somewhere, the most affordable and convenient option is to hail a motorcycle taxi.
I usually just drive a motorcycle myself to get around, but there are times when I prefer to use motorcycle taxis instead, especially when attending events in crowded areas like Poblacion and Makati where parking is always a problem. It’s also helpful for getting to other public transport hubs like P2P bus stops when I don’t want to bother leaving my own vehicle parked the whole day.
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Motorcycle taxis are a game-changer for commuters in high-traffic areas who want a cheaper and more convenient option to get from point A to B without multiple transfers or having to wait for public transport. And in case you’re worried about not looking your best, you can easily just bring your own helmet and extra clothes to change at your destination.
With easy-to-set-up apps, motorcycle taxis provide a convenient option for international tourists who want to get around when sightseeing around the metro. For those who travel light, it’s also a pretty handy transport option for getting to and from the airport.
There are currently three major motorcycle taxi players legally allowed to operate in the Philippines under the government’s pilot program that began in 2019—Angkas, Joyride, and Move It.
As reported by Rappler, more motorcycle taxi operators could be coming soon, after officials are considering adjusting the cap on the number of those allowed to operate.
At any rate, here’s all you need to know about the major motorcycle taxi services in the Philippines, how to book rides, and how much it costs to book a ride as of 2023.
Motorcycle taxi service providers
Angkas
Since its initial launch in 2016, Angkas has become the most popular choice for commuters. Despite setbacks due to transport franchising regulations before 2019 and during the pandemic years, Angkas is back in full force on the road.
Aside from offering motorcycle taxi services for passengers, Angkas also offers package delivery services through Angkas Padala, with their social media accounts and witty adverts often featuring promos and discounts.
As of March 2023, Angkas reportedly has 28,614 partner riders and more than 8 million app downloads. The motorcycle taxi service currently operates in NCR, parts of Greater Manila Area, Metro Cebu, and Cagayan de Oro, with plans to expand to even more cities and provinces all over the country.
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JoyRide
In December 2019, JoyRide launched its services to offer an alternative for fast and safe alternative transport through motorcycle taxis.
Aside from booking basic motorcycle taxi services, you can also book regular taxi cabs and private cars, and get delivery services and Pabili (buy-for-me) service via the JoyRide app.
According to their app download page, JoyRide has onboarded over 20,000 driver partners in the Philippines with the app reaching more than 1 million downloads. Their coverage includes Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Bulacan, Laguna, Cebu, and Baguio.
Move It
Move It, which launched in 2022, aims to set the standard among motorcycle-taxi companies and be at par with motorcycle taxi services across Southeast Asia. Earlier this year, the Grab Philippines-backed platform launched an upgraded app to offer a seamless user experience with relatively cheaper fares compared to its competitors.
Move It makes use of Grab's in-house map to ensure that pinned locations are precise. So far, they only offer motorcycle taxi services on the app, without the other extra services like package deliveries or regular taxis.
As the country’s newest moto taxi player, Move It has 6,471 riders, covering the following cities in Metro Manila: Paranaque, Pasay, Taguig, Makati, Pateros, Pasig, Mandaluyong, Manila, San Juan, Southern Quezon City, and Marikina. They also have operations in Cebu and Cagayan de Oro.
How to book motorcycle taxis
Angkas booking guide
The Angkas app is available on GooglePlay for Android, the App Store, and the App Gallery for Huawei devices.
The interface of Angkas is user-friendly and easy to navigate. Simply input the pick up and drop off details, and insert notes if needed. Passengers can see the fare before they confirm the booking. Head to the designated location once you've been allocated a biker and you’re all set.
While convenient and generally easy to use, based on personal experience, it can sometimes be difficult to book rides during rush hour and in certain locations.
Generally, the fare comes out cheaper (at least half the price) of regular taxis or four-wheeled ridehailing services. According to Angkas, their pricing is subject to various changes such as traffic conditions, government regulations, differences between supply and demand. As such, the fare for the same route may fluctuate.
For payment options, Angkas only allows cashless payments (via debit or credit card, GCash or Paymaya) for passengers. For Padala, they allow both cash and cashless payment methods, while Pabili only allows cash payments.
JoyRide booking guide
The JoyRide Superapp is available for download on GooglePlay and the App Store.
Signing up for the app is pretty straightforward. Passengers will be asked to enter their mobile phone number for verification, and then a code will be sent. After this, passengers can set up a profile to include their name, email address, and photo. After signing up, you can now enjoy hassle-free travel when you book a motorcycle taxi and get efficient deliveries as well.
Similar to other ride-hailing apps, JoyRide’s app offers a simple and user-friendly interface that lets passengers indicate their pick-up and drop-off points. The app also has a space for “notes” where passengers can include information such as nearest landmarks for pick-up locations. It also has a dedicated space for fare, estimated arrival time, and estimated travel distance.
Once a passenger has booked a “Kasundo,” the app will display the rider's name and photo, motorcycle type, plate number, and proximity to the pick-up location.
JoyRide makes use of a base fare system starting at P50 for the first two kilometers, P10 for every succeeding kilometer up to seven kilometers, P15 per kilometer if the ride exceeds seven kilometers. You can pay with cash or through online banking systems, including Maya and GCash. You can also top up to go fully cashless with the in-app wallet called JR Pay.
Move It booking guide
The Move It app is available on GooglePlay and the App Store.
The app requires users to register by providing a valid phone number, email address, and other basic personal information. Once registered, you can now start using the MOVE IT App to easily book a moto taxi by choosing a pick up and drop off address. Except for the color scheme, the app itself has a similar look and feel to Grab. It also makes use of promo codes, which you can input under the “Coupon” section.
The app has a real-time tracking system, and includes the estimated drop-off time when you make a booking. It also has a few enhanced safety features including an Emergency button to call for help at any point of the ride. Passengers can also get detailed ride receipts and give post ride feedback.
In Metro Manila, Move It has a base fare of P50 for the first two kilometers, with an additional P10 per kilometer for distances of up to seven kilometers, and P15 per kilometer for every succeeding kilometer after. In Cebu and CDO, the base fare is P20 for the first kilometer, with an additional P16/km for distances up to 8 km and P20 per kilometer for every succeeding one after.
Users may opt to pay cash or via cashless payment options, including debit and credit cards which you can enroll in-app so you won't have to type in your card details every time you book a ride. Interestingly, Move It discourages tipping or gifting prior to booking a ride, a common feature found in other ride-hailing apps.
Don’t have the app yet and just need a quick and cheap ride? Move It also has booking booths in select malls in Metro Manila like Ayala 30th, Greenhills V-Mall, Starmall, Fisher Mall, as well as in Cebu and Cagayan de Oro. Passengers can save 50% on rides by booking to and from their Booking Booths. It’s also possible to book Move It rides through Facebook, Viber, and Telegram.
Price comparison: Angkas vs. JoyRide vs. Move It
To assess which motorcycle taxi service is the most affordable, we checked how much it would cost to book a ride from Gateway Mall in Quezon City to Mall of Asia in Pasay on a random Wednesday around mid-afternoon.
Move It came out the most affordable at just P216. This was followed by JoyRide, with an estimated fare price of P230. Of the three, Angkas was the most expensive, with their fare pegged at P238.
All three are significantly cheaper than four-wheeled ridesharing services. For comparison, rides from the same pickup and drop-off points could cost you P438-P526 by GrabTaxi or P628 for a GrabCar four-seater.
Of course, the actual fare could change due to surcharges and demand-based increases, depending on the time (rush hour) and weather conditions when you make your booking. In terms of availability of riders, because of the number of partner drivers, it’s generally easier to book on Angkas and JoyRide compared to Move It.
For commuters needing alternative transport, it still pays to have as many transport apps installed just in case you can’t find bookings in one service.
