Careem adds 42,000 white taxi drives in Egypt to its workforce

Private car service operator Careem announced on Sunday a plan to add more than 42,000 white taxi drivers in Egypt to its ride-hailing app’s roster of drivers after Eid Al Adha holidays.

Users will apparently be able choose whether to be picked up by a private car or by a taxi. At hearings meant to develop a framework for ride-hailing platforms, the House of Representative’s ICT Committee had been pushing Uber and Careem to incorporate taxi drivers into their business as part of a series of “recommendations” MPs are pushing.

With the ongoing threat of regulatory interference in Egypt and amid a crackdown on Careem and Uber drivers in the UAE, Careem has brought on September 1stformer regional Google boss WaelFakharany in as Managing Director for Egypt and senior Vice President for government relations.

Fakharany said incorporating white cab drivers into the app would help Careem better address the needs of the local market.