Uber has been operating in Costa Rica for almost three years, and according to information published by national newspaper El Financiero (https://bit.ly/2JaTm4t), it currently has a total of 21,000 registered drivers and 800,000 users; this makes Costa Rica the country with more market penetration in Latin America and one of the most important markets in the world.

Andres Echandi, General Manager of Uber Costa Rica confirmed in an interview with El Financiero, that for 45% (9,450 drivers) of the drivers registered in the country, Uber is their main source of income.

Uber also contributes with additional jobs through Uber Eats, which was launched in December 2017 and their Excellence Center in the country which has close to 500 direct collaborators.

Just last week, Taxi Unions in Costa Rica protested in the streets demanding that the Government takes actions against Uber, a service that has been said to be illegally operating in the country, since they do not have a concession or permit from the Costa Rican Public Transportation Council (CTP); the authorization to supply paid transportation of people in the country only includes cab services, buses and special taxi services (Seetaxi), also known in the country as “piratas or porteadores”.

However, Uber defends that their service consists in offering a technological platform that connects someone with a car with someone that needs transportation. “The platform in itself does not offer the service, the associates do. They cannot intend to regulate a technological platform in the same way as they do public transportation”, explained Echandi.

Echandi also assured Uber is willing to negotiate a regulation with President Carlos Alvarado.