Gojek has launched its ride-hailing service, GoCar, in Ho Chi Minh City, the company said on Thursday. The service is currently available to frontline healthcare workers but will be expanded to serve the general public later this year. At this stage, GoCar has a fleet of 50 vehicles in the city.
Gojek is cooperating with the HCMC government, including the Department of Transportation and the Department of Health, to provide transportation for healthcare workers who serve at five hospitals and medical command centers, including three COVID-19 intensive care units.
The company offers complimentary access to GoCar Protect, which includes enhanced safety and hygiene measures. All GoCar Protect vehicles are equipped with an air purifier to neutralize airborne viruses, protective shields to separate drivers and riders, as well as hand sanitizer.
Driver-partners also follow health and hygiene protocols set by the Vietnamese government and Gojek. This includes wearing personal protective equipment and taking a PCR test on a weekly basis. Furthermore, to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, Gojek has arranged for driver-partners to stay at hotels until late September, when Ho Chi Minh City’s lockdown is expected to be lifted.
Vietnam has been struggling with a steep rise in COVID-19 infections since July when Ho Chi Minh City became the country’s pandemic hot spot. The government is implementing various restrictions and measures, such as stay-at-home orders, a ban on gatherings larger than two people, and the suspension of public transportation to prevent communal transmission.
“We have made all the necessary preparations to launch GoCar this year,” said Duc Phung, Gojek Vietnam’s general manager. “When the pandemic escalated in HCMC and social distancing regulations were put in place, we pivoted quickly, adjusting the service to focus on supporting healthcare workers.”
Gojek expanded its operations into Vietnam in 2018. Besides GoCar, the firm offers a series of on-demand services—motorbike-hailing through GoRide, parcel delivery via GoSend, and food delivery through GoFood.
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