Ever since Uber stopped operations in the country, Filipinos who want to book a private car have been left with only Grab. Now, a new player is about to enter the field in the form of inDrive, which has just received official accreditation from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

Unlike other ride-hailing apps, inDrive operates on a peer-to-peer pricing system. The basic premise is that the fare is agreed upon by the passenger and the driver, rather than dictated by an algorithm. Allowing the two parties to directly negotiate supposedly makes the pricing fair for everyone.

According to its website, inDrive began in Yakutsk, Russia, during one Siberian winter. The temperature dropped to -45°C, and taxi companies took advantage of the extreme cold by doubling their rates. This forced the stranded locals to go to social media to request, offer or accept rides among themselves.

Currently, inDrive no longer has any legal presence in Russia. It is based in Mountain View, California, and is present worldwide in 45 countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.

In the Philippines, the transport network company is currently focusing on driver recruitment to prepare for activation in five cities, all of which are outside Metro Manila. These include Bacolod, Baguio, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, and Butuan.

Anyway, inDrive boldly claims that it “began as an exercise of justice.” Do you think it will be able to provide Filipinos with fair pricing and quality service?

NOTE: The photos you see here came with the press release sent to us by inDrive’s PR agency. Honestly, we find it difficult to trust a new company that can’t even provide market-correct lefthand-drive pictures. We think this is…um, too sloppy. You’re courting our market, guys. Exert more effort in impressing us.