inDrive’s origins trace back to a moment of perceived injustice. On a frigid New Year’s Eve in 2012, Yakutsk, a northern city, experienced bone-chilling temperatures of -45°C. Local taxi companies reacted by unilaterally doubling their rates, leaving many residents stranded in the unforgiving Siberian cold. This unfair and coordinated price surge incited the ire of the Yakutsk populace, who rallied together on social media to request, offer, and crucially, agree upon reasonable fares for their journeys. This grassroots, collaborative online effort eventually gave rise to the inDrive app.
Evolving over the years, inDrive has moved beyond ride-hailing to become an urban services marketplace, where users can look for jobs, request household services, book long-distance trips, deliveries and cargo services. Roman Ermoshin, Director of Ride-Hailing (APAC) inDrive in an exclusive discussion, talks about his company’s roadmap in India.