Uber Panama starts accepting cash

On Friday August 5th Uber Panama started allowing customers to pay in cash. The company issued a statement saying “ it is no longer necessary to have credit card or debit card to use vehicles affiliated with the digital platform.”

 Uber Panama announce the launch of two new payment platforms beginning Friday August 5th those options are: mail and cash. 

How an Uber Panama cash payment works

Within the Uber App the user must click the option 'pay' located in the upper left side menu, then choose the 'cash' option and finally ask for the shuttle. Once the user reaches the destination will pay cash to the driver, the amount shown in App.

Uber reiterated in their statement that Uber security measures, which include the option to share your journey and rate the quality of the driver, along with the option to leave comments about the trip, will continue to ensure a safe ride.

There are concerns about Uber cash payments among levels of government, Uber users and of course taxi drivers. Even the president of Panama criticized the decision. 

The Government’s stance on Uber Panama accepting cash 

Juan Carlos Varela issued a statement on his concerns about Uber competing directly with taxi drivers who perform a similar service.

"[Uber] is a service provided through a PPP credit card. (This) was not a direct competition to taxis but the way they are acting, I feel that the government will need to evaluate (the situation)" the president said in a meeting with journalists.

"We can not go against technology. We allow the operation of this system because young people use it a lot. It is part of a modern city like Panama. But if they come in competition with taxi operators, using cash and flexible rules by which they operate, I have to regulate that" he continued.

Ulysses Calvo, legal director of the Transit Authority and Land Transport (ATTT) said the commercial decision Uber has made, to allow cash transactions, will be evaluated to determine if the service provided is legal or not in Panama.

The outcry from Taxi drivers on Uber Panama accepting cash 

With the recent protests against Uber by taxi owners in Panama, their criticism of Uber accepting cash was to be expected. Taxi drivers took to the streets, yet again, to show their frustration. Protests occurred in several locations yesterday, Friday August 5th, as Uber Panama launched their pilot program to accept cash in Panama. 

Rafael Reyes a voice in the taxi community questioned the legality of the platform, requesting a formal statement by the Transit Authority and Land Transportation (ATTT) on the new form of payment.

Uber users speak out on the new cash payment option

Uber users in Panama took to social media, radio and TV, to voice their concerns about Uber Panama allowing Uber drivers to accept cash. Many felt that if Uber drivers could accept cash, then it would make passengers just as vulnerable as they would be taking regular taxis. Since it would be known that cash would be carried, passengers would again be vulnerable to assault and robbery, fears the Uber platform previously protected them against. 

Why did Uber Panama decide to accept cash? 

According to a statement issued by Uber the update to the system was due to the fact that “many users do not have access to a credit card or debit card.” 

While Uber’s main sell is the simplicity and security of the credit card transaction, outside of the United States cash is a common option, even “a game changer” according to an article published by CNN Money.

The CNN article “Uber now accepts cash in 6 countries” talks about the roll out of the cash payment option in in Bandung, Indonesia and Manila, Phillippines. According to CNN Hyderabad, India, was the first city in the world in which Uber began accepting cash and now all 22 cities in India where Uber is available have cash payments as an option.