Baghdad startup launches ride-hailing app for tuk-tuks it says will cut congestion, boost safety

BAGHDAD — A group of young entrepreneurs in Baghdad’s Shaab district has launched a mobile application aimed at transforming the way tuk-tuk drivers and passengers connect in Iraq’s congested capital. The service, called Alo TukTuk, functions like a ride-hailing platform but is built specifically for the city’s ubiquitous three-wheeled taxis.

Instead of cruising through crowded streets searching for passengers — wasting fuel and adding to traffic — tuk-tuk drivers now receive ride requests through the app, matched by GPS to the nearest user. The app confirms the identity of each registered driver, offering passengers a more secure ride experience.

“We are a group of young people who launched Alo TukTuk to support and organize the work of tuk-tuk drivers in Iraq,” said Manar Khalil, the company’s director, speaking to 964media from her office in Shaab. “The app is exclusively for them and aims to provide a safer work environment and improve service for families.”

All tuk-tuks using the app must have government-issued license plates and be registered in the driver’s name or under a verified power of attorney, Khalil said. The app is available on both Android and iPhone.

“Our identification system helps users recover lost items and reduces concerns about using tuk-tuks,” she said. “Our main goal is to help organize this sector, especially since many of these drivers are university graduates who couldn’t find government jobs.”

The initiative comes amid growing calls to ban tuk-tuks altogether due to isolated incidents of misuse. Khalil said that approach is misguided. “We need to regulate this instead of eliminating it. The vast majority of drivers are simply earning an honest living.”

Baghdad suffers from chronic traffic congestion, worsened by the presence of more than one million tuk-tuks on its streets — only about 100,000 of which are officially registered. Originally introduced as a low-cost transit solution, tuk-tuks are now blamed for traffic snarls in commercial districts like al-Shorja, al-Nahdha, and al-Sadriye.

For drivers like Raed Alaa, Alo TukTuk has changed how they work. “I live in the Shaab area and I’ve been working with the app since it launched,” he said. “It gives us a chance to avoid long waits and aimless driving.”

“Requests come directly to our phones, and the work is more organized and flexible,” he added. “To join, your tuk-tuk must be officially registered or you must have documents proving ownership. That’s helped reduce many of the daily issues we used to face.”