By Alex San Juan Traffic, despite all the problems it has created, has encouraged the growth of the motorcycle ride-hailing service as a service that is now the accepted mode of transportation for many commuters. An Angkas rider transports a commuter. (Kevin Tristan Espiritu/ MANILA BULLETIN) Angkas, a popular ride-hailing service, now counts 20,000 riders in four cities -- Manila, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, and General Santos – starting with only 16,000 riders in 2016. Its popularity can be best measured by the over one million downloads in mobile app stores. “The fact that the people did take this app very well is something that I am very happy about. I’ve heard a lot of testimonials from people who used our service, and they all say the ride has helped them get to their destinations in an affordable and efficient way,” Angeline Tham, founder and chief executive officer of Angkas, said. "Angkas is priced about 50 percent cheaper (than other forms of similar transportation) depending on the time it is booked. It really allows more people to use our service and it takes half the time with the bikes," she said. With Metro Manila’s epic stories on traffic, there are also wonderful stories on the many times the Angkas service had saved the day for job applicants who needed to make it to an interview on time; entrepreneurs who had to present a product to a busy supplier; and businessmen who had used Angkas to deliver documents they had left at home. Mode of transportation Even before Angkas came about, records – and the street scenes – already showed that more Filipinos have turned to motorcycles as a mode of transportation to get them to work. The latest survey revealed that one of three Filipino families owns a motorcycle. Fifty percent of them depend on their motorcycles for livelihood. "Motorcycles are ready to be a major mode of transportation in the country. If we are not able to do something to help traffic congestion, more and more people will turn to motorcycles as a mode of transportation, be that as another source of income or as a ride to work, Ms. Tham said. Proper training The plus side of the growing market of Angkas is the presence of trained riders on the road. Ms. Tham said that since Angkas trains its riders, the proper training also produces safer drivers on the road. Today, at least 60,000 Angkas riders have gone through the company’s one-day training on road safety. It’s a number that’s slowly growing as the demand for the service increases. In the Philippines, Angkas service can be booked in the cities of Metro Manila, Cebu, Gen. Santos and Cagayan de Oro. Riders interested to join Angkas can send an email to [email protected].