Uber and more

The process has been uneven, but digitally assisted personal transport is advancing in the region.

Costa Rica has little Uber service, after taxi drivers last month assaulted an Uber car, while police impounded another.

On the other hand, the app is working more or less smoothly in Panama, Bogotá and Mexico City.

As is the case in other countries, Uber tends to offer a service, which is as good as - and sometimes better - than a taxi, for less money.

Taxible (only Spanish) and Easy Taxi provide apps similar to Uber’s.

Prices tend to be more expensive than Uber, since they use taxis, which pay the state for the right to operate.

On the other hand, the taxi-app approach avoids challenges.

Madrid-based Taxible operates in Costa Rica and Panama, while Rio-based Easy Taxi is in dozens of cities from Mexico to Colombia.