Yandex Taxi

Yandex.Taxi was launched in Moscow, Russia in 2011.{{Cite news | url=https://www.venture-news.ru/30791-yandex-has-begun-to-make-a-profit-on-its-taxi-service.html |title=Yandex has begun to make a profit on its taxi service | work=Venture News | date=27 December 2012}}

The service was first introduced as a mobile app for Android and iOS, and a desktop version was launched on 28 June 2012.{{Cite press release | url=https://yandex.com/company/press_center/press_releases/2012/2012-06-28 | title=Yandex Launches Desktop Taxi Booking Service | publisher=Yandex | date=28 June 2012}}

In 2012, Yandex.Taxi started charging a commission on rides booked through its service.

Tigran Khudaverdyan became CEO of Yandex Taxi in 2015. On May 22, 2019, Yandex announced the appointment of Tigran Khudaverdyan to the newly created position of Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Yandex.{{Cite press release|url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/05/22/1841156/0/en/Yandex-Announces-the-Appointment-of-Tigran-Khudaverdyan-as-Deputy-CEO.html|title=Yandex Announces the Appointment of Tigran Khudaverdyan as Deputy CEO|date=22 May 2019}}

In 2020, Yandex.Taxi was reportedly developing AI-infused proprietary hardware and software for its vehicles that monitors drivers’ attention levels, as well as a facial recognition system that determines the identity of the person behind the wheel.{{Cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2020/02/14/how-yandex-taxi-is-using-automation-to-detect-drowsy-and-dangerous-drivers/|title=How Yandex.Taxi is using automation to detect drowsy and dangerous drivers|date=2020-02-14|website=VentureBeat|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-14}}

In April 2022, Yandex.Taxi was banned in Estonia due to the Russian government's requirement that it share users' personal data with the government. Estonia encouraged other EU countries to sanction the company as well.{{cite news |title=Government signs off on Yandex ban in Estonia |url=https://news.err.ee/1608551548/government-signs-off-on-yandex-ban-in-estonia |agency=ERR News |date=1 April 2022|accessdate=1 April 2022}}

In November 2022, Yandex launched shared rides for users from Moscow and St. Petersburg. The trip can be shared with a fellow traveler if you select the "Together" option in the Yandex Go application.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/5693233

|title = "Яндекс Go" запустил совместные поездки для пользователей из Москвы и Петербурга |date = November 2022}}

In February 2018, Yandex acquired Uber's businesses in Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus and Georgia.{{Cite press release | url=https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2018/02/07/1335516/0/en/Yandex-and-Uber-Complete-the-Combination-of-Their-Ride-Sharing-Businesses-in-Russia-and-Neighboring-Countries.html | title=Yandex and Uber Complete the Combination of Their Ride-Sharing Businesses in Russia and Neighboring Countries | publisher=GlobeNewswire | date=7 February 2018 | archive-date=9 November 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109000939/http://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2018/02/07/1335516/0/en/Yandex-and-Uber-Complete-the-Combination-of-Their-Ride-Sharing-Businesses-in-Russia-and-Neighboring-Countries.html | url-status=live }}

In August 2021, Yandex acquired Uber's stake its self-driving car division and food delivery business in a $1 billion transaction.{{Cite news | url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/31/yandex-buys-out-ubers-stake-in-yandex-self-driving-group-eats-lavka-and-delivery-for-1b/ | title=Yandex buys out Uber's stake in Yandex Self-Driving Group, Eats, Lavka and Delivery for $1B | first=Rebecca | last=Bellan | work=TechCrunch | date=31 August 2021}}{{Cite news | url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2021/08/31/yandex-buys-uber-out-of-food-delivery-partnership-in-1bln-deal-a74935 | title=Yandex Buys Uber Out of Food Delivery Partnership in $1Bln Deal | work=The Moscow Times | date=31 August 2021}}

In April 2023, Yandex Taxi acquired Uber's stake in the taxi joint venture for $702.5 million.{{Cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/russias-yandex-buys-ubers-stake-joint-venture-7025-mln-2023-04-21/ | title=Russia's Yandex buys Uber's stake in taxi JV for $703 million | first=Alexander | last=Marrow | work=Reuters | date=21 April 2023}}

File:Yandex.Eats.jpg

In December 2017, Yandex.Taxi acquired Foodfox, a food delivery service in Moscow.{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/russia-yandex-taxi/russias-yandex-taxi-buys-food-delivery-service-foodfox-idUSR4N1OL00V|title = Russia's Yandex.Taxi buys food delivery service Foodfox|newspaper = Reuters|date = 25 December 2017}} After the merge of Uber and Yandex.Taxi in March 2018, Uber Eats and Foodfox combined their services to become Yandex Eda.

In February 2018, the Yandex Eats food delivery service was launched.{{Cite press release | url=https://yandex.com/company/blog/yandex-eats | title=Yandex.Eats Now Offering Food Delivery in Dozens of Cities Across Russia | publisher=Yandex | date=16 November 2018}}{{Cite news | url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/this-food-delivery-services-completely-custom-meals-seem-like-a-logistical-nightmare/ | title=This Food Delivery Service's Completely Custom Meals Seem Like a Logistical Nightmare | first=Jelisa | last=Castrodale | work=Vice | date=28 May 2019}}

In October 2018, Yandex acquired Partiya Edy ("Food Party"), a meal kit service that operates in Moscow and St. Petersburg, which was renamed Yandex.Chef.{{Cite press release | url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/Yandex_Now_Offering_Food_Delivery_in_Dozens_of_Cities_Across_Russia/prweb15925988.htm | title=Yandex Now Offering Food Delivery in Dozens of Cities Across Russia | publisher=Cision | date=16 November 2018}}

By December 2018, the company had completed 1 million food delivery orders.{{Cite news | url=https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/3853580 | title="Яндекс" поработал на заказ | trans-title=Yandex worked to order | work=Kommersant | date=14 January 2019}}

In 2019, Yandex Eats launched a grocery delivery services called Yandex Lavka that delivers to customers in under 15 minutes. The online service relies on small warehouses across Moscow and St. Petersburg stocked with about 2,000 items and uses bike couriers to deliver orders.

As of 2022, Yandex.Taxi operates in more than 1,000 cities, include 300 large cities in Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Uzbekistan, Serbia. In addition to the taxi service, in some countries, Yandex.Taxi operates food tech, food delivery and cargo platforms.

The service launched on 25 February 2016.{{Cite web|date=2016-02-26|title=Russia's Yandex.Taxi Enters Belarussian Market|url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2016/02/26/russias-yandextaxi-enters-belarussian-market-a51972|access-date=2021-11-22|website=The Moscow Times|language=en}} It started in Minsk, but now operates in all six regional centers and multiple cities in the country. In March 2019 the service introduced an insurance product for riders and drivers connected to the service.{{Cite web|last=Петрович|first=Виталий|date=2019-03-04|title=Uber и "Яндекс.Такси" в Беларуси ввели дополнительное страхование жизни и здоровья пассажиров и водителей - Авто Onlíner|url=https://auto.onliner.by/2019/03/04/uber-65|access-date=2021-11-22|website=Onlíner|language=ru}}

Operating in 15 of its cities, Yandex.Taxi has one of its most visible presences in Armenia. It started operating in Yerevan on 1 July 2016.{{cite web | url=http://arminfo.info/index.cfm?objectid=FC85BAB0-3F68-11E6-B2B60EB7C0D21663 | title=Arminfo: Yandex.Taxi launches activity in Armenia }} In 2017, the service sponsored a computer programming school for high schoolers in Gyumri and Vanadzor.{{Cite web|title=Aram Sargsyan: Armenia is among Yandex.Taxi's most successful markets|url=https://itel.am/en/news/10424|access-date=2021-11-22|website=iTel.am}}

Kazakhstan is one of the biggest international markets for Yandex.Taxi. Launched in the biggest city Almaty on 28 July 2016,{{cite web |url=https://sevendaynews.com/2016/07/28/the-service-yandextaxi-started-in-kazakhstan/ |title=The Service "Yandex.Taxi" started in Kazakhstan – World News, Breaking News |website=sevendaynews.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306044539/https://sevendaynews.com/2016/07/28/the-service-yandextaxi-started-in-kazakhstan/ |archive-date=2019-03-06}} Yandex.Taxi was serving 20 cities by September 2018. On 3 September 2018, Yandex.Taxi introduced an insurance product for riders and drivers connected to the service.{{Cite web|title=Yandex.Taxi will insure lives and health of passengers in Kazakhstan|url=https://lifeinsurance.kz/en/produkt/yandeks-taksi-zastrahuet-zhizni-i-zdorove-passazhirov-v-kazahstane|access-date=2021-11-22|website=lifeinsurance.kz|language=ru}} Yandex.Taxi also provides corporate taxi services in Kazakhstan. In 2020 Kazakhstan became the first foreign market for the Yandex.Eats food delivery service.{{Cite web|url=https://www.interfax.kz/?lang=eng&int_id=21&news_id=39844|title=Yandex.Eats now offering food delivery in Kazakhstan|last=Interfax-Kazakhstan|website=www.interfax.kz|language=en|access-date=2020-03-12}}

The launch in Georgia on 28 August 2016{{Cite web| work=East-West Digital|date=2016-08-25|title=Yandex.Taxi launches in Georgia — before Ukraine, Estonia and Latvia|url=https://www.ewdn.com/2016/08/25/yandex-taxi-launches-in-georgia-before-ukraine-estonia-and-latvia/|access-date=2021-11-22|language=en-US}} was accompanied by scandals pertaining to another Yandex service, Yandex.Maps. The Russian version of Yandex.Maps marks the territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent countries{{Cite web|title=Georgia, Azerbaijan Sceptical about Yandex-Uber Rides | Eurasianet|url=https://eurasianet.org/georgia-azerbaijan-sceptical-about-yandex-uber-rides|access-date=2021-11-22|website=eurasianet.org|language=en}} while Georgian law defines these territories as parts of Georgia. Given that Yandex.Maps wasn't localized for Georgia, everyone saw only the Russian version. Yandex.Taxi marked these territories to comply with Georgian law, unlike Yandex. Maps. Despite the update fact, many locals boycotted the new service. Yandex.Taxi continued operations and still works in present day, adding two more cities to its Georgian network: Batumi and Rustavi.{{Cite web|title=Yandex Taxi Introduces Kids' Service in Tbilisi|url=http://gtarchive.georgiatoday.ge/news/10963/Yandex-Taxi-Introduces-Kids%25e2%2580%2599-Service-in-Tbilisi|access-date=2021-11-22|website=Georgia Today on the Web}}

Yandex.Taxi launched in Chișinău on 24 July 2017.{{Cite web|title=Yandex.Taxi launches in Moldova|url=http://seenews.com/news/yandextaxi-launches-in-moldova-577471|access-date=2021-11-22|website=seenews.com|language=en}} In 2020 it expanded to the city of Bălți.{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/moldova.yandex.taxi/posts/1389031407933514|title=Yandex.Taxi în Moldova|website=www.facebook.com|language=en|access-date=2020-03-12}}

Kyrgyzstan is the second country in Central Asia in which Yandex began to operate. Yandex.Taxi was launched on 9 November 2017 in Bishkek,{{Cite web|title=Yandex starts taxi service in Bishkek|url=https://www.telecompaper.com/news/yandex-starts-taxi-service-in-bishkek--1219995|access-date=2021-11-22|website=www.telecompaper.com|language=en}} then later in Osh.

Yandex.Taxi operates in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, as well as in Fergana and Margilan.{{Cite web|url=https://podrobno.uz:443/cat/obchestvo/servis-yandeks-taksi-nachal-rabotu-v-fergane-i-/|title=Сервис "Яндекс. Такси" начал работу в Фергане и Маргилане|website=Podrobno.uz|language=ru|access-date=2020-03-12}} The service entered the local market on 4 April 2018.{{Cite web|last=UzDaily|title=The first day of Yandex.Taxi's work in Tashkent shows that the services are in high demand|url=https://www.uzdaily.uz/en/post/43380|access-date=2021-11-22|website=UzDaily.uz|language=ru}}

Serbia is the first country outside the former Soviet republics where Yandex.Taxi began to operate. It launched in Belgrade on 5 June 2018.{{Cite web|date=2018-06-05|title=Yandex Taxi arrives in Serbia|url=https://rs.n1info.com/english/news/a393941-Yandex-Taxi-arrives-in-Serbia/|access-date=2021-11-22|website=N1|language=sr-RS}} The service [https://www.021.rs/story/Novi-Sad/Vesti/281128/Yandex-Go-stigao-u-Novi-Sad-Narucivanje-taksija-putem-aplikacije.html started to operate in Novi Sad] in 2021 and [https://www.nedeljnik.rs/yandex-go-aplikacija-za-narucivanje-taksija-stigla-u-kragujevac/ in Kragujevac in 2023].

Just after the Lithuanian launch of Yandex.Taxi on 26 July 2018, the country's authorities warned citizens against using the service in order to protect their personal data.{{Cite web|title=Lithuania Warns Yandex Taxi App Could Be Snooping on Users |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-07-31/lithuania-warns-russian-taxi-app-could-be-snooping-on-users |date=2018-07-31 |access-date=2021-11-22 |website=www.bloomberg.com}} Lithuania's National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) highlighted that "it is especially important that this app isn’t used on the devices of Lithuanian civil servants, officials, or national defense system employees."{{Cite web|last=курс|first=The Baltic Course-Балтийский|title=Lithuania's Cyber Security Center recommends against using Yandex.Taxi app|url=http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/Technology/://www.baltic-course.com/eng/Technology/?doc=141903|access-date=2021-11-22|website=The Baltic Course | Baltic States news & analytics}} Yandex.Taxi responded that it "processes and stores EU user data strictly according to EU regulations, GDPR in particular," and that the service is "open and ready for any necessary checks."{{Cite web|title=Yandex.Taxi says it keeps to data protection rules, ready for checks by Lithuanian bodies|url=https://www.delfi.lt/a/78703499|access-date=2021-11-22|website=DELFI|language=en}} Despite the NCSC's accusations, authorities from two other Baltic states — Latvia and Estonia — did not speak out against Yandex.Taxi.{{Cite web|date=2018-08-03|title=Lithuania wants Yandex.Taxi out, taxi drivers reluctant to speak out|url=https://bnn-news.com/lithuania-wants-yandex-taxi-out-taxi-drivers-reluctant-to-speak-out-188884|access-date=2021-11-22|website=Baltic News Network – News from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia|language=en-US}}

Lithuanian authorities did not ultimately impose restrictions on the service, and Yandex.Taxi works in the capital city of Vilnius and Kaunas.

File:Yandex taxi.jpg]]

Yandex Taxi launched in the Estonian capital Tallinn on 1 May 2018.{{Cite web|last=ERR|date=2018-04-30|title=Yandex Taxi to introduce app-based ride ordering service in Tallinn|url=https://news.err.ee/827618/yandex-taxi-to-introduce-app-based-ride-ordering-service-in-tallinn|access-date=2021-11-22|website=ERR|language=en}} On April 11, 2022, Yandex Taxi was banned in Estonia due to the Russian government's collection of user data. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and IT and foreign trade minister Andres Sutt said the move related to national security, given that Yandex requires the provision of personal data which would be held in Russia and which Russian security services, including the FSB, have the ability to access, following a decision in Russia.

Latvia was the first Baltic country and the first EU member where Yandex.Taxi started operations. It launched on 15 March 2018,{{Cite web|title=Yandex.Taxi ride-hailing service launches in Riga|url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/economy/transport/yandex.taxi-ride-hailing-service-launches-in-riga.a271467/|access-date=2021-11-22|website=eng.lsm.lv|language=en}} it left in March 2022.{{Cite web|title="Yandex" taksometri vairs nedrīkstēs strādāt Latvijā; uzņēmums grasās to apstrīdēt |url=https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/ekonomika/yandex-taksometri-vairs-nedrikstes-stradat-latvija-uznemums-grasas-to-apstridet.a448900/|access-date=2022-06-07|website=lsm.lv|language=lv}}

The Yandex Taxi division became profitable in fall 2018.{{Cite news | url=https://www.ft.com/content/0fb0f50a-af91-11e9-8030-530adfa879c2 | title=Russia's Yandex posts rapid sales growth as taxi business shines | last=Seddon | first=Max | work=Financial Times | date=26 July 2019 | url-access=subscription}}{{Cite news | title=Russia's Yandex says it's learning lessons from Lyft for its own ride-hailing IPO | url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/26/russias-yandex-learning-lessons-from-lyft-for-ride-hailing-ipo.html | last=Rosenfeld | first=Everett | work=CNBC | date=26 April 2019}}{{Cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/yandex-results-idUSL8N24R4X1 |title=UPDATE 1-Yandex lifts 2019 revenue guidance as taxi, ride-sharing boom in Russia | first1=Anna | last1=Rzhevkina | first2=Nadezhda | last2=Tsydenova | work=Reuters | date=26 July 2019}}{{Cite news | title=Yandex Posts Steady Results After Turbulent 2019 | url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/02/18/yandex-earnings-2019-posts-steady-results-a69335 | last=Henni | first=Adrien | work=The Moscow Times | date=18 February 2020}}

For 2019, the Yandex Taxi division posted revenues of nearly RUB 38 billion, an increase of 97% from the previous year.{{Cite press release | url=https://www.globenewswire.com/fr/news-release/2020/02/14/1985171/10644/en/Yandex-Announces-Fourth-Quarter-and-Full-Year-2019-Financial-Results.html | title=Yandex Announces Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2019 Financial Results | publisher=GlobeNewswire | date=14 February 2020}}

In 2023, Yandex Taxi revenue increased 30.3% to 149.6 billion rubles and net profit rose 21.6% to 31.9 billion rubles.{{Cite news | url=https://interfax.com/newsroom/top-stories/100993/ | title=Yandex.Taxi pays windfall tax of 1.7 bln rubles in 2023 - annual report | work=Interfax | date=2 April 2024}}

There have been concerns that the government of Russia may be able to access user data, including data from outside Russia.{{Cite news | url=https://therecord.media/regulators-fear-yandex-data-transfers | title=Regulators fear Russia could access Yandex taxi data from Europe, Central Asia | first=Daryna | last=Antoniuk | work=Recorded Future | date=9 August 2023}}

In July 2018, Lithuanian authorities warned the app could be collecting users' personal data.{{Cite news | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-07-31/lithuania-warns-russian-taxi-app-could-be-snooping-on-users | title=Lithuania Warns Yandex Taxi App Could Be Snooping on Users | date=July 31, 2018 | website=Bloomberg News | url-access=subscription}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.hs.fi/teknologia/art-2000005906760.html|title=Taksi Helsinki haluaa oikeuden käyttäjänsä kalenteriin ja lähettää sähköpostia – HS vertaili eri taksisovellusten tietoturvaa, tämä kannattaa tietää ennen kuin annat sovelluksille luvan [Taxi Helsinki wants access to their users' calendar and sends email – HS compares the security of different taxi apps, this is a good idea to know before you allow applications]|date=2018-11-22|website=Helsingin Sanomat|language=fi|access-date=2020-03-13}}

In September 2024, The Personal Data Protection Service of Georgia reported that the company's division in Georgia illegally transferred the personal data of its Georgian users of its services to Russia and fined the company GEL 4000.{{Cite news | url=https://civil.ge/archives/625712 | title=Yandex Taxi Transferred Personal Data to Russia | work=Civil Georgia | date=23 September 2024}}{{Cite news | url=https://oc-media.org/georgia-fines-yandex-taxi-service-for-sharing-user-data-with-russia/ | title=Georgia fines Yandex taxi service for sharing user data with Russia | work=OC Media | date=24 September 2024}}

In February 2020, Russian news website Baza reported that Yandex.Taxi had disclosed the travel history of an investigative journalist to Moscow police without a court order.{{Cite web|date=2020-03-06|title=Russian rideshare app Yandex.Taxi shares user data with police|url=https://www.codastory.com/authoritarian-tech/rideshare-data-yandex-police/|access-date=2021-11-22|website=Coda Story|language=en-US}} The company responded that it was legally compelled to hand over the data under Russia's “operative-search activities” law, which does not require a court decision to request ride histories.{{Cite web|date=2020-03-06|title=Russian rideshare app Yandex.Taxi shares user data with police|url=https://www.codastory.com/authoritarian-tech/rideshare-data-yandex-police/|access-date=2020-09-08|website=Coda Story|language=en-US}}

• Yandex self-driving car
• Yango (ride sharing)
• Uber
• Lyft
• DiDi
• Bolt

{{Reflist}}

• {{official website}}
• [https://taxi.yandex.com/ Yandex.Taxi: Official Website]

{{Yandex}}

Category:Yandex

Category:Transport companies established in 2011

Category:Ridesharing companies

Category:Road transport in Russia

Category:Online companies of Russia

Category:Transport companies of Russia