MUMBAI: BlaBlaCar has expanded its service in Brazil. It is the company’s first market in South America following the launch in Mexico earlier this year. 

With BlaBlaCar’s Brazilian team, based in Sao Paulo, Brazilians will have access to affordable, city-to-city, social travel options that optimize the capacity of the country’s 50 cars.

The local team is currently working on marketing and communication to help build the service’s Brazilian community of drivers and passengers looking to share the costs of long-distance travel.

BlaBlaCar COO and co-founder Nicolas Brusson said, “We’re thrilled to be launching BlaBlaCar in Brazil today and by the prospect of making city-to-city ridesharing second nature for Brazil’s 205 million inhabitants, many of whom are in need of affordable transport. BlaBlaCar is well-versed in launching and rapidly building communities in new markets, and we look forward to bringing this knowledge to Brazil with the help of a stellar local team.”

BlaBlaCar founder and CEO Frederic Mazzella added, “Today’s launch in Brazil, our second country in Latin America after Mexico, brings us one step closer to our goal of bringing a cost-effective transport alternative to all those that need it worldwide. Ridesharing is seeing phenomenal adoption on a global scale and is not only fundamentally changing the way we use our cars but is also impacting the way we relate to one another.”

“BlaBlaCar has a powerful track record of bringing ridesharing to new markets around the world, as well as pioneering features designed for improved safety, convenience and trust. We are excited to be offering Brazilians up and down the country the chance to make their long-distance journeys more enjoyable and cost-effective by sharing,” said BlaBlaCar Brazil country manager Ricardo Leite.