East Japan Railway has begun offering ride-hailing services at a limited number of locations using a group firm's rental cars to accommodate customers during hours when taxis and buses are not sufficiently available.
The railway operator, which is also known as JR East, started the services in the cities of Minamiboso and Tateyama in Chiba Prefecture on Monday and in Senboku, Akita Prefecture, in the second half of this year.
In Chiba, services will be available from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., reservations accepted through a mobile app. Several people, mainly JR East employees, will be registered as drivers.
The company's move comes as taxi and bus operators along JR East's railway lines struggle with a shortage of drivers.
JR East aims to make the lives of residents more convenient while also promoting tourism in areas where it operates.
"We want to address regional transportation issues," a company official said.
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