Yes, it is connected to the culture and environment. Mongolian culture is very hospitable and Mongolia has always had a small population. Mongolians are very good at looking out for one another, so I think that's why it's not a big deal for regular people to pick up passengers. Also, the traffic in Ulaanbaatar is very bad. Most people spend a very long time in traffic, so it's helpful for them to pick up passengers on their way and make a bit of extra money. Lastly, there is still a lot of unemployment in Mongolia and the country's economy is still developing, so the additional money from taxi driving is very helpful for some people.
