TADA to roll out taxi rides in Singapore

From 19 February 2019, Singapore’s first zero-commission ride-hailing service, TADA, will launch AnyTADA, a service which offers flat fares* for Premier Taxi rides.

AnyTADA matches riders to the physically-closest TADA driver, whether in a registered TADA private-hire vehicle (PHV) or a TADA-registered Premier Taxi. The customer is informed of the fare when requesting the ride. 

Riders can opt for flat fares or metered fares. PHV fare options are flat-fare. A rider who would like a flat-fare taxi ride will be charged the same flat fare as with a PHV ride.

“Taxi drivers can earn more with flat fare and at the same time, customers will have more assurance that their fares will not suddenly increase because of traffic conditions or choice of route to destination. This is indeed a win-win situation which also reduces chance of disputes between passenger and drivers,” said Armstrong Ho, a Premier Taxi driver.

“Despite a more competitive landscape in ride-hailing, we are thankful that we continue to enjoy strong support from our growing TADA community. We believe that our stable and fair fares continue to attract a large segment of riders who prioritise sustainability and service above short-term promotions. AnyTADA is a step towards improving the experience for our riders to help them commute safely and more efficiently,” said Kay Woo, CEO and Founder of MVL Foundation.

As part of MVL’s commitment towards improving the driver experience, TADA recently implemented an auto-despatch function for drivers to receive back-to-back orders automatically.

Details:

Customers can begin to use AnyTADA after updating their TADA app at the App Store or Play Store. 

*The upfront fare excludes prevailing electronic road pricing (ERP) charges and surcharges such as additional stops, baby and booster seats.

RYDE launches hourly booking service

Source: RYDE. Screen captures from RydeHIRE.

Ryde, Singapore’s homegrown ride-hailing app, has launched RydeHIRE, an hourly private-hire booking service.

RydeHIRE caters to both individuals and businesses. Users can book a private-hire vehicle for a few hours as opposed to a per-trip basis. This is useful for people who need a driver to drive them to a few destinations with some waiting time in between stops.

Terence Zou, founder and CEO of Ryde Technologies says, “We are very excited to be the first to launch this innovative product that will provide more choice for consumers and also increase the incomes for our drivers.”


Ryde's mission is to transform the daily commute, one ride at a time, using technology and leveraging on the power of social networks. Ryde's successful carpooling services, launched 2015, have expanded further into the mobility space with a ComfortDelGro partnership.

Details:

Rates start from S$30 per hour for four-seaters and S$40 per hour for six-seater vehicles. Rates will fluctuate based on demand, going up during peak periods and on public holidays. Users can book their ride for between two and six hours and pay for the service via RydePAY.

The Ryde app is available for download for iOS and Android.

In Dubai, Makani numbers help taxi drivers reach customers

Source: RTA. Cabs in Dubai are now linked to Dubai city via Makani.

The Dubai RTA’s Public Transport Agency has completed linking 4,500 taxis from franchise companies operating under the RTA with the Dubai Municipality's Makani System. The system uses unique coordinates, or Makani numbers, to locate buildings.

Adel Shakri, Director of Transportation Systems, RTA’s Public Transport Agency, said: “Thanks to the sharp accuracy and the easy use of the Makani System as well as its 100% coverage of (the) Dubai Emirate, the system has played a vital role in executing booking and despatch orders by cab drivers. It has made it easy for clients to reach to their intended destinations in Dubai, thanks to its highly accurate positioning feature using interactive e-maps."

Benefits of the new arrangement include being able to make a taxi booking with a Makani number through a call to the Booking & Dispatch Center. The Booking & Dispatch Center can now communicate between the customer and the taxi, receiving booking requests and forwarding them to taxi drivers.

“This initiative brings back multiple benefits to RTA’s Booking & Dispatch System. It facilitates the dispatch of taxicabs to clients using Makani number, and eases the booking process for customers by just citing Makani number. It also reduces the number of complaints related to taxis and cab drivers such as the late arrival, and the poor knowledge of Dubai geographical zones on the part of drivers,” Shakri noted.

“The coverage of (the) Makani System of Dubai Municipality spans the entire Emirate of Dubai. About 137,000 addresses have been registered in the Booking & Dispatch System of taxis and 4,500 taxi cabs have been linked to the system.”

Uber enters Seremban, Malaysia

Source: Uber. UberX is arriving in Seremban in December

Uber is expanding to its eighth city in Malaysia – Seremban. Ride hailing via uberX will be available from 1 December 2016. The announcement follows Uber's launch in Melaka with the uberX product on 27 October 2016.

Uber also provides opportunities for driver-partners to earn additional income using their own car. Uber drivers decide on their own driving schedule, and decide how much they earn.

The company has been exploring the provision of chauffeured services to meet different needs. Uber recently introduced UberTRIP in Bali, Indonesia for instance. The service allows riders to request an Uber for between five and 10 hours, regardless of the distance and number of stops that the rider decides to make.

Interested?

Sign up to drive with Uber

Payment for uberX rides can be made via cash or credit/debit card. The fare structure for uberX in Seremban is as below:

Source: Uber. Fare structure for UberX in Seremban.

Emirates Skywards offers members Careem services

Source: Careem website. Emirates Skywards partners with Careem to benefit members.

Emirates Skywards, Emirates' frequent flyer programme, has signed on Careem as its latest partner. Emirates Skywards is the only frequent flyer programme to offer both accrual and redemption opportunities with the region’s leading car booking app.

Careem is one of the fastest growing companies in the region and is currently available in nine countries. Members can accrue or redeem Skywards Miles when using Careem services in the UAE, Qatar, KSA, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Pakistan, Kuwait and Morocco.

Members can pre-book or request a car instantly via the Careem mobile app. To earn Skywards Miles, members must add their Emirates Skywards membership number to their Careem account, using the same name as their Emirates Skywards account. One mile will be earned for every US$2 spent on Careem.

Interested?

Sign up for Careem services (link for Dubai)