Book Mwasalat taxis without the mobile app

Source: Mwasalat. Taxi Butler devices will offer taxi booking
services.

Mwasalat has launched kiosks for booking taxis called Taxi Butlers. This is part of the public transport company's efforts to develop the taxi sector in Oman.

Taxi Butlers will enable taxis to be booked in advance, eliminating the need to contact taxi drivers individually, as is now the case. More than one taxi may be requested, and users can receive status updates of expected arrival times, driver details and alerts when the vehicle has arrived at the requested location.

Mwasalat taxis have handled some 150,000 trips, averaging more than 700 trips per day. The mobile app has nearly 40 thousand registered users to date.

Explore:

Taxi Butlers have been installed in phase one at Al Qurum, and Al Mouj Golf Club, and Muscat Hills. In later phases, the devices will be installed at government and private institutions and business centres in proportion to demand.

Uber Malaysia launches UberTAXI, UberFLASH

Uber Malaysia today launched UberFLASH and UberTAXI, two new services that will provide Klang Valley commuters more choice when it comes to getting around safely, reliably, and affordably.

Source: Uber. From left: Warre​n Tseng, GM of Uber Singapore and Malaysia, Wan Md Hazlin Agyl Wan Hassan, Head Taxi, SPAD, Dato' SM Shalahuddin SM Amin, President, Gabungan Pe​ngusaha Teksi Semanjung.

UberFLASH will connect riders to the driver-partner closest to them – whether that is an uberX or a taxi on the e-hailing network. UberTAXI is a service in which taxi cabs are available upon request via the Uber App. Uber expects this to be a win-win-win for all parties involved. Riders will benefit from an even faster pick-up experience. Taxi drivers will benefit from the power of Uber’s technology to efficiently match them to rides, giving them the potential to earn more money through increased efficiency - less time spent idling, more time spent earning ride fares. Other driver-partners on Uber will also benefit as greater efficiency decreases waiting times, which in turn, increases rider demand for ridesharing services.

Wan Md Hazlin Agyl Wan Hassan, Head of Taxi, Suruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat (SPAD) said, “The launch of this service today demonstrates how technology can be harnessed by traditional modes of public transport. We are pleased that through these services, Uber Malaysia supports our overall vision of a more accessible, integrated and efficient land public transportation system for the greater good of all Malaysians.” SPAD is the authority overseeing plans, regulations and enforcements for land public transport in Peninsular Malaysia.

Warren Tseng, GM, Uber Malaysia and Singapore, said: “UberFLASH and UberTAXI broadens the concept of ridesharing, making things better for all - driver-partners, riders, and the city. We want to use technology to allocate existing resources on the road as efficiently as possible, so that we can serve more riders with more choice and better arrival times. We also look forward to offer more driver partners the choice of flexible earning opportunities. We support SPAD’s* intention to improve the overall public transportation landscape and will do our part to leverage our technology and ensure a quality experience for all riders and driver-partners all at the touch of a button.”

Tseng clarified that with UberFLASH and UberTAXI, Uber remained committed to ensuring a quality experience for all riders and driver-partners. The e-hailing company will maintain its high standards for driver-partners and vehicles allowed on the app, including requiring drivers to pass a background check. All of the other features that have contributed to great Uber experience - such as the mutual rating system and the customer support infrastructure - remain available and in effect as part of this rollout.

All UberFLASH rides will be priced the same as an uberX and riders will be able to see the fare upfront before requesting a ride. UberFLASH riders are expected to experience a shorter wait time, since they can expect to be picked up by any vehicle on the network that is nearest to them, including taxis. As for UberTAXI, pricing will be based on SPAD’s taxi meter rates. UberBLACK and uberXL remain available as dedicated offerings.  

Tseng said, “We have only touched a sliver over the overall pie - there is still a lot more room to grow, effectively growing the pie for all.”

Interested?

How to use UberFLASH/UberTAXI:

- Launch the Uber app

- Type in your destination and confirm your pickup point

- Select UberFLASH/UberTAXI

- Request your ride and wait for the nearest available vehicle

- Enjoy your ride at the same affordable fare as an uberX for UberFLASH, or pay SAPD’s taxi pricing with the option of UberTAXI. 

Dubai taxi passenger figures released for Q117

Source: RTA. A taxi on Dubai roads.

Taxi drivers in Dubai, UAE served 44,883,737 passengers on 25,795,251 trips in Q117. Taxi franchises in Dubai have a total of 10,038 vehicles in operation. Specifically:

• Dubai Taxi served 21,050,701 riders in 12,981,104 trips.
• Arabia Taxi lifted 4,413,867 in 2,536,705 trips. 
• Cars Taxi hosted 9,241,253 riders in 5,311,065 trips.
• Metro Taxi ferried 3,471,457 riders in 1,995,090 trips. 
• National Taxi transported 6,534,339 riders in 3,755,367 trips, and 
• City Taxi offered services to 172,121 riders in 98,920 trips.

The CEO of Public Transport Agency at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) Abdullah Yousef Al Ali reported: “Lifting 44,883,737 riders during the first quarter of this year is indicative of the huge demand for the service. It is a result of improvements we regularly introduce to taxis such as the offering of multiple means of fare payment (cash or credit cards), or training cab drivers to improve their attitudes and practices.

“The RTA leadership accords considerable attention to the taxi service run by Public Transport Agency as the service offers privacy sought by a large number of users. Efforts made in this field and other mass transit services aim at realising RTA’s third strategic objective (People Happiness) and vision (Safe & Smooth Transport for All)."

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.”

Dubai RTA signs agreement with Careem for ride hailing

Source: RTA. HE Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA and Mudassir Sheikha, Founder and Managing Director of Careem, signed the agreement on behalf of the two respective entities. RTA executives attending the signing included Mohammed Obaid Al Mulla, Member of Board of Executive Directors, Abdullah Yousef Al Ali, CEO of Public Transport Agency, and Adel Shakri, Director of Transportation Systems. Bassel Al Nahlaoui, VP of Business Development & Government Relations attended on behalf of Careem.

The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has signed a cooperation agreement with Careem Networks Company, the provider of online booking of limousine and taxi services, under which Careem will provide passenger transport service on limousines or taxis online or via a smart app. The service, which will be in accordance with the laws applicable to taxi and limousine services in the Emirate, will run using about 9,841 taxicabs and 4,700 limousines.

“Undertaking this initiative stems from RTA’s keenness to implement the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, VP and PM of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, to transform Dubai into the world’s smartest city, bring happiness to people, deliver excellent services to tourists and enhance customers experience. The smartest city envisioned by HH is a city that considers the comfort & luxury of residents a top priority, and delivers technology-driven highly efficient services, as the smart transportation is one of the key pillars of smart cities," said HE Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA.

"This Agreement supports the integrated mobility platform project currently undertaken by RTA in Dubai. The platform provides customers an easy access to all transit means in Dubai through a single window (smart app). In this transit hub, RTA’s multi-modal transit systems (metro, tram, buses, marine transit means, and taxis) will be integrated with transit systems of other entities in Dubai such as limo service providers, Palm Monorail, and Dubai Trolley. RTA intends to enhance the partnership with the private sector and invites all online booking companies to join this drive aimed at realising the objective of delivering smart services to customers."

“Four years ago, we decided to establish Careem to expedite the setup of a technological infrastructure relating to online booking of mobility systems in the Middle East with a view of making life easier, and offering integrated transport solutions," said Mudassir Sheikha, Founder and MD, Careem, who noted that the agreement would enhance Careem’s presence in the Dubai market through offering integrated transport solutions enabling clients safe, reliable mobility options.

“The partnership with RTA is a huge stride for Careem, and we are keen on supporting RTA’s efforts towards developing smooth mobility solutions for customers."

Didi Kuaidi, GrabTaxi, Lyft and Ola users can use their apps in other countries now

Roaming was once only available for phone services. Then it came to cash withdrawals through the ATM. And now private transport-booking goes global with a Star Alliance-like partnership between booking apps that were previously region-bound.

Didi Kuaidi, GrabTaxi, Lyft and Ola have announced additional strategic partnerships that expand the global rideshare agreement that Lyft and Didi Kuaidi formed in September. Together, these companies now cover nearly all of Southeast Asia, India, China and the US, reaching nearly 50% of the world’s population. Joint partner products will start rolling out in Q116.

Through this global partnership, the companies will collaborate and leverage each other’s technology, local market knowledge and business resources so that international travellers can seamlessly access local on-demand rides by using the same application they use at home. Each company will handle mapping, routing and payments through a secure API, providing a global experience for their customers.

As the local leaders, Didi Kuaidi, GrabTaxi and Ola will provide Lyft passengers traveling to Asia with ease, convenience, and reliability. Each company saw rapid growth in 2015:

 Didi Kuaidi is the world’s largest one-stop mobile-based transportation platform, providing 7 million rides per day across 360 Chinese cities. Didi Kuaidi holds an 83% market share in private car-hailing and a dominant position in all other verticals including taxi-hailing, bus and corporate services.

 GrabTaxi is the leading ride-hailing platform in Southeast Asia with 95% market share in third-party taxi-hailing and more than 50% market share in private cars. With up to 1.5 million daily bookings across six countries, GrabTaxi offers a wide range of options in one mobile app, including taxis, motorcycle taxis, private cars, carpooling and deliveries. (Editor's note: It has also recently received some positive reviews from friends.)

 Lyft is the fastest-growing rideshare service in the US, completing 7 million rides per month in more than 190 cities. In October, Lyft reached an annual gross run rate of US$1 billion and reached over 40% percent market share in San Francisco, California and Austin, Texas.

 Ola is India’s preferred mobile platform for personal transportation, available in 102 cities across the country. With more than 350,000 vehicles registered on its platform, Ola receives over a million booking requests a day.

“As Didi consolidates market leadership across all main verticals, we are now focused on applying more refined big-data tools to further develop product innovation and enhance the user experience,” said Cheng Wei, CEO of Didi Kuaidi. “The partnership with Lyft, GrabTaxi and Ola allows Chinese users unprecedented ease of international travel, and helps each of us improve our own services, leveraging our collective technology and expertise. This is a win for the diversity and vitality of the global rideshare industry.”

“We are pleased to help Didi, Lyft and Ola offer transportation services in Southeast Asia where the significant diversity of language, culture and social practices across the region can be challenging for foreign companies to navigate,” said Anthony Tan, CEO of GrabTaxi. “We admire all three companies and have similar goals to improve the lives of drivers and passengers, while also helping to solve major transportation challenges for the long term. Under this umbrella, we see many opportunities to share ideas and best practices – from product innovations to driver support, technology developments and approaches for managing local operations in a rapidly-scaling organisation.”

“We’re excited to join with Didi, Grab and Ola to make global travel simpler for passengers. Together they will allow Lyft to offer the world’s best coverage, while building upon our shared vision of reconnecting communities through better transportation,” said Lyft co-founder and President John Zimmer. “This isn’t solely a partnership of four companies, but also an opportunity to have a greater impact on the future of our cities worldwide.”

“We are excited to partner with Lyft, Didi Kuaidi and GrabTaxi, allowing seamless mobility access across hundreds of cities globally for our combined user base that runs into hundreds of millions,” said Bhavish Aggarwal, co-founder and CEO of Ola. “This will also allow all four companies to learn from each other’s local innovations and successes that can help us in our shared mission to build better mobility solutions in our respective markets.”

Pay for Careem rides with an SMS to Ooredoo in Qatar

Ooredoo has partnered with Careem, the app-based car service, to customers’ travel needs across Qatar.

Careem enables customers to book and pay for a taxi in advance, fixing the journey’s cost and letting users to book on the web, via a mobile app, or by calling a dedicated hotline.

The partnership is the first of its kind, allowing customers to top up their ‘Careem Credit’ accounts via their Hala or Shahry account in denominations of QR 50, QR 100, QR 200, QR 300 or QR 350. As an added bonus, credit cards are not required - they can send an SMS and the amount they would like to top up their Careem account with to 92248, effectively paying for the ride with their mobile phone.

Unlike other car services in Qatar, Careem allows users to choose the car type that best suits their needs, have the option of paying in cash, credit or through Ooredoo, and select from first, business, or economy class cars. The Careem application also automatically locates a user’s address using GPS.

Customers can then follow their driver in real time on the application map, and drivers will send an SMS to let customers know they've arrived. To ensure the best service, users can also rate drivers to help monitor and improve service levels.

Interested?

Ooredoo customers can download the application and sign up using the promo code ‘Ooredoo’ to enjoy QR 60 off their first ride.

Uber or taxis? Yougov Singapore finds out

There has been a lot of buzz since Singapore Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan announced in a blog post on October 2 that the government will be reviewing private car-sharing apps like Uber. YouGov Singapore recently investigated what Singaporeans think about private car-sharing apps like Uber, GrabTaxi and Hailo.

While the use of third party apps comes second with regards to engaging a taxi, flagging down taxis streetside still come in top at 73%. From those who currently use such services, ease of using the app comes up tops (66%) with the ability to see availability of drivers (59%) plus the convenience of getting a ride compared to other ways (52%) rounded off the top three reasons for using these apps.

What is also interesting to see is that private car bookings (15%) come in as the last option for taxis versus private car transport. Those who prefer them said that private car bookings are cheaper than general taxi bookings (52%), and that drivers of these private cars tend to have better service (47%). Another reason is consumers feel that there tend to be more private cars available than taxis, which could change in the long run if there the supply of private car drivers becomes limited, or if there are more taxis on the road.

Additionally, more than half of Singaporeans agree (53%) that the government should legislate such services.

Interested?




View the infographic below:

Paid carpooling in Singapore takes off

Source: RYDE.

RYDE, a carpooling mobile application, says it has thousands of new members joining its network in the the months since its soft launch.

RYDE uses GPS technology to match drivers and riders going the same way. The app recommends a dollar amount where the rider splits the cost of the trip with the driver.

Terence Zou, founder of RYDE says, “Our goal is to transform transportation through innovation; making it sustainable, affordable and a sociable experience. Our rapid growth shows that Singaporeans accept carpooling as a viable option."

Source: RYDE. Zou.

According to research conducted by the National University of Singapore in August 2015, 500 people working in Central Business District were asked two questions: were they willing to carpool with strangers to work and were they willing to pay for it, and two-thirds said yes to both. More recent focus group studies conducted also revealed that majority of drivers are willing to share their rides and most people feel that carpooling is safe in Singapore. The three primary motivations cited for carpooling is cost efficiency, eco-friendliness and the social experience.

The Singapore government is also supportive of the sharing economy, and recently passed laws in March 2015 to allow drivers to make two paid carpool trips per day.

RYDE is committed to safety and believes that trust is key for “sharing” to occur. To this end, drivers are required to upload four documents for verification via the app - profile and images of the car, driving licence and certificate of insurance. Riders may choose to verify their profiles to increase their chances of a match. Members review each other after every trip, allowing RYDE to improve the user experience and keep the network safe.

Interested?

The app is available on iOS through the App Store and on Android in the Google Play Store

posted from Bloggeroid

GrabTaxi launches GrabCar service in Phuket

Source: GrabTaxi.

GrabTaxi, a regional on-demand transport mobile app, has launched its latest partnering service in Phuket, Thailand. Offering a premium and personalised ride experience, GrabCar aims to make commuting in Phuket hassle-free especially for tourists who visit Phuket.

Tourists can book a GrabCar and will be picked up at their doorstep in minutes, allowing them to explore the sights and sounds of Phuket safely and conveniently with a few taps on their smartphones.

As GrabCar operates on the same mobile platform as GrabTaxi, it ensures a seamless commuting experience for users. The same app can also be used in five other countries; Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam, so travellers can expect consistency in the service.

GrabCar patrons will be ferried in premium cars such as a Mercedes-Benz, Toyota Camry, Nissan Teana or Honda Accord. GrabCar is also the only mobile app-based service to offer advanced bookings. Passengers can book a premium car up to two hours and no more than seven days in advance, which is especially popular for rides to the airport.

"GrabTaxi and its new partnering service GrabCar brings peace of mind and convenience to users. These two aspects are particularly important for tourists looking to have memorable holidays in Phuket. With GrabCar, they have an efficient, and a quick and convenient way of getting around safely," said Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong. "I hope that all green plate taxi drivers will join GrabCar to offer quality service."

#GrabDurian with #GrabTaxi on August 1 and 2 in Singapore

Source: GrabTaxi.

Southeast Asian taxi booking app GrabTaxi is offering loyal GrabTaxi passengers some premium examples of the king of fruits this coming weekend in Singapore.

On 1 and 2 August, users can order* a box of freshly-packed Mao Shan Wang via the GrabTaxi app for S$10 and have it delivered by a special GrabCar durian fleet. Delivery is island-wide and orders can be made via the app from 2pm – 9pm.

The Mao Shan Wang is of Malaysian origin and each box will contain the flesh from a whole durian of at least 1.5kg. Each user is limited to one order of durians and are advised to make their orders early due to limited availability. Grabbers are encouraged to share their experience by uploading images of their order and hashtagging #GrabDurian #MaoShanWang #BaoJiak on social media.

According to the company, the GrabDurian initiative for passengers is a response to Grabbers (GrabTaxi customers) who voiced their support for the durian feast which GrabTaxi held for its drivers last month.

It is likely that the GrabCar durian fleet will be kept busy. Since the app was launched in 2012, tens of thousands of taxi drivers have been using smart phones equipped with GrabTaxi to accept booking taxis in Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore. The GrabTaxi app has been downloaded than 5.5 million times and has an average of 10 bookings in every second.

Interested?

Order the durians by selecting the durian fleet icon in the GrabTaxi app and keying in “GRABDURIAN” in the promo code field

Download the app on smart phones and tablets with iOS, on Android, and on Blackberry

*Terms & conditions:
 Durians will be available for order on 1 and 2 August 2015, 2 – 9 pm
 Each user is limited to one order of durians only
 Payment by cash or GrabPay (payment card via GrabTaxi app) – For cash, please provide exact change where possible. Only $2, $5, $10 and $50 notes will be accepted

Nellore gets taxi service from YatraGenie

Source: YatraGenie. India's Union Minister for Urban Development, Venkaiah Naidu, addressing the launch event in Nellore on January 10.

YatraGenie, a travel portal from Paxterra Software Solutions, has launched a taxi service for the city of Nellore in Hyderabad, India. The company plans to extend the initiative to more tier 2 cities in the coming months. 

The new service comprises of a fleet of 100 cars. YatraGenie cabs are equipped with GPRS/GPS location tracking services, including a panic button, and comply with the security and transportation norms regulated by the government of India to ply cab services in the country.

Singaporeans can hail a cab with Hailo

Hailo, the world’s highest-rated taxi app, is operational in Singapore as of October 29. The app has 23,000 five-star reviews in the App Store and Google Play, which the company points out is more than any other taxi app. Hailo says a Hailo 'hail' is accepted around the world every two seconds from Hailo’s global network of over 60,000 drivers and more than 1.4 million passengers. 

Source: Hailo. From left: Benny Lim, Managing Director, SMRT Road Holdings; Ron Zeghibe, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman, Hailo Global, and Yu Hsiang Wong, General Manager, Hailo Singapore.

The Hailo passenger app helps people get a cab with just two taps on their smartphone. Mobile payments eliminate the need to carry cash, and trip receipts are sent instantly by email. Singapore’s taxi drivers can use the Hailo driver app to complete more jobs in less time, earning up to 30% more on every shift they work.

The news follows the announcement of Hailo’s partnership with SMRT Road Holdings. In agreeing to work together, Hailo and SMRT share a common vision to create an inclusive platform that provides equal access and benefits for all of Singapore’s taxi companies and their drivers. Hailo Singapore confirmed today that fleet operator Prime Taxi has joined with SMRT to support the new platform.

Hailo is available to passengers as a free download from the App Store and Google Play. New customers can enter promo code HELLOSING to receive a free S$10 credit on their first ride this week.

Taxi drivers can register via the Hailo website or email singapore.drivers@hailocab.com. The new Hailo Driver Office is located at 46 Kim Yan Road.

Launched in November 2011, Hailo is available in Asia in Osaka as well as Singapore. Hailo has carried over twenty million passengers and sees annualised sales of well over US$100 million.

Read the blog post about the partnership here.

Hotels.com shares insider's data on airport transport options

Online accommodation booking website Hotels.com has compiled an insider's look at the best transportation options from 29 major airports around the world. The Hotels.com Airport Transportation Insider compares taxi, private car and mass transit options within the most popular international and domestic destinations based on the latest Hotel Price Index™. While targeted at US travellers, the infographic has useful information on Bangkok, Beijing, Singapore and Sydney.

Some of the most affordable taxis in the world are in Bangkok (ranked no. 21 in international popularity), where travellers can get from the main airport to the city centre for around US$8. Hotels.com says Bangkok taxis offer travellers the most for their money, with the $8 fare covering a distance of 17 miles (about 27 km), or an average of US$0.45 per mile. Affordable taxi fares from the airport to the city centre can be had for under US$20 in Beijing (no. 29), and in Singapore (no. 19).

A number of cities also offer mass transit options under US$1 that take an hour or less, including the MRT rail in Singapore (US$1).

City	International Popularity ranking	Major Airport	Distance to City Centre/ km	Avg Taxi Cost/ US$	Avg Taxi Time	Avg Mass Transit Cost/ US$	Avg Mass Transit Time
Singapore	19	Singapore Changi International Airport	11	$17	25	$1	60
Bangkok	21	Suvarnabhumi Airport	17	$8	40	$2	85
			16	$49	50	$3	75
Seoul	23	Incheon International Airport	36	$39	66	$4	56
Hong Kong	9	Hong Kong International Airport	25	$38	30	$4	40
Taipei	47	Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport	29	$30	42	$4	60
Beijing	29	Beijing Capital International Airport	19	$15	28	$4	61
Sydney	32	Kingsford-Smith Airport	5	$35	25	$14	25
Tokyo	7	Narita International Airport	44	$191	60	$24	55

Source: Hotels.com