Manila is a bustling city and one of the most crowded areas in the world. As such, traffic congestion and the availability of public transportation can be a challenge. Easy Taxi Philippines believes that it has the solution to the woes of the average manila commuter.
Easy Taxi is the world’s biggest taxi booking application. Available for both the iOS and Android operating systems, Easy Taxi allows passengers to book a taxi all with one-click convenience. Passengers can then track the taxi they have booked in real-time.
The app is widely believed to have originated in Manila, but the company behind Easy Taxi was actually founded in Brazil in 2011 and backed by the largest e-Commerce incubator in the world, Rocket Internet. The technology then became so popular that it has expanded to cover over 17 countries and 50 cities all over the world. Over 2 million people have downloaded the app. It has also logged around 2 million completed transactions worldwide.
Using Easy Taxi is very convenient.
1. Download the free Easy Taxi app on your device of choice.
2. The app will automatically identify your location and address.
3. When you want to book a taxi just tap “Request a taxi” and fill the reference field
4. A taxi will be on its way to your location. You can even track the taxi or call the responding taxi driver.
The fee is quite affordable too. Commuters only need to pay a flat rate of 70 pesos on top of the flagdown rate. This is the most convenient way to hail a taxi, eliminating cumbersome and often dangerous practice of hailing a cab on the street.
Mario Berta, Managing Director for Easy Taxi in Southeast Asia, explained the Easy Taxi business model. “The app is free to download for both the driver and the passenger. In other countries Easy Taxi would only charge the driver because the service provides them with more passengers. But we had to adopt a new business model for the Philippines to reflect the current market conditions. Our local business model charges the passenger with a fee that will then be shared between the taxi operator and the taxi driver.”
Berta said that this is a democratic business model because taxi drivers work long hours and only earn from their boundaries – they have no fixed income. He said that drivers have received Easy Taxi positively because it gives them the opportunity to earn more.
Safety is also another proposition that Easy Taxi offers. According to Easy Taxi VP for Business Development Paul Malicki, Easy Taxi’s corporate social responsibility program is anchored on two key principles – safety and education.
“Unfortunately, taxi transportation in Manila has acquired a negative image due to reports of violence and robbery. We want to change this perception by introducing the concept of a verified taxi driver and allowing passengers to track the cab so they cannot only know where the cab they ordered is at any time, it will also help them to contact the cab in case they accidentally leave their belongings.”
Malicki further explained that Easy Taxi has a 24-hour customer service that will receive feedback and keep track of drivers who do not comply with company requirements. Safety, he said, is guaranteed with Easy Taxi.
About Author:
Mel Panabi is a veteran content guy who has been producing content for different companies and sites for more than ten years. Aside from content development and management he is also an expert in public relations and corporate communication.