A new app will be launched in May for those who wish to book a taxi. Official Ride, or Oride.taxi, is a private initiative by the Federation of Taxi Drivers Associations and Companies for Peninsula (Gabungan) and Official Ride Services. Apart from the ability to book a cab, the online booking service also offers incentives to both drivers and passengers via a rating system, the New Straits Times reports.
At its initial phase, some 20,000 taxis in Greater Kuala Lumpur will be equipped with the system. According to Oride representatives, the aim was to have 40,000 taxi drivers signing up for the system before its expansion to other states such as Johor, Malacca and Penang. When launched, bookings can be made on its website, an app or phone call.
The system will allow for both drivers and passengers to give each other ratings. Said system will see passengers rewarded with rebates, based on the rating given by the drivers. Meanwhile, drivers will be rewarded for their efficiency in providing services to passengers, especially during peak hours and in congested areas.
“We also offer training for the drivers to allow them to improve their services to the passengers,” said Oride representatives. “Some of them are getting between RM5,000 and RM10,000 a month, which is a lot more than what taxi drivers are earning,” Oride reps said of ride-sharing apps.
“Taxi drivers should make use of such a system to keep abreast with times and compete with others who have started using such technology to earn extra income,” said Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar
“We want to see the industry (taxi) self-regulate and improve its services. The industry was too slow (to react) and didn’t look into demands of the public who now want taxis to be available immediately,” he said. Hamid Albar added that the new service will put the taxi industry on a level-playing field with ride-sharing apps.
It is hoped that the system can be rolled out and used by taxi drivers nationwide by 2019. At the same time, it will soon allow for e-payment via credit or debit cars as well as Touch ’N Go cards. On another note, the information gathered by the Oride database can be used by the authorities.
Last year was indeed a dramatic one for taxi drivers, SPAD and ride-sharing apps including Uber and Grabcar, as it was claimed that ride-sharing apps were affecting the livelihoods of taxi drivers. From vigilantism cases to protests and legal suits, SPAD eventually took the initiative to engage with the public to gather feedback, which saw many saying they preferred ride-sharing apps to taxi services.
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This not going to improve any service… They still going to overcharge customers!
Why would u say cannot improve? There are rating system in the app so taxi driver need to improve their services..
Do u think gansgter taxi 1 malaysia care about this ratings system… Dog will be a dog no matter what… They still going to picky on customers destination… But Uber and Grab is dont… They arr wonderful taxi service providers, cheap and safe!
If the taxi drivers could improve services, Uber and GrabCar won’t have chance to enter the markets.
Improve their services by a mobile app? You must be high.
As per the famous saying: Change in the soup but no change of medicine
Who want this crap? Same taxi and taxi driver…
Same taxi driver oso become Uber driver loo..
Agreed. The 20 years old taxi won’t suddenly turn shiny, new and safe just by using this app.
Took a budget taxi from KLIA2. Tzxi was very very very old, dirty, unkempt, smelly, broken seats …. how the hell did this taxi pass Puspakom test??? This taxi smell of corruption
Puspakom only test for originality of car, mechanicals & safety of the vehicle. Anything else is not in their scope. Please understand what they do & dun do 1st before u accuse.
We have GRAB for taxi, why need this?
ride sharing app drivers earn up to RM10K per month? Syed Hamid kuat kencing.
I thought that ride sharing driver eg for Uber/Grab can earn up to RM10k? Not true?
What are you?
Bumblebee Taxi or Optimus Prime Taxi?
They earn enough to make a living. 2-3k, if work every day 6am-12am can earn 5-6k. Whats wrong with you? Government bean bag is it? Im an uber driver, I know. Uber drivers are not so comfortable, lots of competition now, lots of uber, grabcar, taxi drivers, you think everyone can make money? ANYWAY its not about the facts, its just your stupid tone sounds like a government stupid fella
Yeah. Its not about facts. As long as ur perception says so it must be true, right?
Govt oso invest in Uber through Khazanah u know..the one who dont like Uber is anti govt taxi driver aka u know who
because uber open to all, and is serious aboutgetting extra money, and serious about taking care of their rating. what about taxi? i say, they need 1 or 2 years for their service to be matured and up to level playing field that uber can offer.
pricing is another issue. u pay so much less, for better car (since the car is personally maintained by the uber driver). can taxi do the same? hell no im not going to ride with old saga. safety spec apa pun tarak
In the app u can request for better taxi like persona or exora….so what’s wrong with getting a legal transporter rather than getting an illegal one ?
ahaa. if you cant beat them, join them. makes sense, isnt it Syed Hamid Albar?
however, Uber still beat taxi services with cheaper rates BUT better cars (not 20 years old wira/iswara or 15 yrs old Waja).
why need taxi in the first place??? our public transport network so good already, can go anywhere we want anytime anyday!
Our public transport is still work in progress (provided Najib still around). So not so soon to say its gud, but we r getting there.
Even in uber-connected Japan, taxis r still a necessity.
another fella wana be the middle man and take a slice of the pie ^^