You’ve probably seen the Easy Taxi app a lot on Facebook a few weeks ago. It’s basically a mobile taxi booking app that started operating in Metro Manila in the middle of the year, after honing its service in Brazil then into 17 other countries.
We had a similar app introduced before in the form of Grab Taxi and Easy Taxi is basically the same. Through an app on your smartphone (iOS, Android, BlackBerry 10), you can book a taxi and it will show your location to Easy Taxi drivers within the area that are available. A driver will respond to your request then all you have to do is track the taxi through the app so you’ll know when it will arrive.
So how is Easy Taxi different? Well app-wise, it really doesn’t differ much. Operations-wise, Easy Taxi has that personal touch of calling you when you book a taxi to confirm that you really need a taxi (good for drivers), and to tell you that a taxi is on its way (good for the passenger). Booking fee is P70 which is to be paid on top of the regular fare.
Aside from delivering a safe and convenient experience to its users, Easy Taxi also prides itself in its drivers. All affiliated drivers are verified and continuously monitored to make sure you don’t experience riding a cab with rude drivers or those with malicious intent.
An incentive program is made available to motivate drivers to provide the best service that they can. Additionally, educational programs, entertainment events, and sports classes aimed to engage drivers to make them feel part of a bigger family are occasionally held. One such event is a basketball tournament where Easy Taxi invited professional players from the PBA League and the US.
If you want to know more about Easy Taxi as a company and what they are doing in the country, I highly urge you to watch this video:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG57lslApx8
I was able to have a brief chat with Paul Malicki, the VP of Business Development for Easy Taxi PH, and I really liked how passionate he and his team are in transforming the lives of their taxi drivers for the better. This in effect will eventually transform how the public will perceive taxi service in the country. It’s really easy to support a company that not only provides good service to its customers but also takes care of their employees.
As commuters who use this kind of service regularly, having the two apps on your smartphone is a good decision in case one can’t provide you a taxi which usually happens during rush hour.