Digitalization of Taxi Driver and Innovation In The Taxi Industry.

 November 2016: Since the popularity of the private-hire service such as Grab and Uber, taxi industry suffers an unexpected turbulence and leave most of the taxi drivers which are large number of them with a limited knowledge in new wave of technology gasping to make a living each day. However, it’s been  over a year since the impact and we have taken a step forward in conducting a survey in KL Sentral Station( Kuala Lumpur Sentral Railway Station) to catch on taxi drivers acceptance and improvement in the current and future of technology in the public transport industry mainly taxi industry.

      Our survey gain interests of more than 218 taxi drivers from TWO(2) categories of taxi which Budget taxi with 65.6 %, Teks1m(Teksi 1 Malaysia) 27.5% and 6.9% is undetermined, the indicator of our survey is from strongly agree to strongly disagree. SPAD( Suruhanjaya Pengakutan Awam Darat)  with their Taxi Industry Transformation Plan(TTIP) emphasize that e-hailing is the next wave in taxi booking, and we believe taxi drivers is ready for the phase with more than 96% with taxi drivers agrees on e-hailing concept will gain their more customers. A safe ride is important and for us connection of taxi’s with terminal such KL Sentral will increase demand and safer rides to passenger, 47.1% taxi drivers strongly agrees and with 49.3% agrees.

    Innovations such as geo-fencing software which use Global Positioning System(GPS) and Digital Queuing via a connected taxi application is vital in establishing efficient management and gratification. With more than 59.6 % taxi drivers agrees that  both innovations allowed taxi service providers to manage and distribute job efficiently to the taxi drivers. Advertising via taxi such as body wrap, light box, moving box and others had been a norm in gaining extra income for taxi drivers, yet with the advancement of innovations taxi infomedia is the next approach and this gains 69% agrees, infomedia such as website marketing, digital marketing and in-car advertising is the new way for both taxi drivers and stakeholders to surge revenue rapidly.

    Furthermore, suggestions from taxi drivers such as usage of taxi as advertising tools, provider and authority should be digital hungry for new innovations and new security features in mobile applications both for drivers and passengers proves a point that taxi drivers are digital ready!.To add, both providers and authority like SPAD( Suruhanjaya Pengakutan Awam Darat), JPJ(Jabatan Pengakutan Jalan), MCMC(Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commision) should join force in providing consistent training program to  nurture tech savvy driver and increasing taxi drivers competency as well customer service to passengers.

   Smart Mobility via connected taxi applications enable us to connects with Retailer in Kl Sentral, tourist hot-spots, and hotels will benefit not only passengers yet drivers at the same time. This helps both passengers to get an attractive discounts and we have a number of 117 taxi drivers agrees this is the best way for them to earn extra. Undoubtedly, our connected taxi applications gain 63.8% recommendations rates to other taxi drivers, this proves that connected taxi blend with dedicated taxi drivers will be the next wave of the transformation of the taxi industry, positively perhaps the public transport industry in few years from now.

Prepared By,

Hashidi Wahab

Comfort Taxi