-By Chinedu Nwaduru, ABH Press
Taxify has began operations simultaneously in Ibadan becoming the first top-tier
e-hailing service to expand beyond Lagos and Abuja and connect passengers with drivers in these cities.
An e-hailing service like Taxify is simply a cellphone-based transportation app that lets passengers easily, quickly and cost-effectively request for a driver to pick them up almost instantly wherever they are, to take them wherever they want to go.
Taxify has launched in Ibadan in response to requests from passengers and drivers, becoming the third and fourth cities in Nigeria that Taxify operates in, in addition to Lagos and Abuja. “After our successful launches in Nigeria’s main centers, expanding to the cities of Ibadan and Owerri is a natural next step for Taxify,” says Uche Okafor, Taxify’s Country Manager for Nigeria. “We’re looking forward to introducing these cities to safe, reliable and affordable ride-hailing services on demand, and introducing flexible employment opportunities to thousands of drivers and vehicle owners in both cities.”
It’s easy to use: passengers simply download the secure and free Taxify app from the iOS or Android app stores and set up a user profile. When they’re ready to ride, users open the app, set their location and their intended destination. The app will then give a cost estimate for the trip. Once passengers request the ride, the app alerts drivers nearby who accept the ride. Once a driver has accepted the ride, passengers will be able to see their driver’s name, photo, car make and model, and registration, as well as be able to track the driver making his or her way towards them in real time – all of which makes it easy to be sure that they get safely into the correct vehicle with the correct driver.
Passengers can also share their trip details using the “Share your ETA” function on the app, as an extra layer of security. When the ride is complete, payment is made with cash, or via the debit card details the rider entered into the app.
Popular trips in and around Ibadan such as:
UI to Palms Mall, Ring Road will cost between N1400 – N2100, Akobo to Ventura Mall Samonda will cost between N1000 – N1300 and Samonda to Cocoa Mall, Dugbe will cost between N700 – N900.
Passengers and drivers can rate each other out of five stars and leave any comments using the Taxify app. Before Taxify launched in Ibadan, customers wanting to use a driver service had to stand on the road, call a taxi and negotiate pricing with them. Passengers would not be able to share their travel details with friends and loved ones or contact the driver in case of forgotten items in vehicles.
To celebrate Taxify’s launch in Ibadan, Taxify will be offering a 20% discount on all fares for the month of October 2018, and passengers can enjoy a free first ride with the promo codes HELLOIBADAN when they apply the promo codes using their debit cards. Taxify has already signed drivers up to the platform in both cities, who all receive 85% of all fares paid by passengers – a significantly higher percentage than what drivers using other similar platforms receive.
What’s more, drivers using the platform are their own boss, as they can choose how many hours they drive, there are no monthly dues, and they can work in whichever areas they want to. Drivers’ cars must be a 2003 vehicle model or newer. The car has to be four-door (Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio, etc) and must have passed a safety inspection. This means that everyone hailing a ride through Taxify can be confident that they will get to their destination safely and comfortably.
Taxify has been hugely successful in every city where it has launched since commencing operations in Nigeria in 2016. Launching in Ibadan is particularly exciting for Taxify, because everyone in the city can now call cost-effective, quick, reliable and convenient rides from wherever they are to wherever they want to be.
If you want to become a Taxify driver, you will need a valid Nigerian driver’s license, an Android or iOS smartphone with GPS, and undergo an onboarding/training program
Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/10/taxify-begins-operation-in-ibadan-owerri/