The app is as easy as the name promises. You download the app on your phone or access the service via the website www.easytaxi.com/eg/, create an account and you’re a registered user. When you need a cab, enter your current address and destination, then click “Request a Taxi.” From its end, the app searches for the cab drivers within two kilometers of where you are, sends them a notification of your request, and the first one who accepts is your destined driver.
To make users feel more secure, the app shows you the driver’s full information, including his photo and the car’s registration number. You can call or text him through the in-app free chatting system. The app also tracks the taxi’s location until it reaches you in case you need to give directions. When you get into the cab, you click ‘boarded’ so two things happen; a customer service representative calls to make sure the service is going well, and the system starts tracking the trip in case of emergency or if you forget something in the taxi.
The service is completely free, from downloading the app to the customer service during the ride — you simply pay the driver the fare on the meter just as you would with a cab hailed off the street.
The word ‘easy,’ however, does not describe the behind-the-scenes work needed to provide a comfortable and safe service. According to Nada Ali, Easy Taxi’s social media and PR specialist, before the service launched, an on-ground team went out looking for taxi drivers to hire. That recruitment process, Ali says, is still ongoing. It takes much effort to convince drivers that the switch to technology, and being on call some of the time actually benefits instead of hurts their work. The team also made sure to pick the cars that were in the best shape.
When they had taxis ready to participate, the Easy Taxi team collected information and ran background checks on all prospective drivers. The company provided basic, GPS-equipped smartphones to the drivers and trained them on how the app works – from their end as well as the client’s. Drivers also received soft skills training on how to be polite and courteous with customers.
Some 2,000 drivers had registered with Easy Taxi before fuel prices went up in July, when the company saw a surge in the number of rides requested. Ali says that they surveyed all the app users and found that a large number of users said that it was cheaper now to get a cab than fill up their tank. So Easy Taxi stepped up recruitment and now has 3,000 registered drivers.
Drivers who have signed on with Easy Taxi say they appreciate the benefits. “I spend less time driving in traffic looking for customers, and I am less stressed and tired by the end of the day,” says Zaki Sadek, who estimates that he’s now getting 30% of his customers through the service. “Also, the company gives us bonuses and incentives when we do more rides per week; for every 10 rides we get LE 200. So the more requests I take, the more bonus I get by the end of the month. It covers my expenses and sometimes even pays my car installment.”
Ayman Abdel Razik says the service makes driving a taxi safer . “Now we know where we are picking up customers and dropping them off. Also, dealing with customers is much better. When they are at ease and satisfied, we feel the same […]. I can’t solely depend on the app, but sometimes when the weather is really hot, I can’t drive around so I stay in one place and wait for requests; they are increasing all the time, and can bring me okay money for those difficult days.”
Easy Taxi-approved drivers do not pay to be a part of the service. According to Ali, the company gets revenues from sponsors — Mobinil currently — and soon advertisers.
Feedback from thepublic has so far been positive, specifically from women.
“I feel much safer knowing the full information about the driver and the car,” says Nada El Labban, one of the app users. “The GPS misleads the driver sometimes, but other than that it works fine. Their constant follow up with us clients after using the app is very reassuring as well.”
App user Sara Hesham adds, “My brother and cousins are between 13-14, and my family feels much safer using Easy Taxi. We don’t get regular cabs anymore. I once forgot a shopping bag in the car and called the driver who got it back for me right away.”
The most common complaints are that some drivers overcharge by not switching on the meter or starting it before reaching the customer. Ali explains they handle these types of complaints by counseling the driver and apologizing to the customer. She adds that the 15-person Easy Taxi team is expanding its customer service section to meet the needs of their clients. After users complained that drivers refused the customer after learning their destination, the service added the requested destination to the app, so drivers have all the information up front when accepting the fare.
In addition to individual pick-ups, Easy Taxi is targeting event venues as well. “We’ve recently signed a partnership with Darb 1718; now we have a booth there to provide cabs for visitors. The booth will be available at any time, run by a Darb 1718 representative, plus people from our team will be there on busy days when there are concerts or so,” says Ali. “We’re planning on having a similar booth at Al Sawy Culture Wheel and other places where it’s almost impossible to park or difficult to reach.”
Currently, Easy Taxi is attempting to cover all areas of Cairo, especially areas with dense traffic. Ali adds, “Once the Cairo service is running smoothly, we’re going to extend the service to Alexandria and other cities.” et
Visit www.easytaxi.com/eg/ to learn more about the service.
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