Emirates launches on-demand taxi app

New ground transportation app called Emirates Skywards Cabforce in partnership with CarTrawler

Dubai: Emirates Skywards has launched an on-demand ground transportation booking app called Emirates Skywards Cabforce in partnership with CarTrawler — the first of its kind in the world, according to a press release on Tuesday.

“The app is a mobile travel companion that will offer its loyalty members an affordable and efficient transportation service in 27 countries and 117 cities across the world with more countries in the pipeline,” said parent company Emirates.

Members can earn Skywards Miles on every ride booked through the Emirates Skywards Cabforce app and allows members to book safe and reliable private taxis, executive cars and minibuses at their convenience.

The app offers fixed price quotes, secure online credit card payment and electronic receipts for every journey. The Emirates Skywards Cabforce app is free to download on iOS or Android devices.

Members of the loyalty programme can use the Emirates Skywards Cabforce app by linking their Emirates Skywards membership account to their Cabforce profile. They will be able to book rides selecting their preferred supplier, check the estimated arrival time of their ride, and view the estimated fare and Skywards Miles they will earn at the end of their trip. The app also enables users to share their live location with friends and family during their ride.

Members will earn 1 Skywards Mile for every $2 (Dh7.35) or equivalent spent on each journey. Skywards Miles will be credited within 48 hours of completing their journey.

The Emirates Skywards Cabforce app complements the Emirates app where members can check their Skywards Miles balance, tier status and other member offers in the revamped Emirates Skywards section.

https://bit.ly/2SuIl49 
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An Australian taxi startup has launched a new feature which allows passengers to set their taxi fee.
Oiii Taxi, a passenger application that was launched by Net-Cabs earlier this year, announced the new feature on Wednesday.
Named OiiiBid, the first-of-its-kind feature aims to put passengers in control of their rideshare and taxi services as well as increase jobs for Oiii taxi drivers.

Passengers are able to set their pick-up and drop-off locations, as well as deciding how much they are willing to pay.
Nearby drivers can accept the price offer or send a counter-offer.
The price is locked in when both parties agree on an offer.

CEO of Oiii/Net-Cabs Roland Grelewicz said OiiBid was about creating a thriving environment that’s great for drivers and operators.

'Long gone are the days when fare prices were predicted by traffic, tolls, peek times and surcharges,' he said.
'OiiiBid puts the control back in the passenger's hands and allows them to set their own ride fare.'

Mr Grelewicz said OiiiBid was the beginning of exciting ideas in the coming months.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6336221/The-new-taxi-app-allows-decide-fare-trip.html
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 New Redcar taxi firm 'desperate' for drivers after losing 649 fares a night

Adam Graham, owner of new Redcar firm AMG Taxis, says the demand is there - but he needs more drivers to come on board

The owner of a new taxi firm for Redcar says he's "desperate" for more drivers after having to turn away thousands of pounds in fares in the first week.

AMG Taxis owner Adam Graham, 22, is taking on the big firms and says the demand is there - but he needs more cars to come on board.
He posted a picture of his phone display showing 649 missed fares in one night and 'strongly apologised' to disappointed customers, assuring them he's 'working hard to sort the issue out'.

The 22-year-old, from Redcar spotted a 'gap in the market' for a taxi firm to cover Redcar, Marske, Saltburn, Guisbrough and East Cleveland.

But days after opening he made a plea for drivers on social media, posting: "Needing owner drivers ASAP turning away £1,000s worth of work at the moment, especially night drivers needed!!!!"

Adam said: "We are having to turn away work just because we haven't got enough cars.

"People don't like taking risks sometimes.

https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/new-redcar-taxi-firm-desperate-15347113 
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LEEDS






Proposals to give taxi drivers grants of up to £3,000 each will be discussed at a Leeds City Council meeting next week.

“Transition grants” would be available to assist taxi drivers in buying cleaner vehicles, to conform with clean air regulations set to come into effect in 2020.

Under the proposals, taxi and private hire drivers would be able to apply for a grant of up to £1,500 to go towards buying a hybrid (electric and petrol) car and up to £3,000 to purchase a full electric

The proposed clean air charging zone (CAZ) in and around Leeds city centre would charge high polluting taxis and private hire vehicles up to £12.50 a day, while non-eco-friendly HGVs and buses would pay £50 a week for coming into the zone.

Private hire and taxi industry chiefs had complained that most drivers owned their own cars, so would not be able to afford to buy expensive new vehicles, and warned many drivers would simply pay the fees, and have to charge passengers more.

Leeds’s clean air charging zone is part of a £40m raft of work to improve the city’s air quality, following a ruling from the European Union.

The report, which is set to go before the council’s licensing committee on November 5, said: “The grant is based on estimated driver costs such as; driver licensing fees, including DVLA and DBS checks, vehicle licensing costs and other cost such as stickers, meter checks and fitting and service/insurance costs. This grant is designed to lower the effect of these costs and to support the move from older, higher emission vehicle ownership to licensing of ultra-low emission vehicles.”

The council would also offer interest-free loans of up to £10,000 to drivers wishing to replace their cars. This would be repayable over 4 years and can work alongside the transition grants.

The report concluded: “The proposed clean air charging zone achieves compliance in the shortest possible time whilst complying with its legal and statutory obligations and in accordance with public law principles. It has also sought to mitigate the economic impact on the city.

“The support packages described in this paper will assist drivers in making the required transition to meet the requirements of the forthcoming CAZ.”

Other plans for the clean air charging zone include a network of cameras to detect the number plates entering the charging zone. A number plate would be checked against a database, and could result in the vehicle’s owner being billed for driving in the zone if it does not match the clean air regulations.

However, private vehicles would be exempt from the charges.

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/3-000-grants-for-leeds-taxi-drivers-1-9420036