Malaysia’s MyTeksi Expands to Philippines, Helps You Find a Ride with GrabTaxi

Taxi booking services have been providing convenience to commuters across parts of Asia for a while now. But for the Philippines, it’s a very new concept. Malaysia-based startup MyTeksi is hoping to make it popular and has officially launched its taxi booking service in the Philippines under the name GrabTaxi.

I think I can speak for all commuters in Metro Manila when I say that riding taxis in the Philippines can be such a pain. That’s actually an understatement. It’s because there are many issues that commuters face. Taxis are not always easy to find, especially during rush hour. And when commuters find one, drivers tend to decline when the destination is too far, or charge the passenger way more than the metered rate. When travelling during the wee hours, passengers also have that fear of being mugged. And they are left with no choice but to deal with this situation.

To eliminate this problem, like other taxi booking services in Asia, GrabTaxi makes it easier to ride a cab through an app that can be downloaded for any Android or iOS smartphone. Instead of impatiently waiting for an unoccupied taxi that might never appear, people can easily use the app, book a nearby taxi, and the cab will soon arrive at their location.

How to use GrabTaxi’s service?

Since this is a new thing for Philippine passengers, Tech in Asia thought it might be good to test out GrabTaxi to give a heads up for those who also want to try it out.

The app has a very simple-to-use interface. Passengers just have to input the point of origin and where they want to be dropped off. It has a geo-location feature that tracks where the user is currently located upon booking. But an option to change the point of origin is also available. The app also shows the number of taxis nearby, and the estimated fare range the passenger will pay for that trip. But to compensate for the taxi’s travel to the passenger’s location, there is a PHP 70 ($1.60) fee on top of the meter rate.

Then the app will show the details of the taxi that will pick them up: its license plate number, the complete name and photo of the driver, and the estimated arrival time. While waiting, the app will track the movement of the taxi as it goes to the passenger’s location, and there is also the functionality to call the driver or cancel the booking.

Changing the taxi riding experience

I think this app also becomes a solution to the trust issues of Philippine taxi riders. Since all the details are tracked, drivers will be more cautious in how to treat their passengers. It will also help do away with drivers who over-charge people. Its meter only starts when the passenger is already in the cab. There is also an option to leave a comment for the driver once the user hits the ‘end trip’ button.

I feel that Philippine commuters who have heard about it are excited to try it out. MyTeksi is bringing this innovative way of riding cabs to the Philippines through GrabTaxi, and it’s a breath of fresh air for Philippine commuters.

What’s in it for the drivers?

Taxi drivers tend to just drive without a certain direction until they comes across a passenger. And this happens especially during off-peak hours. So in a way, it also gives drivers more opportunities to earn. How do drivers get notified, you may ask. GrabTaxi has provided them with a CloudFone smartphone (photo at the right) – one of the low-cost Android-powered smartphones made locally – with an installed GrabTaxi app. Through the app, a notification will show up when a passenger nearby wants to grab a ride.

I had a short chat with my driver this afternoon, and he explained a bit of the back story of how a taxi is designated to a passenger. While passengers are actually waiting for the assigned taxi, all cab drivers within the location will receive a notification. The driver can either hit the yes or no button in the app. The first one to hit yes gets that passenger. So it’s not really a matter of which of the taxis in the area is the nearest. GrabTaxi limits this to a three-kilometer range so that people aren’t waiting too long. And I must say, it’s efficient. The driver even called me up when he was within the vicinity. (UPDATE: We’ve heard from GrabTaxi’s Natasha Bautista and Aaron Gill, and contrary to the driver’s statement, in actuality, “the driver who hits yes and is the closest one to the passenger wins the job,” says Natasha.)

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