An SMS specifying the car’s brand, colour and plate number as well as the driver’s name and mobile number are sent to the customer prior to the arrival of the car.
App-based taxi hailing service providers are doing brisk business as many customers shy away from bad cabbies of private and public taxi companies, it is learnt.
It is not uncommon for passengers to encounter abusive drivers who do not turn on the metre, impose exorbitant fare rates in addition to those who refuse to take passengers to certain destinations which result to arguments and complaints.
“I have stopped taking regular taxis for a long time because of bad experiences I had with rude drivers. I have fought with drivers many times and complained about them but no avail,” Maryrose, a Filipina frequent taxi rider, told this daily.
“Taxi drivers have the guts to fight with customers knowing that complaints are not being attended to, therefore they can easily get away with it,” she said, explaining why she switched to private limousine and later to Careem. Although they charge more, app-based ride-hailing service providers such as Careem are seen as a better alternative by many customers because of fixed charges, convenience, reliability and safety.
“The app makes it possible to hail a taxi anywhere with short waiting times because it sends the cabby nearest to the waiting customer. The fare is calculated in advance so you know how much you will have to pay even before the cab arrives,” said Manoj, another Careem user. The distance of the cab to the customer and the waiting time are also indicated in the app which are most of the time accurate, he added.
An SMS specifying the car’s brand, colour and plate number as well as the driver’s name and mobile number are sent to the customer prior to the arrival of the car so customer s especially ladies like me feel safe, said Maryrose. The app also features a feedback mechanism which enables passenger to rate service of the driver, which encourages him to deliver good service to customer , she added.
“Many people prefer Careem because of less waiting time and is also available anywhere as there are more Careem captains (drivers) in Doha compared to around 600 to 800 before,” said Jafer, a Careem driver, adding that he makes around 20 to 30 bookings a day.
The company gets 20 percent of the fare and 80 percent is automatically transferred to the driver while a receipt is emailed to the passenger, he added.
Meanwhile, Careem yesterday announced it has launched in Al Wakrah adding to its existing map that comprises Doha confirming the increased demand for its services and its growing popularity in the country. “The expansion is a testament to the increasing demand for a safe, comfortable and affordable ride in Qatar. In less than 6 months we managed to double our fleet in the market and are growing 30% month on month,” Ibrahim Manna, GM Emerging Markets, Careem, said in a press statement.
The rise of ride-hailing service companies such as Careem and Uber in addition to limousine companies have been welcomed by many people as they provide more alternative as private and public taxi operators face fierce competition.
