The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business

Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

An app that will allow Bahamian consumers to call for a taxi from anywhere, and at any time, will be launched next month, the Taxi Cab Union’s president said yesterday.

Wesley Ferguson told Tribune Business that the UniRide call-up app was finally ready after it encountered challenges in becoming aligned to the Bahamian experience.

“The app needs to be adjusted to suit the Bahamian taxi ride experience. We just can’t have a one-size fits all app like Uber. We have to calculate whether people want to take boxes or suitcases with them, and that’s going to come with additional costs,” he said.

“We were supposed to have that launched more than four months ago, and it’s in the final stages. But, having said that, the developers are still having an issue with the variance in taxi fares.

“We’ve got different cars, we’ve got vans, we got big buses, we have SUVs, we’ve got sedans. We have a whole bunch of stuff that we need to compile in there, so when we roll it out it is seamless. Our developers on Tuesday said they are on the final leg now.”

Mr Ferguson, meanwhile, said he is not concerned with Nassau Flight Services arranging ground transportation for guests coming into the airport. “This is something the other flight services do all the time,” he added.

Nassau Flight Services, in a flyer being circulated to potential customers, says it will now be offering ground transportation for incoming visitors, which may cut into taxi drivers’ business.

However, Mr Ferguson said: “So far Nassau Flight Services is not buying any cars. They just have some of their livery drivers contracted to do their transportation for them, but they are not getting into the transportation business.

“We are not worried about any competition from them. Not at this time. They are not buying any cars at this time as said. They will just be giving work out to the various livery drivers to get these visitors as they come in, book them and take them where they need to go, and Nassau Flight Services will pay the driver instead of the client paying the driver.”

The taxi union also just received new taxi plate franchises for its members. Mr Ferguson said he is “waiting on a final count of how many from the minister (of housing and transport)”.