Big Blue Taxi introduces e-ticketing system

• New e-ticketing system for added customer convenience
• Tourists to book transportation to popular destinations

WITH the taxi sector hit badly by consumers increasingly choosing the ride share services of Grab and Uber, Big Blue Taxi Services has been the most vocal critic of the two services that it maintains are competing unfairly and should be banned.  

But it hasn’t been spending all its time complaining either, having launched its own app to compete against them. And now, it has launched a new service that it hopes will end the nightmare of tourists, and locals, of being overcharged by taxis while also stressing a new drive to instill higher levels of professionalism among cab drivers. It even invited industry regulator, Land Public Transport Commission or SPAD, (its Bahasa Malaysia acronym) to the press conference, ostensibly to witness its determination to better serve the public.

While the new e-ticketing system, which starts on 1st Jan 2017, has come too late to save two unfortunate tourists who got fleeced of US$178 (RM800) by a cabbie last week, Big Blue Taxi Services founder Shamsubahrin Ismail is confident the new system, developed by Point of Sales (POS) specialist Store Hub, will work.

Despite being called an e-ticketing system, it is actually a counter service that will be located at popular tourist and shopping destinations. Customers can purchase their e-ticket at the counters using either their credit or debit card or by cash.

Once the trip has been paid for they can board their taxi. The system prevents any overcharging or longer routes taken as the ride has already been paid for. Apart from booking a ride to the destination they would also be able to arrange a return journey with the taxi driver.

The new e-ticketing system will be deployed at counters located outside two popular shopping destinations in Kuala Lumpur – KLCC and Publika. At the same time, e-ticket counters will be added at new locations including the Matrade Exhibition and Convention Centre, Berjaya Times Square and Genting Highlands.

The e-ticket counters will also be used to upsell tourist as they would be able to book transportation to 30 popular tourist destinations through Big Blue Taxi Services’ Eye of Malaysia Holiday packages.

Meanwhile, those who want to skip the queue altogether can also book a taxi using the 2Go app and board their taxis at the Big Blue e-ticket counters. Big Blue Taxi Services had recently collaborated with 2Go in early Dec 2016 to assist its drivers to receive more bookings via the app.

Despite the introduction of its own app and the e-ticketing system, Shamsubahrin admits that 2017 is set to be an even more challenging year for taxi companies.

When asked if the e-ticketing system is an initiative that is too little, too late, Shamsubahrin deflected the question, instead emphasizing that that Big Blue Taxi Services does not intend to compete directly with the ride-sharing services.

At the same time he is also focused on getting drivers to act more professionally, emphasizing that Big Blue Taxi Services will be stricter in enforcing professionalism among its drivers ensuring they dress presentably and communicate better with passengers.

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