Taxify has launched its operations in Ibadan and Owerri, becoming the first top-tier car-hailing service to expand beyond Lagos and Abuja.
The company explained that it expanded to Ibadan and Owerri in response to requests from passengers and drivers, becoming the third and fourth cities in Nigeria that Taxify operates in, in addition to Lagos and Abuja.
“After our successful launches in Nigeria’s main centres, expanding to the cities of Ibadan and Owerri is a natural next step for Taxify,” Taxify’s Country Manager for Nigeria, Uche Okafor said.
“We’re looking forward to introducing these cities to safe, reliable and affordable ride-hailing services on demand, and introducing flexible employment opportunities to thousands of drivers and vehicle owners in both cities.
“It’s easy to use. Passengers simply download the secure and free Taxify app from the iOS or Android app stores and set up a user profile.
“When they’re ready to ride, users open the app, set their location and their intended destination.
“The app will then give a cost estimate for the trip. Once passengers request the ride, the app alerts drivers nearby who accept the ride.
“Once a driver has accepted the ride, passengers will be able to see their driver’s name, photo, car make and model, and registration, as well as be able to track the driver making his or her way towards them in real time – all of which makes it easy to be sure that they get safely into the correct vehicle with the correct driver,” he said.
According to him, popular trips in and around Ibadan such as UI to Palms Mall, Ring Road would cost between N1,400 – N2,100, Akobo to Ventura Mall Samonda would also cost between N1,000 – N1,300 and Samondato Cocoa Mall, Dugbe would cost between N700 – N900.
Also, in Owerri, the Airport to Concorde/World bank would cost between N4,000 to N5,000; FUTO/Nekede to IMSU/Ikenegbu would cost between N2000– N2500, while Ikenegbu/Wetheral to Egbu/
With our Owerri & Ibadan launch hours away, we can’t wait to start moving you to the places you have to be.
We’re adding hundreds of drivers across both cities to make movement even better. So download the app and start enjoying Taxify's services #TaxifyInIbadan #TaxifyInOwerri pic.twitter.com/ZnUDc5UgkS
— Bolt Nigeria (Taxify) (@Boltapp_ng) October 5, 2018
“Passengers and drivers can rate each other out of five stars and leave any comments using the Taxify app.
“Before Taxify launched in Ibadan and Owerri, customers wanting to use a driver service had to stand on the road, call a taxi and negotiate pricing with them. Passengers would not be able to share their travel details with friends and loved ones or contact the driver in case of forgotten items in vehicles.
“To celebrate Taxify’s launch in both cities, Taxify will be offering a 20 per cent discount on all fares for the month of October 2018, and passengers can enjoy a free first ride with the promo codes HELLOIBADAN and HIOWERRI when they apply the promo codes using their debit cards.
“Taxify has already signed drivers up to the platform in both cities, who all receive 85 per cent of all fares paid by passengers – a significantly higher percentage than what drivers using other similar platforms receive. “What’s more, drivers using the platform are their own boss, as they can choose how many hours they drive, there are no monthly dues, and they can work in whichever areas they want to,” he added.
For a driver to qualify, such a vehicle must be a 2003 vehicle model or newer. The car has to be four-door (Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio, etc) and must have passed a safety inspection.
“This means that everyone hailing a ride through Taxify can be confident that they will get to their destination safely and comfortably.
“Taxify has been hugely successful in every city where it has launched since commencing operations in Nigeria in 2016.
“Launching in Ibadan and Owerri are particularly exciting for Taxify because everyone in these cities can now call cost-effective, quick, reliable and convenient rides from wherever they are to wherever they want to be.”
