As the number one mode of transport for women and children in the country today, operating approximately 15-million commuter trips daily, the taxi industry is undoubtedly an integral contributor to enabling economic activity. For Mabogo however, it is the challenges plaguing the taxi industry, such as reckless driving, poorly maintained taxis and misuse of the vehicle by drivers, which drove him to envision a new and improved model of operation that places the taxi owner and the passenger safety at the centre of the Quickloc8 solution.
'Like many South Africans who have ever taken a taxi before, I've been exposed to the problems within the industry from a very young age. Taxi owners want to be able to know two key things, where their taxis are at a point in time and how much their taxis made in a day," explains Mabogo. In 2015, the idea for Quickloc8 was born with a goal to assist taxi owners in better managing the vehicles they had operating on the roads. I wanted to develop disruptive and intervention products that will move the taxi owner from being a silent observer to being an involved participant in the running of their business, making the taxi journey safer and more enjoyable for passengers while transforming the industry to new heights of modernisation,' says Mabogo.
Introducing Quickloc8
The Quickloc8 app makes use of an AI embedded camera that is used for passenger monitoring and revenue calculation for the taxi industry. The AI camera solution works through an embedded algorithm that counts passengers' inflow and outflow per load, such that taxi owners are able to know exactly how much revenue is generated per trip and shift by their taxis. In addition, taxi owners are also able to do time streaming inside the taxis, and also two-way communication with passengers through the App.
The AI camera is also linked to real-time GPS location tracking. This allows taxi owners to know exactly where their taxis are at any given time. Crucially, these owners also receive notification of when their drivers’ shift starts and ends and they can also track exactly how many trips have been made between the designated taxi ranks. Taxi owners, through the APP, will also be able to ensure that a driver cannot drive the respective vehicle without permission with a built-in taxi STOP/START feature.
Another central benefit of the presence of an AI camera is that it serves as a deterrent to potential robbery, harassment and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) offences inside the taxi, as it alerts and allows taxi owners to react quickly to events inside the taxis.
A reliable business partner in Vodacom
However, in order for the Quickloc8 app to transmit information from taxi to taxi owner, data, and an unlimited line for business activity was required. That was where Vodacom Business was able to assist. Thanks to the Vodacom infrastructure and data services, the Quickloc8 app has been able to function effectively across all taxis where it is employed.
Higher Heights for Quickloc8
With new products set to launch to market on the Quickloc8 platform in 2021 and more exciting features lined up thereafter, founder and CEO, Mbavhalelo Mabogo, shows no signs of slowing down progress anytime soon. "Our focus for the future of the Quickloc8 platform is naturally to increase the number of taxi owners using the app. We're excited about the new product that caters to the taxi driver and another feature that focuses on improving the safety and security aspect of the taxi experience for passengers but more importantly, we are passionate about developing tools to formalise the industry in a way that has never been done before. When we leave, the taxi sector needs to be better than we found it, that is the challenge we are burdened with today," concludes Mabogo.
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