In the first move of its kind here, SMRT Taxis will replace its mobile display terminals used by cabbies to accept jobs with a Grab Driver app.
The move started from Thursday (Oct 1), and the app will be rolled out fleetwide by the end of the year, SMRT and Grab said in a joint statement on Wednesday.
The app enables SMRT drivers to manage earnings and receive jobs from across SMRT’s existing booking system, street hail and the Grab platform. It also removes the need for cabbies to toggle between their phone and the taxi’s mobile display terminal. With the app, taxi drivers can start their taxi meter when they opt for street hail jobs, and control their rooftop signs when they have a passenger onboard.
SMRT passengers who make phone bookings can also expect a shorter waiting time for their drivers, as their bookings will be allocated with the updated mapping tools and ride optimisation features the Grab platform offers.
The enhanced app was jointly developed by SMRT and Grab.
Grab said it has also designed and developed a Web-based fleet operations platform “from ground up” to streamline SMRT’s operational needs. With this, SMRT is able to supervise and control the entire dispatch and fleet operations from a central portal efficiently.
The Web portal also enables SMRT operations officers to register new vehicles in the fleet, or suspend errant drivers and customers quickly if required. They will also be able track bookings in real time, and send in-app notifications to drivers if there are any important announcements.
SMRT, the third-largest cab operator here, has also set up a dedicated cloud-based infrastructure to ensure “an optimal experience for its drivers and operations team”.