Intermediation business (e-hailing) is a service provided to book public transport services through electronic applications. E-hailing vehicle is a private vehicle used to provide public transport services to passengers who book through electronic applications.
The most affordable e-hailing options in South Africa
Uber and Bolt recently launched budget ride offers
Uber and Bolt are South Africa’s pre-eminent e-hailing services and as such their pricing and product offerings are a direct response to certain moves that their competition makes.
Around the middle of 2020, Bolt launched a new offer called Bolt Go – a more affordable ride option that utilised smaller cars (hatchbacks) and could cost up to 20 percent less than regular bolt rides.
Eventually, Uber responded and launched its own affordable option, UberNAM in October 2020. It is. initially available in a limited number of areas but will be accessible across the country in time.
The services both enjoy sizeable customer bases and driver pools and most people who frequently use e-hailing services tend to make use of both services – comparing the prices for various trips before selecting a service.
But how do these budget options stack up against each other?
Both, BoltGo and UberNAM allow current drivers, who drive sedans and other more traditional e-hailing vehicles, to opt-in to the service during quiet periods – and when you consider that a variety of hatchback vehicles that previously did not qualify to be used for these services are now allowed to operate it means that the overall transportation pool has increased.
The affordable options significantly lower the barriers to entry and means that more commuters are able to access these services.
For example, in Cape Town, a trip from the Cape Town International Convention Centre to Camps Bay Beach will cost R80 if you take an UberX and R68 if you opt for a regular Bolt ride.
If you opt for the budget option from each of these services it will cost you R59 (UberNAM) and R49 (Bolt Go).
While this may be a negligible price difference for some, it represents a significant saving for others and needlessly to say, in the long run, you’ll end up saving hundreds or thousands of Rands on your trips.
At present, UberNAM limits its trips to three passengers, while Bolt Go has no such limitation in place.
The differences between the e-hailing services themselves remain pretty consistent, with Uber being pricier than Bolt in most instances. However, many are prepared to dish out the extra cash, as Uber is perceived as a safer option.
Bolt recently partnered with South African safety platform, Namola to launch an emergency response button to ensure their driver and passenger’s safety.
Your mileage may vary [pun intended], but these services are very similar and neither is better than the other, it all depends on your preference and the best way to get the deal is to weigh up the options on either app before confirming your trip.
E-Hailing Taxi Services and Road Safety
Introduction
Technology and smartphone apps have changed the way most of us gain access to taxi services. The E-Hailing taxi services industry has become a major role player in public transport.
Even though it is very convenient, mostly well-regulated and safe, the E-Hailing taxi industry has also at times fallen victim to reports of crime and attacks on both drivers and passengers.
It is important to share how these operators are addressing safety concerns and how riders can enhance their safety while using these services.
With a bit more safety awareness and a few precautions, we can make the roads safer for everyone!!
E-Hailing Services and Vehicle and Driver Fitness
E-Hailing services continually strive to improve safety features. Some of the most important measures on the “Driver-Partner “side are:
The screening and vetting of drivers to ensure passengers are being transported by professional drivers.
Cross-checking the drivers’ backgrounds on databases for licensing and criminality.
A fingerprint-based check through the government’s fingerprint database
Checking in South Africa for a South African Professional Drivers Permit
Requiring a criminal record police clearance certificate.
A driving evaluation of drivers.
Driver fatigue monitoring- after 12 hours drivers are prompted to go offline for six hours so they can rest
Speed measurement – Alerts to drivers to maintain a safe speed
Vehicle roadworthiness – Vehicles are inspected annually as well as checked for roadworthiness after any road crashes.
Some E-Hailing services offer injury protection insurance, which covers passengers and drivers in the event of an accident or crime-related incident during a trip.
Technology and Safety with E-Hailing Services
New technologies are continually developed and improved to enhance safety before, during, and after every ride.
Take some time to get to know your preferred provider, its app and all the features, and keep your app updated so the latest safety features are included in your version.
We would like to share some of these added benefits on the e-hailing apps of some of these providers:
Standard features are photos of drivers and vehicle registration details.
You can see the driver’s first name, photo, license plate number, type of vehicle as well as vehicle colour.
When a rider requests a trip, he might be able to see the driver rating and the driver experience in terms of the number of trips driven.
Sharing the Trip: Technology has made it possible for trips to be tracked using GPS. While en route, you’re able to monitor your trip in the app, as well as the option to share your Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) with loved ones.
Family and friends can keep track of where you are on the trip, the estimated time of arrival and the specific route you will be taking on your trip.
Support options: Some services offer a 24-hour toll-free passenger support contact that can be accessed through the Help menu or by clicking on the safety shield – bottom right.
Incident response options: In the case of safety incidents or accidents, the Incident Response Team can be contacted by using “I had a safety issue” on the Help menu. They will call you back. On some apps, the service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
An SOS button that will connect you to emergency services.
How many Ehailing drivers are there in South Africa?
“Bolt is always looking for ways to make e-hailing safer for everybody, in consultation with the SAPS, the Department of Transport, and other stakeholders, so that we can continue to offer a way that more than 25,000 drivers can earn an income and a way for millions of people in South Africa to access affordable door-
Is Uber an e-hailing service in South Africa?
Uber and Bolt just happened to be the most used and popular among the e-hailing companies, but cannot be said to be the best when there are no yardstick for measurement.
How do ride hailing services work in South Africa?
How does ride-hailing work? The customer orders a car from an app. The app sends their location and request to a nearby driver who can decide if they want to accept the ride. If they accept the ride, the customer can see the car in their app as it rides towards them and the time it will take for the car to arrive.
What is the difference between ride sharing and ride hailing in South Africa?
A ride sharing service connects riders with independent drivers who work on their own time. A ride hailing service is a third party that connects riders with taxi services in the area. These drivers are traditional taxi drivers and work on the clock
Is carpooling and ride sharing the same thing in South Africa?
Carpool is the original ride sharing. Basically, you take a passenger in your car when you commute or take a trip, instead of riding alone. The idea is to stop the passenger from having to make the same trip in their car.