Published on the 01/08/2011 | Written by Newsdesk
A new smartphone application connects taxi drivers directly with passengers in real-time by broadcasting a passenger’s location to taxi drivers via a smartphone’s GPS…
The new app is the brain-child of Andrew Campbell and Ned Moorfield, who started the operation with prize money from two innovation competitions: the Peter Farrell Cup and John Heine Entrepreneurial Challenge.
The iPhone app, goCatch, allows taxi passengers to see exactly where nearby available taxis are and book them directly through their smart phones. Users can then see the location of the taxi in real-time as it approaches on the map, saving time calling up to make a booking and removing the uncertainty of when a taxi will arrive.
More than 700 drivers signed-up in Melbourne and Sydney in the first two weeks of the app being in the App Store. Andrew Campbell says the benefits it provides drivers is particularly rewarding.
“We designed the app with passengers in-mind,” he says.
“After we spoke to hundreds of taxi drivers though, we realised the importance of reducing unproductive time on the road. They work long hours and have no guarantee of a minimum wage. We’re proud to have created something that will contribute to making their industry fairer and more efficient.”
Moorfield, goCatch’s head of product development, says the app will evolve quickly, with ongoing development and enhancements to continue including Facebook integration and the ability for passengers to rate drivers.
“You’ll also be able to choose favourite drivers and send bookings to those drivers you know and trust. It’ll help build loyalty for drivers who offer exceptional service.”
The app can be downloaded free from the iTunes AppStore. Android, Blackberry and Phone7 versions of goCatch will be available in the coming months.
