Now you can press a button to hail a taxi
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A woman presses the button on a taxi-hailing device on Zhongshan Road E2.
Wu Ruofan / SHINE -
The Shencheng Travel app enables passengers to hail a taxi without typing in destinations, which makes it convenient for some that are not familiar with using smart phones.
Ti Gong -
Passengers are able to read the estimated arrival time of the taxi through the screen of the taxi-hailing pole.
Wu Ruofan / SHINE
City residents can now call a taxi at the press of a button on the street.
The service, together with the taxi-hailing app "Shencheng Travel," has been introduced by the government and SAIC Motor, will help people, such as elderly people, who may not be adept at using smartphones.
Currently, there are around 200 devices at busy places across the city, such as the Bund and railway stations.
After pressing a button at these points, nearby taxis receive a notification via the app and come to pick up the passengers.
Passengers with the app can press a hailing button without inputting their destination, a major difference compared with traditional ride-hailing services.
“The introduction of the new app aims to simplify the process of taxi-hailing for both passengers and taxi drivers,” said Wang Hengjie, deputy director of the Shanghai Road Transportation Department.
Wang said drivers can also search for restrooms, eateries and charging points on the app.
“Special parking slots and restaurants have been set across the city for us cabbies, but it’s impossible for me to memorize all the locations. The new app can make it a lot easier,” said a taxi driver surnamed Xie.
Currently, more than 100 taxi companies with a total of 20,000 taxis have registered on the platform and incentives and subsidies for drivers will promote the new service.
