Speed up, Uber and Bolt — otherwise Lagos yellow taxi drivers will soon overtake you.
Univasa Nigeria Limited, an information technology company,
on Monday launched a ride-hailing platform for the Lagos yellow taxi drivers.
“Baba Dey Online”, a ride-hailing feature on its Univasa
user application, is downloadable on IOS and Google PlayStore.
The application has same features as those of Uber and Bolt,
other ride-hailing platforms.
The event attended by the leadership and members of the
Lagos State Taxi Drivers and Cab Operators Association (LSTDCOA) was held at
its headquarters in Oshodi.
Speaking at the event, Omolekan Taiwo, president of LSTDCOA,
said the partnership with Univasa shows that the association is willing to
embrace technology in its operation across 283 parks and 16 branches in the
state.
He decried the discrimination against yellow taxis
particularly regarding access to some routes and estates in Lagos.
Taiwo urged the state government to allow drivers using the
Univasa application an equal ground to access all roads and estates as
practiced by other ride-hailing drivers.
“Since I emerged, the development of this association has
been my priority. We have been in this business for a long time, we won’t allow
newcomers in this line to take credit for the profession we are known for. Our
mission is to improve on our practices and call back all members who left to
return back to this job and sustain it,” he said.
“Univasa taxi apps came onboard at the right time, since
technology is now the ultimate, we are ready to embrace univasa taxi apps for
all our drivers and the general public for usage, we are going to bring back
all our members that have left the association due to lack of technologies
based apps into our folds.
“However, I want to use this medium to appeal to the Lagos
state government through the ministry of transportation to give all the taxi
apps users a level playing grounds by allowing the yellow taxi access into all
estates in Lagos state.”
In his remark, Ben Adeniyi, chief executive officer of
Univasa, said the company developed the platform as a result of “hunger for
innovation and technology”.
He said the company is making efforts to support drivers
with mobile devices and modern taxi vehicles through some partnership deals.
“Today, we are officially launching BabaDeyOnline for users
to download on IOS and Google PlayStore. This innovation will ease the stress
of those who visit the taxi parks to order rides. We are leveraging on the
perspective of the public to name this #BabaDeyOnline,” he said.
“With technology like Univasa app, you can book Lagos Taxi
from the comfort of your home.”
Adeniyi said efforts are ongoing to end discrimination
against taxi drivers in the area of accessing major areas such as the local and
international airports.
He said the company will invest in training taxi drivers to
adapt to the new system, adding that the platform will provide both online and
offline services to users.
The company’s CEO added that among other, the application
has a feedback rating system that allows users react to services provided by
taxi drivers.
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