Taiwan Today

A cab company in Taiwan is launching a new "Taxi from Convenience Stores" service Dec. 28, in the trial period combining transportation and shopping convenience, adding to existing joint ventures with convenience stores. When passengers dial 55178 from their cell phones and enter 8 plus the code number for one of the 3,000-plus 7-Elevens, Family Marts or Circle K convenience stores, cab operator M-Taxi will dispatch a taxi immediately. Best of all, users of this service prior to February 28 of next year are eligible to win NT$10,000 in gift certificates from the convenience stores. M-Taxi’s marketing director, Wu Yu-geng, said they will ensure that a taxi is on its way fast, and the customer need only input the number of the store location. The customer need not wait for a taxi dispatcher to pick up the phone nor enter any frequent destination. In just 20 seconds, the reservation is made, saving phone fees and providing the rider with a 30-percent discount on the incremental charges portion of the fare. Currently, many taxi companies in Taipei are providing services to stores. 7-Eleven has partnered with HiTaxi, and nearly 20 taxi companies are members of HiTaxi. Customers can call them through 7-ELEVEN's "Ibon" service site. Moreover, Taiwan Taxi has partnered with Circle K convenience markets to offer a "Rapid Call Stops" service. Customers can call a taxi to the store entrance by dialing 55688 on their mobile phones and entering a store locator number displayed on the glass door of the outlet. The company's computer system will then dispatch a cab. At present, this service is offering a 24-hour, 30-percent discount on any portion of a fare that exceeds NT$100 for rides throughout the Taipei city and county and Keelung City areas. (This article first appeared in the “Liberty Times” Dec. 28, 2009.)