[Big Tech, Big Change②] Pay Fees with Points? Services Vary Greatly

[Asia Economy Reporter Buaeri] The taxi, known as the 'people's foot,' is evolving. You can now bring pets along, have taxi drivers escort elderly passengers right to their doorstep, or even pay taxi fares using points accumulated through internet services. These changes have emerged as franchise taxis led by IT companies increase. Franchise taxis like Kakao Mobility's 'Kakao T Blue' and KST Mobility's 'Macaron Taxi' are also leading the standardization of service quality.

Kakao T Blue provides separate training for its drivers. This is a strategy to overcome long-standing issues such as reckless driving and rudeness in taxis. Kakao T Blue drivers are trained to maintain 'minimal unnecessary conversation,' 'safe driving,' and 'clean vehicle management.' Similarly, Macaron Taxi promotes 'safe and friendly taxis' through driver education. Inside the vehicles, they place dedicated diffusers to maintain an image of 'odorless taxis,' and offer amenities such as phone chargers and free Wi-Fi to differentiate themselves from traditional taxis.

Mobility companies are expanding their scope by adding various services not seen in traditional taxis. Kakao Mobility plans to introduce a point system in the Kakao T application (app). Passengers will accumulate points each time they use taxi services through the Kakao T app, and once points accumulate, they can be used like cash for payments. This point system aims to create a 'lock-in effect' to prevent users from switching to other services. In the case of Macaron Taxi, after passing the Ministry of Science and ICT's regulatory sandbox review last month, they are preparing to introduce dynamic pricing and shared ride pricing within the year. Dynamic pricing charges higher fares than the base fare during peak demand times and offers discounts during low demand periods. The shared ride pricing charges about 70% of the fare to passengers who share rides.

‘Unique taxis’ have also appeared. KST Mobility recently launched the 'Macaron Pet Taxi,' which allows pets to ride along, and the 'Hospital Escort Service Taxi,' where professional staff accompany passengers on their appointments. The pet taxi is equipped with convenience items for pets such as pet seats, dedicated seat belts, and waste pads. The hospital escort service is a transportation service for mobility-impaired passengers who need accompaniment to hospitals. A Macaron Taxi driver (chauffeur) who has received specialized training assists with safe transportation and boarding/alighting, while a professional manager accompanies and supports the patient during their hospital appointments.

Experts predict that competition in services will accelerate as ICT-based mobility companies enter the taxi industry. Professor Choi Kyung-jin of Gachon University said, "As the taxi industry is reorganized based on platforms, it will gradually move toward upgrading existing services," adding, "The taxi industry, which has operated without competition for decades in a divided market, will engage in various service competitions to survive."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.