Pohang-Style Taxi-Hailing Service 'Taboso Taxi' to Launch in September

Pohang City will launch the public taxi-hailing app "Taboso Taxi," which is linked to the local currency Pohang Sarang Gift Certificate, next month.

‘Taboso Taxi,’ the Pohang-style taxi-hailing service, will be launched suddenly in September.

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The Taboso brand is the integrated brand for smart transportation services under Pohang City's Smart City Challenge Project. By installing the Taboso app, users can access the "Taboso DRT," "Taboso Tourism," and "Taboso Taxi" menus.

The demand-responsive transport system "Taboso DRT" and the tourist taxi "Taboso Tourism" began services sequentially from July last year, and the taxi-hailing service "Taboso Taxi" is preparing to launch as the final addition.

"Taboso Taxi" is a mobile app-based taxi-hailing service that, in addition to traditional card payments, allows users to pay with the local currency Pohang Sarang Gift Certificate, making it a region-specific taxi-hailing service.

The city introduced this service to revitalize the taxi industry, which has been suffering from excessive call intermediary fees and forced dispatch due to the dominance of large corporations in the taxi-hailing platform market, as well as to establish fair trade practices and improve working conditions for local taxi drivers.

When using Taboso Taxi, both taxi drivers and passengers are exempt from call intermediary fees.

Additionally, passengers who use the Pohang Sarang Gift Certificate can enjoy a 7% discount and participate in various promotions such as mileage accumulation.

In particular, even elderly users who are not familiar with smartphones can use the service by making a phone reservation through Haemaji Call, the local brand taxi call center, which is linked to the app.

Furthermore, the city plans to develop and operate additional foreign language support features in the future to accommodate foreign tourists visiting Pohang.

Currently, Taboso Taxi is accepting membership applications from the Pohang Private Taxi Association and the Pohang Corporate Taxi Council, and plans to secure about 1,000 private taxis and 200 corporate taxis before the launch.

Based on the secured taxis, the service will begin on the 1st of next month, undergo a pilot operation until the 11th, and officially launch with a demonstration and launching event on September 12. The city plans to actively promote the service to ensure citizens experience no inconvenience.

With the introduction of Taboso Taxi to the existing taxi-hailing platform market, it is expected that not only will the benefits be extended to the taxi industry and drivers, but citizens will also enjoy increased convenience with the addition of a new taxi-hailing app.

Mayor Lee Kangdeok said, "Taboso Taxi is a service that provides tangible benefits to both the taxi industry and citizens. By using the Pohang Sarang Gift Certificate, it is expected to help vitalize the local economy by reducing the outflow of local funds. As Taboso Taxi takes its first step, I ask for your enthusiastic support and interest."

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