Viral Fridays: Japan Tests Taxi-Hailing Service with Pre-Fixed Fares

Viral Fridays: Japan Tests Taxi-Hailing Service with Pre-Fixed Fares

The trial program begins on August 7 in capital Tokyo.

Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (MLITT), in an ongoing effort to improve the capital’s public transportation, has announced a pre-fixed fare taxi-hailing program starting this August 7. According to online regional news outlet SoraNews, four major taxi operators will be participating in the service that will allow riders to book cabs and lock-in fares via the operators’ smartphone apps.

(Credit: SoraNews)

Cab operators Japan Taxi, Motaku, Daiwa Motor and km Taxi will be participating in the government’s test program. For the scope of the service, users must be within Tokyo’s main 23 wards (municipalities) or in the neighboring cities of Musashino and Mitaka. Users select their destinations via the app and it will compute the appropriate fares, which are locked-in and final regardless of traffic or other delays. The quoted fare will also take into consideration the expected traffic in the route.

A pre-fixed fare of 3,140 yen for an expected 40-minute ride. (Credit: SoraNews)

The MLITT said that the program is geared to run until October 6. If public response is positive enough, the ministry will consider implementing the program as a regular part of the participating operators’ services, along with an extension to other cab franchises in the capital.

Currently, the pre-fixed pricing scheme only applies for rides costing 3,000 yen (~Php 1,370) or more. Still, the option is a good alternative for groups of travelers on a budget that want to go around Tokyo (and Musashino and Mitaka) without relying on a metered cab or several train tickets.

So, what do you think, Unbox readers? Can the Philippines adopt this kind of taxi service (of course, with some localized changes here and there) and benefit from it? Pros and cons? Sound off your thoughts below!

Source: SoraNews

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