EzCab launched with new safety features and potential to level playing field for cabbies

KUALA LUMPUR: The newly launched e-hailing app EzCap now has an SOS button that has three features – a quick dial to 999, a call to a personal emergency contact number or a call to EzCab's 24/7 customer support centre.
"EzCab is the first ehailing app to offer such a feature for the comfort and safety of both the passenger and the driver. Taxi drivers need protection as well as here has been cases where drivers were not paid and even where the ride was used for a robbery!" Nazri said.
Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD)'s Head of Operations Group Zamri Mahmud said the SOS button will soon be made mandatory for all e-hailing service providers.
This app which caters to traditional taxi drivers levels the playing ground between ehailing ride services like Uber and Grab and taxi drivers.
EzCab is in sync with the global trend of ehailing mobile apps and allows traditional taxi drivers to be competitive with international apps like Uber and Grab, the Tourism and Culture Minister said.
"We need our local taxis to be proactive and take initiative. Ehailing technology is not just happening here, places like US, Europe, even Asia is taking advantage of this global trend. We need to embrace the ehailing technology not to lose out. EzCab is a Malaysian company catered to traditional taxi drivers," he said in his speech at the launch of the app at Malaysia Tourism Centre (MaTiC) today.
Nazri added that he hopes to see all Malaysian taxi operators to embrace this and join EzCab and not to lose out to Grab and Uber.
"Traditional taxi drivers should embrace innovative technology to be competitive to Uber and Grab. They will still get their passengers and have got nothing to lose by joining this," he said further.
The minister said that the cabinet has decided that Malaysia will not stop ehailing services Uber and Grab as it is a global trend and attracts tourists.
"We will lose (to other countries) if we stop it. More than 50% people use their mobile phones to hail rides. When tourists come here they will be comfortable with ehailing apps. They are comfortable using apps like Uber and Grab," Nazri said.
The EzCab is available in Klang Valley, Seremban, Johor Baru, and Sabah with already 2,000 registered taxi drivers.
There is an option for passengers to choose to either have a fixed fare or to pay a metered fare and does not impose a ride cancellation fee.