MalaysiaGIS.com

Source: The Star

A Global Positioning System which tracks the vehicles allows him to monitor his entire fleet via his personal computer.

Passengers taking the metallic green taxis will also have the option of settling their fares by credit card.

And they will also be able to read breaking news on an electronic display mounted behind the driver’s seat

Things move rapidly these days and Asirvatham, a former newsvendor and taxi driver himself, wants his fleet of taxis to move with the times.

The director and partner of three-month-old E-Smartcab Sdn Bhd has installed the GPS system on 60 of his Renault Enviro 2000 taxis already. He said 200 more cabs were now being fitted with the device.

He is currently negotiating with a leading news provider for the news updates; and credit card payment is being worked out.

He hopes everything will be in place by the end of the year. The company’s website, www.cabcharge.com.my, expected to be functional in three months, will also allow passengers to book taxis online.

"When making an online booking for taxis, each pickup address will also be accompanied by a latitude and longitude coordinate which can be compared with the taxi’s location so that there is no chance of a wrong customer being picked up.

Asirvatham said opportunity knocked on his door two years ago, when he and another cab driver and good friend, Alias Bachik, negotiated and bought all the vehicles from a company that had gone bust.

Besides being able to carry five passengers, the environment friendly cabs are also economical to drive.