New card payment system for metered taxis

This is the first such innovation to be launched by a bank in South Africa. "This is an exciting innovative payment system, which provides convenience to the traveller and security for the taxi driver, who no longer has to worry about driving with large sums of cash," says Sydney Gericke, managing executive for Nedbank Retail Card. "In a fast developing and increasingly technology driven country like ours, we understand the importance of convenience and innovation for clients."

The mobile point-of-sale device and the trip metering solution has been installed in Eagle Taxi Cabs operating in Durban and on the King Shaka International Airport route. The solution will also be available in Sport Taxis and City Cabs, operating in Cape Town CBD and on the Cape Town International Airport route, and in ORIATA cabs on the OR Tambo International Airport route.

"For the metered taxi industry, the integrated payment and billing system is set to become a key business enabler as metered taxi drivers will now have the convenience of automated trip metering combined with card payment and the security of a low daily cash holding," says Grant McGlashan, MD of iMobilise Transportation Systems.

The cab payment solution will offer drivers more than just card payment facilities. "The point-of-sale unit currently incorporates in-vehicle card, cash and account processing, vehicle and driver financial fleet management, vehicle trip-log management and reporting. Operators are now able to manage their operations better through automated financial fleet management tools that are linked to the in-cab equipment. This will empower operators to gain more financial intelligence and control of their business and assets," he concludes.