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Mwasalat invites bids for taxi management system in Muscat

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Vinod Nair -


Muscat, Jan. 30 -


Going ahead with its plans to introduce new taxi services in Muscat as announced previously, Mwasalat has invited tenders for purchase, installation and maintenance of a taxi management and booking system.


As per the details available, the company is looking for specialist vendors to supply, install and run a taxi management and booking system. The interested parties should have a proven capability of handling fleet larger than 250 taxis.


The agreement will be based on call-off terms for three years.


Last date for submission of the bids is March 1.


Speaking to the Observer last week, Ahmed al Balushi, CEO, Mwasalat, said, the company will be managing taxi services at Muscat International Airport, malls and commercial centres and on-demand services.


“The design (exterior) has been finalised and we are waiting for the final approval from different authorities. We hope to get this approval by early next month,” he said.


Al Balushi said our target is to operate or manage the taxi as soon as we have a final design.


“We are planning to have the technology in place by the third or fourth quarters. Once the technology is ready we will officially take over all operations. We can take over now but it will be same and won’t make a big difference.”


With Mwasalat taxis, people can book services much in advance and there will be also a mobile application.


As of now, 213 airport taxi drivers have agreed to join the company and around 200 for malls and on-demand.


“We plan to secure 350 and 500 taxis by this year and or early next year.”


He said the services will be operated involving the existing taxi owners.


Response from the cabbies has been generally positive, while some of them have concerns. “We have to face problems in the beginning, but they will understand with time.”


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