April 18 - Is taxi service coming of age in Oman? Perhaps not in actual terms, but there is a change with the introduction of ondemand taxi services. While the orange taxis continue to be operated in a traditional way, commuters have the option of availing of on-demand taxis through mobile applications.
“I think it is the best thing to happen in Muscat, especially for tourists, because commuters can choose the service they want — to be picked up and dropped at the doorstep,” said Bader, who operates an OTaxi. He said more publicity is needed about the services. However, the response has been encouraging in the last two months.
“There are commuters who are ready to pay for quality services and there are some who look for affordability. People are having an option. It should be a matter of time when taxis will be preferred over private vehicles,” said a taxi operator with Mwasalat, which also offers on-demand services. “Taxis are brand ambassadors for any city. In Bangkok, London, New York, Dubai and Mumbai, tourists and first-time travellers have multiple fare options,” said Richard Adams, a business traveller, who availed of on-demand taxi service during his recent visit to Muscat. “I have been reading about them, but cannot tell about the service till I use them. But it is a wonderful step,” said Rajani Mathews, a resident of Wadi Kabir.
The cheapest is OTaxi, run by a group of young Omanis determined to offer quality services, as the country focuses on boosting tourism arrivals. Though launched last year, the services ran into rough weather over technical issues, but now have been approved by the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC).
People have to download an OTaxi app on their mobile to book and get the taxi at their doorstep. The app shows the estimated arrival time in real time with details about the driver and vehicle. Fares start from 190bz/km for the first 30 km and onwards of 100 baisas for every km. The minimum fare starts from RO 1.5. Customers will have various options to book taxis, including pre-booking, for trips two days in advance.
Harith al Maqbali, CEO, OTaxi, told Observer: “We have 70 drivers. The number is expected to go up to 300. We have to improve the quality of services and go for expansion. We are in the process of financing the services.” Mwasalat offers on-demand taxi services from anywhere in Muscat. Day fares (6 am to 10 pm) start from RO 1 and 200 baisas per km for first 30 km. After that, it is 150 baisas for every km.
For Marhaba, day fares (5 am till 10 pm) start from RO 1.250. After that, it is 190 baisas for every km. Both Mwasalat and Marhaba offer different fares for night services.
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