WINI Technologies, a transportation technology startup based in Ireland, has announced the launch of WINIcabs, an automated ‘phone agnostic’ dispatch software for the taxi industry in Columbus, Ohio, as an addition to the city’s ever-growing smart mobility ecosystem.
As the winner of the US Department of Transportation’s Smart City Challenge, Columbus was seen as the logical place for WINI to launch its operations in the USA. Originated in Ireland in 2010, WINIcabs will provide riders access to Columbus’ cabs in one convenient app. With its customized technology for location tracking services, WINIcabs, which stands for ‘When I Need It – Where I Need It’, combines all Columbus’ taxi fleets under one app, putting the city’s extensive network of licensed, background-checked drivers at riders’ fingertips. Available on both Apple and Android operating systems, users can instantly hail the closest professional drivers, track their rides, book trips days in advance, and pay for the fare through the app or by cash or credit card.
WINIcabs provides traditional taxi fleets with the same technology as the smartphone apps and competitors on the market. Seamlessly integrating with existing systems, WINIcabs gives taxi companies a chance to compete as the car-for-hire industry advances.
WINI’s mobile tracking software for the taxi industry is the first system that can be used by any mobile phone, not just smartphones. The platform allows cab operators to keep their existing telephone number but to offer customers the latest taxi technology, as unlike other smartphone apps WINIcabs works with all phones, even landlines. Currently, 150 Columbus drivers have downloaded WINIcabs, with the company’s goal of having 450 taxis in the city on the app.
The revolutionary WINI technology can be applied to any business that needs the location information of the customer. It increases the efficiency of the business exponentially while costing a fraction of traditional systems to install and a major reduction of ongoing running costs. As well as taxi and ride-hailing services, there are multiple other applications in other sectors that use dispatch/call centers, including: domestic emergency services; transport services, such as couriers, logistics, and breakdown vehicles; automated information services; and low cost vehicle tracking. WINI’s award-winning system is operated as SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) in the cloud, allowing companies to benefit from the technology without incurring the capital expenditure of an enterprise solution.
“When it came to introducing WINIcabs to the USA, Columbus quickly became an easy decision. Its startup scene and significant population growth over the past five years leave an opportunity for safer, local transportation options,” said WINI Technologies’ founder, Paul O’Loughlin Kennedy. “By uniting Columbus’ taxis under one technology, providing GPS tracking and allowing for easier payment options, WINIcabs empowers the industry to grow and adapt in a Smart City culture.”
Beyene Gola, president of the Independent Taxicab Association of Columbus, commented, “We’re excited to welcome WINIcabs to Columbus, especially as we move closer to being a Smart City. Taxi companies have historically been spread across the city with no easy way to connect. WINIcabs helps local taxis keep pace with the city’s innovation.”
