Govt launches new app to check bad taxis

[buksida]

The government is promoting a new smartphone application that allows users to report on the safety and service of the taxis they use.

The DLTCheckin app was developed by the Department of Land Transport and officially launched on Friday.

Deputy Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said passengers using the app could instantly file complaints and comments on the quality of taxi services online. For example, they could use it to report on drivers who did not use the fare meter, rejected passengers or drove dangerously.

The applicatuion also improves safety because after a user "checks in", department staff know where and when taxis are taking passengers, he said.

"I hope that the application will be an important milestone for the improvement of Thai taxi services," Mr Arkhom said.

Transport authorities would also use passengers' evaluations from the application to help decide if taxi fares should rise further at midyear, he said.

Chirute Visalachitra, deputy director-general of the department, said DLTCheckin was available for users of iOS and Android operating systems and would be available for Windows mobile devices in March.

Commuters input their mobile phone number to register to use the application. The app then allows them to input taxi licence plate numbers or photograph the cars, evaluate service, conditions, cleanliness, drivers' quality and route knowledge, and file complaints.

Source: Bangkok Post

Thoughts: Great idea providing 1) it is in English also, and 2) it works in the tourist towns where the taxi mafia operates. A 3) covering thieving tuktuk drivers would be too much to ask I guess!

[boilerman]

so far we found the tuk tuks to be reasonable as (thai) wife bargains em down and my 4 year ol son loves em even better than the car we hired last year lol