Mytaxi world’s First Taxi App
Overview
Mytaxi was founded in 2009 in Hamburg by two German entrepreneurs, Niclaus Mewes and Sven Kulper. They formed the world’s first taxi app. The app served as a bridge, linking cab drivers and passengers.
BMW and Daimler Mobility under a joint venture agreement, converted taxi app mytaxi to FREE NOW which still runs as a mobility service provider. FREE NOW came into existence in 2019. FREE NOW is considered to be one of the Europe’s largest car rental companies. As an e-hailing app, it offers various mobility brands and vehicle options to make them bookable. In addition to having vehicles for hire, FREE NOW has further mobility options like e-scooters, e-bikes, and e-mopeds with its various partners, including DOTT, SHARE NOW, TIER, VOI, EMMY, SIXT, felyx, Miles, and more.
FREE NOW is currently serving more than 150 European cities, including Berlin, Dublin, Paris, Milan, Madrid, London, and Rome, and has over 14 million passengers.
FREE NOW Brand
FREE NOW has not had it easy since its creation. It has had its fair share of contention in the market over the years, yet it has managed to navigate its way through and remain a top player in the e-hailing industry. The success of FREE NOW will be examined, and the factors that helped in leading them to be a force to reckon with.
First, FREE NOW’s app was created with a global mindset, that is, to serve a global purpose irrespective of location, but it deals with information all over Europe. Second, its local campaigns. For example, FREE NOW had a German-language podcast, “Von A nach B”, which explored the journeys and adventures of people moving from one place to another. This was executed by FREE NOW aligning with a content creator who had existing followership in an opportunity that allowed FREE NOW to reach its target audience directly and create a story behind the brand, while the brand itself was relegated to the background.
Three, FREE NOW, previously known as mytaxi, as a ride-hailing app, allowed for a balanced equation in the supply and demand of taxis and passengers to be connected via one platform.
FREE NOW App
FREE NOW operates similarly to other e-hailing apps like Uber or Lyft when requesting a cab.
FREE NOW works:
Download the app using an Android or iOS device from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. It must be on Android 5. 0 or later and iOS 11. 4 or later for the app to work. Upon download of the app, click on “Free Sign up” on the home screen. After signing up or signing in, use the “Enter destination” bar to submit your pick-up and drop-off points. The app will enable you to review all local cab options and price estimates, and you can then place a request for your cab. There is the provision of private-hire vehicles with advanced rating rather than metered pricing in some specific cities that FREE NOW covers. Upon selecting your cab, you can plan your taxi ride up to four days ahead of schedule. However, if your request is an immediate one, then the app will connect you with a licensed taxi driver and you will be able to track the progress of your ride on the app. At the end of the trip, FREE NOW offers the option of paying in-app with either your credit card, debit card, or PayPal account. Thereafter, the app lets you rate the driver.
FREE NOW Charges
FREE NOW does not charge excessively in comparison to other taxi rides. FREE NOW rates are determined by the charges in the local environment. Before you book a ride, the app will give you an estimate of the price before finally placing a request for a ride, but that is not to say the estimated price is the final price that will be charged. The final price is based on the path the driver takes and the traffic on the road.
If you are reserving a private-hire car from FREE NOW, rather than the regular cabs, then an advanced price will be received grounded on FREE NOW’s local charges, distance rate, each minute rate, and lowest charges. Based on this request, you will be paired with a professional driver.
On the request for a private-hire car, you are given two minutes to meet with your driver, and for anything beyond that two-minute space, you will be billed per minute the driver is kept waiting. If you decide to cancel your ride, or if you do not show up within five minutes of the driver’s arrival, you will be charged a cancellation fee.
In what countries is FREE NOW available?
FREE NOW can be used in nine countries. The countries are Austria, Poland, Germany, Romania, Spain, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, and Portugal. Within these countries, FREE NOW operates in Europe solely covering over 100 cities.
Can I earn money by driving for FREE NOW?
Yes. FREE NOW accepts applications from suitable drivers with proper licensing in their respective cities. To learn more, go to FREE-NOW.com
Conclusion
FREE NOW is the rebranded version of mytaxi, so there is no need to confuse them as different brands. taxi app mytaxi being the pioneer app in the e-hailing cab industry has led other brands to emerge to further provide taxi services. The limitation with FREE-NOW, formerly mytaxi, is that it is restricted to a few European countries, while brands like Uber have taken over by having a global presence.
