Once again eCabs is leading the way in setting the standard for passenger mobility in Malta through its investment in the development of a set of measures aimed at opening up its full suite of services to persons who require accessible mobility service. In line with its strategic commitment to offer affordable mobility to everyone, eCabs has expanded its fleet to include a fully-equipped van with a motorised lift, capable to serve both wheelchair users and other passengers accompanying them. 

Moreover, in its efforts to support the community in the Covid-19 challenge, eCabs has also decided to offer, for the coming weeks, this service free of charge to all persons certified by the Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD) as requiring accessible transport, who would need to visit a hospital or a clinic, be they public or private.

Matthew Bezzina, CEO of eCabs, explained the rationale for this decision stating that “our appeal to the public is to stay home and keep safe. However, there are persons  who still need to visit a hospital, a clinic or a health centre. Hence we decided to cover the full cost of the service for persons with disability needing to go to their health appointments.”

The launch of this new service is the result of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between eCabs and the CRPD which made eCabs the first passenger transport company in Malta to embark on a ‘Accessible Mobility Agenda’ to offer persons who require it, the possibility of  accessible transport and ease of use of its services.

In fact, to ensure the company fully meets the needs of persons with restricted mobility, a full team of eCabs drivers have recently undergone Disability Equality Training – specifically delivered by the CRPD to enable them to support their passengers’ requirements in the most professional way possible.

“We want to extend equality to our domain of expertise: mobility. We believe that our service can serve as an equaliser for persons with disabilities who require accessible transport. As leaders in the mobility sector we want to ensure that our business is an all-inclusive one,  in line with the philosophy promoted by CRPD with whom eCabs has been collaborating at length to ensure this service meets all the necessary requirements”, said Simon Debono, Chief Officer for Marketing and Business Development at eCabs.

The provision of the service is subject to a series of terms and conditions, primarily related to the observation of social distancing restrictions in force at the moment. Interested parties may request more information about this new service or book this van by contacting eCabs’ Contact Centre on 21 38 38 38.

 

Read more:

https://timesofmalta.com/ecabs-launches-accessible-mobility-service

https://newsbook.com.mt/en/ecabs-launches-free-hospital-transport-service-for-eligible-wheelchair-users

Over the past two weeks, eCabs, the leading passenger transport services provider in Malta, has opened up its infrastructure, logistical and operational capacity to enable a wide range of local and international courier companies to be able to complete thousands of deliveries to their final destination through its own network. 

In fact, eCabs embarked on an exciting venture to transform part of its logistics headquarters into a multi-user facility through which thousands of Christmas parcels and corporate gifts were delivered to their final destination using the transport fulfilment capabilities of the eCabs platform.

The eCabs’ facility became a veritable logistical hub where thousands of packages were being received, stacked and organised, sorted on a 24×7 basis, with a tech-driven framework channeling the last mile distribution to the intended recipients.

On peak days, the company would manage to turn around hundreds of packages every hour, relying on its unique blend of logistical expertise, infrastructrure, fleet flexibility and technology adaptation across the entire supply chain. At the core of this complex operation was the leverage of the Company’s outstanding IT infrastructure which enables the optimisation of its logistical operations – a vital requirement for last mile deliveries.

The technology – entirely developed by Cuorium Ltd, a subsidiary of eCabs – is now undergoing further development to be transformed into a cloud-based framework open for internationalisation of the operations.

“We have been pursuing our last mile plans for the last year and we wanted to use this opportunity to test it and assess the level of optimisation we have reached. In reality, there is never a better time to test our logistical capabilities than this specific time of the year.

The heightened seasonal activity creates increasing demands on our infrastructural capabilities hence pushing us to deliver more efficiently and with smaller margins of errors” said Greta Borg Bezzina, the Director of Operations of eCabs.

Simon Debono, Chief Officer responsible for Marketing and Business Development at eCabs linked the successful performance of the Company to its passion and commitment for the transformation of the transportation industry.

He stressed that “the results we achieved in our beta operation in the last mile delivery segment clearly reflects the capabilities and the potential of our operations. In 2020 we shall be seeking to extend the service levels of our operation transforming ourselves into the transport provider of choice for passengers and last mile deliveries alike.”

“We shall remain focused on exceeding expectations and passing on our efficiencies onto the customers by keeping prices as low as possible. This is our aspiration and we shall deliver it with an unparalleled passion for excellence,” concluded Mr Debono.

 

Read more:

https://timesofmalta.com/ecabs-assists-courier-companies-with-last-mile-deliveries

https://www.independent.com.mt/eCabs-enables-the-fulfilment-of-thousands-of-Last-Mile-Deliveries

 

How eCabs’ empowered technologists are engineering the growth of the company.

Very few people know that behind eCabs’ complex operation there is a fully-dedicated team of developers and in-house technologists, building and developing the company’s international-grade IT systems.

“When I came to join, I did not even know that the company had its very own team of developers who were running the eCabs App. Honestly, I was blown away when I was introduced to the whole set-up and was immediately offered the first project to work on the drivers’ app,” said Mark Spiteri, one of eCabs’ in-house developers.

“I wanted a new challenge and eCabs clearly want to go places with their technological efforts. More importantly, I realised the dynamic and technologically disruptive nature of eCabs in which I saw a company that was committed to harness the power of technology and was willing to invest in order to claim its rightful leadership position.

“Looking back, it has been an amazing journey. But what’s more amazing is the fact that so much more is coming up our way as this sector is going through many important changes,” said Mr Spiteri.

Luca di Michele, who heads eCabs’ team of developers, explained how, this year, eCabs founded Cuorium as its very own captive logistics software set-up which is now tasked with not only developing all the technology behind eCabs’ new IT infrastructure but to transform this into a platform to enable the company to take its operations into the international market.

“Although owned by eCabs, Cuorium operates on the same engaging lines as those of a start-up. The structure is flat and communication between us and management is extremely dynamic. We source ideas, explore them together within the team, shape them in our programmatic plans, put them forward to the CTO and CEO and we evaluate them together until the way forward is identified,” said Mr Di Michele.

“Up to two years ago, eCabs was running on a system built on outsourced software which served its purpose to enable the growth of the company but was increasingly limited to match the growing needs of the operation. In parallel, the company’s strategy was evolving at a very fast pace in which technology was the centrepiece enabling its execution,” added Mr Di Michele.

“This is what led us to rebuild our platforms, with the medium-term objective of opening up the platform to other operators and the international market.

“We, therefore, set out on a long-term plan where the first target was to build our own system to fit the evolving operations framework of the company. Subsequently, we redesigned the whole interface, gave a new look that reflected the company’s evolved identity and plugged the system on to the new platform. The app’s success was instant.

“In the first four months of this year, 26,000 new users downloaded the app which eventually saw over 80,000 booked rides in the same period. To date, there have been almost 215,000 downloads of our eCabs App,” he added.

Today, eCabs’ mobile app is a recognised best practice and is highly rated for offering a very straightforward method of booking a ride within a few seconds.

The app runs in parallel with three other methods of booking namely, phone bookings, e-mail bookings and web bookings, with new tech-based booking channels on the horizon in 2020. All these channels are operated from a fully-fledged contact centre handling hundreds of customer interactions on a 24/7 basis.

“We have been watching the technology behind our app revolutionise passenger mobility and how people decide and choose to commute. The app is also acting as a great tool that is helping us collect data to be able to improve our service by aligning our operations to the changing mobility trends. Having our own team of developers is now allowing the company to focus on solutions that cater for Malta’s unique needs,” added Mr Spiteri.

“One of the main features of the eCabs’ App is that once you book a cab, you can monitor in real time the location of the cab. Another smart feature is that when you pre-book a cab through the app, customers enjoy highly-beneficial rates.

“Our technology, together with our contact centre, are the heart of the company. Now that the app and our platforms have been completed, we are ready to move on to the next level – that of fuelling innovation across all our operations.”

“Developers are usually the ones working behind the scenes but at eCabs, I am proud to say that we constantly play a central role not only in the company’s IT evolution but also as protagonists in its commercial way forward,” the duo remarked.

Both are now already looking at some very exciting projects for next year.

“Being part of the eCabs’ tech team is a truly exciting place to be at this point in time. We are busy improving our tracking system whereby passengers will also be able to share their vehicle’s tracking with others. We are working on a gamified loyalty scheme proposition to reward our customers more. We are adopting cutting-edge geo-spatial technologies, flirting with the application of AI and looking at better ways how to consume our huge data bank to enhance trip optimisation capabilities.

“We’re on the right track. This year, we managed to bring down the booking processing time from six seconds to one second and we want to review the post-booking phase in a more transparent way that reassures customers that their cab is actually on its way and at the best price possible. We could easily say that technology is enabling us to commit a much stronger value proposition to customers even on a day-to-day basis,” they added.

What’s most exciting for the future of the tech team of eCabs? “Invariably, reckoning that our platform will now be exposed on the international market is a unique experience for all of us and an opportunity of a lifetime,” Mr Spiteri and Mr Di Michele concluded.

Customers using their Mastercard for the first time to pay for a trip worth €10 or more via the eCabs APP, will receive a €5.00 cashback on their cards. A total of €15,000 in cashbacks will be given out to all Mastercard users who place a booking with a new card on the eCabs app for the first time.

“eCabs is thrilled to partner with Mastercard and Credorax to enhance the experience for clients using our service,” said Matthew Bezzina, CEO at eCabs. “Mastercard cardholders using their card for the first time to pay for their eCabs trip via our app will be able to enjoy a cashback on their card – our way of saying ‘thank you’ for their custom.” The promotion is open to residents and non-residents in Malta, aged 18 and over with a valid Mastercard, irrespective of the bank and the country where it was issued. Only one Mastercard can be used per user, and no reimbursement will be provided on a second Mastercard used. The promotion is only valid on payments made through eCABS Mobile App.

 

Read more:

https://newsbook.com.mt/en/mastercard-and-ecabs-with-total-e15000-cashbacks

E-scooters are part of the mobility future of this country and their role is set to become even bigger.

Some may think that e-scooters are a competitor to the cab industry. Unfortunately this is a typical myopic perspective advocated by those who believe in protectionism rather than the dynamics of an open and modern economy.

At eCabs, our mission has always been to provide an alternative, sustainable and effective means of transport other than the private car. The private car is increasingly becoming a heavy and expensive burden on our infrastructure.

The average person makes around 3.3 trips a day. A good percentage of these trips are done using a private car which 95% of the time is lying idle and parked but still occupying space on the roads for free, which in today’s terms translates to prime space that comes at a high premium.

If only one considers the opportunity cost of time and space, it is already enough reason to understand that a private car equates to a lot of missed opportunities.

Therefore, it goes without saying that as a company committed to promoting alternative mobility means other than private cars, we ‘re four-square behind the widespread use of e-scooters.

It is commendable that the authority has acted fast to regulate the use of e-scooters and not to allow the law of the jungle to prevail in such a sensitive domain. A modern country deserves a responsive regulatory environment and certainly doesn’t afford gaps which could jeopardise the safety of drivers and the public.

The first issue that we need to consider is that of risk. Space in Malta is limited, our road network is one of the densest networks in the world, most streets are narrow, and two thirds of these streets are taken by the road. Not to mention that a large portion is taken by parking spaces for idle cars and the very little remaining space has to be shared between pedestrians, bicycles and now e-scooters. This limited space that has to be shared means increased risk for all road users.

The only way to manage this risk is through proper enforcement and this is why the proposed regulation is a step in the right direction towards ensuring that the service can grow in a sustainable way.

It is in everyone’s interest that e-scooters operate safely and without endangering other road users. The authorities need to make sure that the right legislation is in place so that all stakeholders are protected. Only proper and responsible monitoring can contribute towards the service to grow organically.

If we just consider accessibility, the use of an e-scooter makes it an ideal fit to any multi-modal pattern of commuting: someone on an e-scooter can easily ride a bus, board a ferry and yes why not, even call an eCab and travel with his e-scooter. We will go the extra-mile to send e-scooter riders a cab that makes the commute with their e-scooter an easier and more fulfilling experience!

E-scooters have an important role to play in Malta. And as the ongoing quest for better and more efficient mobility continues, their role is set to become even bigger