Mainland web-mapping giant Amap, known as Gaode (高德) in Chinese, said in a statement yesterday that it has launched its taxi ride-hailing services in Macau where smartphone users can use the services via both the Amap mapping app and the MPay app.
MPay is the mobile payment app run by Macau Pass.
The statement said that “the first batch of” common taxis, commonly known as black taxis, in Macau has joined the Amap taxi ride-hailing services. The statement did not say how many black taxis have so far joined the app.
Amap, alongside Baidu Maps, are among the mainland’s major web-mapping platforms.
According to the statement, both mainland and Macau smartphone users can now use the taxi ride-hailing services on the Amap mapping app, in both the mainland and Macau.
Moreover, the statement said, MPay users registered with Macau mobile phone numbers can now also use the Amap taxi ride-hailing function via the MPay app, in both the mainland and Macau.
The statement said that when directly using the Amap app to call a taxi, regardless of whether in Macau or the mainland, passengers can pay the fares via MPay or various other payment tools such as Alipay.
When using the Amap ride-hailing services via the MPay app, passengers can only pay the fares with MPay.
Common taxis – as opposed to radio taxis – are colloquially known as “black taxis” (“hak dik” in Cantonese), as the colour of common taxis is black.
The city’s current radio taxi company, Macau Radio Taxi Services Limited, came into service in April 2017. Its current radio taxis are not allowed to pick up those hailing a cab in the street. To use the company’s ride-hailing service, prospective passengers can phone its call centre or use its own mobile ride-hailing app.
In addition to being allowed to pick up passengers while travelling around the city, black taxis are also legally allowed to provide a radio taxi service. For instance, the Macau Taxi Drivers Mutual Help Association headed by Tony Kuok Leong Son is currently running a taxi call service – 2828 3283, reportedly covering a few hundred of the city’s black taxis
Last month, some of the city’s black taxis joined Macau Radio Taxi Services Limited’s mobile ride-hailing app.
The screenshot taken last night shows a request calling a taxi for a ride from the city centre in the peninsula to Taipa on the Amap app.
