The Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) launched an application on Wednesday (Dec 17) that allows commuters to check for available taxis in their vicinity, or broadcast their location to taxi drivers.
But the app’s lack of a booking service drew criticism from some netizens, with one comparing it to “having a Playstation 4 but no games to play”.
Mr Calvin Cheng wrote in a Facebook post: “This is genius. Creating an app that tells you where the nearest taxis are, but doesn’t allow you to book. So what are people meant to do? Hunt down available taxis on foot?”
Taxi@SG App by LTA lets you see taxis around you but doesn’t let you book them- like having a Playstation 4 but no games to play
— JK (@jeraldjustin) December 17, 2014
wow LTA. Just what I needed. An app that tells me all the taxis that aren’t available in my area. Genius idea guys.
— Ken (@Itskennnnnn) December 17, 2014
On Wednesday afternoon, local blogger Mr Brown started the #RenameTaxiAppByLTA hashtag on Twitter, which swiftly gained traction. By 5.37pm, it had become a local trending topic, according to Twitter trends tracker Trendsmap Singapore, with many tweeting alternative names for the app such as Right Here Waiting.
Right Here Waiting #RenameTaxiAppByLTA
— FunkShin (@funkshin) December 17, 2014
However, some commuters did like the app. Mr ZY Chong commented on LTA’s Facebook page that detractors were off the mark, and even described the app as a game-changer: “You guys are missing the point. This app gives access to location data of ALL taxis. It’s a game changer feature that is not available in any third party app.”
Another netizen said on Twitter that the app would be good for those who do not want to pay booking fees.
I think it’s good for those who don’t want to pay booking fees. But the app indeed needs a search-friendly name #renametaxiappbylta (2/2)
— Jinhua Kuek 郭进华 (@kuekj) December 17, 2014
Source: www.channelewsasia.com
