A new “smart taxi” application will soon be available for download on smartphones to serve the citizens and residents of Jeddah.

The service will become accessible on subscription.

Muhammad Bejad Al-Wahtan, chairman of the Public Fares Committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said subscription to smart taxi and GPS services is not obligatory.

“The application will inform users of the nearest available taxi to where they are situated. Detailed information about the taxi driver will immediately appear on the user’s mobile.

The customer can then send a text message to the driver, who will identify his location and provide a time frame to reach him,” explained Al-Wahtan.

He said a website has been created for the service under the name “smart taxi.” The website would be activated when the service is launched in six months.

“A meeting was held with limousine firms in Jeddah to float the idea,” he said. Employers and drivers, he said, largely welcomed the idea and expressed their willingness to subscribe to the service.

He said prices would be the same as regular cabs.

“There will be a meter inside these cabs. Consumers simply have the added advantage of being able to call for a taxi,” he said.