Global Courant
Picture: ITWeb
In partnership with VISA, Loop is proud to announce the launch of the Tap-to-Phone instant payment solution for minibus-taxi commuters and operators.
The service launched today, is now operational in digitally enabled Loop taxis on the Mitchells Plain to Bellville route. This makes Mitchells Plain and the Mitchells Plain Taxi Association the first to have majority of the taxis on their route digitised. With this service, commuters using Loop taxis can pay for their taxi fare by simply tapping their enabled bank cards or phones in a Loop taxi.
The transactions between commuters and taxi-operators will be handled by the multinational financial service provider VISA, as part of their Transforming Urban Mobility programme.
According to Loop Founder and CEO, Imtiyaaz Riley, “The minibus taxi industry is the backbone of public transport in South Africa and for generations owners and associations could not track the income of their taxis accurately. With our solutions, owners and associations can now transact digitally and seamlessly with Loop’s tech-based solutions.”
The General Manager for VISA South Africa, Lineshree Moodley, said “We are delighted to announce the partnership with Loop. Our collaboration stems from a shared vision to transform urban mobility and digitise transportation solutions in South Africa. VISA is committed to helping cities create efficient and inclusive commuting experiences, and this partnership represents a significant step towards ensuring that the safety and convenience of digital payments becomes a reality for millions of commuters and drivers across our country.”
Today’s launch event was also attended by numerous stakeholders who have been valuable supporters of Loop’s efforts to revolutionise the taxi industry into a safe, seamless experience for commuters and operators. Loop is a Cape Flats-based tech-mobility company working to empower taxi operators & commuters by digitising the minibus-taxi sector.
According to the Chairman of Mitchell’s Plain to Bellville route, Melton Oppelt, “We are very excited about this digital platform, and we have seen first-hand how Loop’s system increases safety. Taxi drivers can now solely focus on the road, without worrying about collecting fares from their passengers.”
The Tap-to-Phone solution is added to Loop’s existing Chat-to-Pay feature on WhatsApp. The Chat-to-Pay solution enables commuters signed-up with Loop to use their cellphones to scan the driver’s QR code on display in the taxi. After scanning the QR code, commuters will see the driver’s picture, name, and vehicle registration, and can settle their taxi fare using the safe and secure Chat-to-Pay feature on WhatsApp. This service currently has over 3000 active commuters, with many safely topping up their secure Loop transport wallets for a week or month at a time.
Head of UX at Loop, Jamie Wyngaard: “When I used minibus taxis, I would spend up to 20 minutes a day waiting in the line at an ATM, and then deal with the anxiety of asking the driver for change. Using Design Thinking, we conducted research interviews with commuters, drivers and operators. We’ve come up with various payment solutions, and so partnering with VISA and using their Tap-To-Phone was a natural fit. People have enough to worry about in this country – paying in a taxi shouldn’t be one of those worries.”
This partnership with VISA adds to many existing partnerships which Loop currently enjoys with industry stakeholders, including the Western Cape Government, SANTACO and the Mitchells Plain Taxi Association. Loop is currently engaged with other taxi associations, as well as the Gauteng government.
Along with ongoing testing and improvement of the product, Loop plans to expand the services to more routes locally and throughout the country.
Imtiyaaz Riley: “The minibus taxi industry is undeniably the backbone of South African public transport, touching the lives of millions daily. Our vision at Loop is to steer the industry into the digital future, but we recognize that this cannot be a solo journey. Collaboration with taxi associations is essential, as owners and drivers stand as the true driving force behind our solution. Together, we can reimagine and reshape the minibus taxi landscape for a brighter, more efficient tomorrow.”
Loop launches VISA’s Tap-to-Phone instant payment solution in
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