KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 20 ― Cab Auto Bus Sdn Bhd (CAB) which developed the e-hailing service app “2Go” for the Malaysian market is confident it can penetrate the Southeast Asian market by mid next year.
Its executive chairman Tengku Hasmadi Tengku Hashim said several regional cities, namely Jakarta, Bangkok and Manila have shown interest to bring in the app to their countries.
“We are working towards having a joint venture with these cities, and for non-Asean country, we have received invitation from Turkey,” he said in a press conference at the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) office here today.
CAB hit the Malaysian market with its app in August.
Tengku Hasmadi said about 3,000 users have downloaded the app, which seeks to help taxi drivers improve taxi services in the country.
He added that the total number of users is expected to increase between 30,000 and 40,000 next year, as the company plans to increase the number of registered taxis from the existing 1,800.
“We have spent more than RM1 million to develop this app, we still need additional fund to develop modules in this app.
“We have signed agreement with several taxi companies to provide another 8,000 taxis, by end of this year or early next year we will have 10,000 taxis,” he added.
Matrade CEO Datuk Dzulkifli Mahmud, who was also at the same news conference, estimated Malaysia's taxi industry to be worth more than RM2 billion a year.
He was upbeat that such technology would help lift the industry further.
“I believe with the e-hailing apps like 2Go, local taxi industry can be improved as this app not only benefits taxi drivers and passengers in Malaysia but it can lift the image of taxi industry,” he added.
