New Abidjan Car Services Inspired by Uber

New Abidjan Car Services Inspired by Uber

ABDIJAN, IVORY COAST—

Uber, the U.S.-based online taxi company, operates a mobile app that allows consumers with smartphones to book cab service from Uber drivers who use their own cars. As the company makes inroads in Africa, entrepreneurs in the West African nation of Ivory Coast are trying to stay one step ahead. At least four Uber-like car services have launched since last year.

Abidjan’s distinctive¹ orange taxis have been zigzagging² through traffic here for decades. But recently, new competition has rolled onto the streets.

In front of his house, TV producer Jean-Louis Zahibo hops³ into the unmarked car he ordered as the driver closes the door behind him. Taxijet sent him the details of the car and the driver by a text message on his cell phone.

Zahibo said he often carried a lot of things with him because of his work.

"If I forget it in a regular taxi, it’s unlikely I’ll get it back. And I insist on punctuality, it is paramount⁴ to me," he said.

At the headquarters of Taxijet, all cars are tracked at all times. The service, which launched last June, now receives about 100 bookings a day.

Most of Taxijet's 500 drivers use their own traditional orange taxis. But the company has begun to expand its own fleet of unmarked vehicles to meet demand.

Inspired by the American booking service Uber, Taxijet co-founder Parfait Ouattara believed some Ivorians were ready to pay a bit more for better service.

“The concept of Taxijet is to provide comfortable and safe transportation for Ivorians," Ouattara said. "Our drivers are qualified⁵. They drive peacefully and are polite.”

Over the past year and a half, three other transportation companies have made similar bets in Abidjan, proposing various rates and levels of luxury. Taking one of these services' unmarked cars costs an average of 50 percent more than hailing a traditional orange taxi.

Entrepreneur Vangsy Goma launched its Africab service in Abidjan earlier this year.

Goma explained, “In our taxis, we have electronic tablets, on which you can check emails and city guide. There is also a 4G network available on board.”

The Congolese entrepreneur plans to expand throughout Africa, and notably⁶ in his home country, but he chose to start in Abidjan.

“Abidjan is French-speaking Africa and West Africa's powerhouse, with a growth rate around 10 percent," Goma said. "Africab targets all kind of customers, but the people most likely to use the service are the middle class.”

And it's working. Africab has already had to double its fleet. And the company now has a partnership⁷ with a big hotel.

So what does this mean for the city’s thousands of orange taxis?

Drissa Diaby of the local taxi union said they were trying to improve service. Some taxis now have GPS trackers. Others are fixing their meters, though many drivers still prefer to negotiate rates. Diaby said he’s not worried.

Diaby said the union has requested a meeting with the Ministry⁸ of Transport to discuss the new car services but he was not too worried about competition.

“We go to the working class neighborhoods. We drive 24/7 to help Ivorians." he said. "These new companies are not here to help average Ivorians. They are here to help the rich."

As for the cab drivers' notoriously reckless driving, Diaby said that’s probably not going to change. He believed it’s just part of navigating⁹ the city’s crowded streets.

1 distinctive   

adj.特别的，有特色的，与众不同的

参考例句：

• She has a very distinctive way of walking.她走路的样子与别人很不相同。
• This bird has several distinctive features.这个鸟具有几种突出的特征。

2 zigzagging   

v.弯弯曲曲地走路，曲折地前进( zigzag的现在分词 )；盘陀

参考例句：

• She walked along, zigzagging with her head back. 她回头看着，弯弯扭扭地向前走去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We followed the path zigzagging up the steep slope. 我们沿着小径曲曲折折地爬上陡坡。 来自互联网

3 hops   

跳上[下]( hop的第三人称单数 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花

参考例句：

• The sparrow crossed the lawn in a series of hops. 那麻雀一蹦一跳地穿过草坪。
• It is brewed from malt and hops. 它用麦精和蛇麻草酿成。

4 paramount   

a.最重要的，最高权力的

参考例句：

• My paramount object is to save the Union and destroy slavery.我的最高目标是拯救美国，摧毁奴隶制度。
• Nitrogen is of paramount importance to life on earth.氮对地球上的生命至关重要。

5 qualified   

adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的

参考例句：

• He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
• We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。

6 notably   

adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地

参考例句：

• Many students were absent,notably the monitor.许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。
• A notably short,silver-haired man,he plays basketball with his staff several times a week.他个子明显较为矮小，一头银发，每周都会和他的员工一起打几次篮球。

7 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

8 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

9 navigating   

v.给（船舶、飞机等）引航，导航( navigate的现在分词 )；（从海上、空中等）横越；横渡；飞跃

参考例句：

• These can also be very useful when navigating time-based documents, such as video and audio. 它对于和时间有关的文档非常有用，比如视频和音频文档。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Vehicles slowed to a crawl on city roads, navigating slushy snow. 汽车在市区路上行驶缓慢，穿越泥泞的雪地。 来自互联网