Minnano Taxi Corporation (Headquarters: Taito-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Kenji Nishiura; hereinafter referred to as “Minnano Taxi”) started taxi dispatch and settlement proxy services in Tokyo^*1 on April 16, 2019 following commencement of a back seat advertisement service.

Minnano Taxi is a joint venture of five taxi companies in Tokyo (Green Cab Co., Ltd., Kokusai Motorcars Co., Ltd., Kotobuki Taxi Co., Ltd., Daiwa Motor Transportation Co., Ltd., and Checker Cab Group), Sony Corporation and Sony Payment Services Inc. The number of taxis that the five taxi companies own exceeds 10,000, which is currently one of the largest in Tokyo.

The name of the taxi dispatch app S.RIDE symbolizes a new taxi utilization experience that is Simple, Smart and Speedy. With one slide, a user can call a taxi that is a member of one of Tokyo’s largest taxi networks and is located nearest to the user. It is a taxi dispatch service that allows users to pay online before the ride, in a car or through 2D barcode settlement, so that they can immediately get out of the taxi.

Simple
With one slide after starting the app, users can call the nearest taxi that is a member of one of Tokyo’s largest taxi networks. Since the app automatically sets the nearest point on the road from where the users are as a taxi pick-up location, the users do not have the trouble of entering the location by themselves. When the users set up a destination^*2 while they wait for a taxi, the destination is automatically linked to a tablet placed in a taxi. Therefore, they do not have to tell the taxi driver about the destination. After a taxi that will pick up the users is confirmed, they can exchange^*2 simple messages with the driver. This means the users have nothing to worry about even if they suddenly encounter trouble.

Smart
If users register their credit card in advance with S.RIDE, they can use online settlement.^*2 In addition, the app has S.RIDE WALLET, a unique 2D barcode settlement function that enables users to settle by reading a 2D barcode displayed on a tablet located at the back seat of a taxi. With the cashless payment system, when a taxi arrives at a destination, the users can swiftly get out of the taxi.

Speedy
Speedy
A taxi that is a member of one of Tokyo’s largest taxi networks located nearest to the user will come and collect the user. The user loses no time, and can smoothly travel to the destination.

Along with the commencement of a taxi dispatch service, in cooperation with Sony Payment Services Inc, Minnano Taxi also started a settlement proxy service for online and face-to-face payment by utilizing a credit card, etc.

The Company plans to enhance the services including a demand forecast service that uses AI technology by the end of this fiscal year. By promoting cooperation with partners that have strengths in various business domains, Minnano Taxi would like to continuously improve the environment that allows taxi operators in Japan to use its services. It also will pursue the mobility service which will lead to the realization of an affluent society through the provision of an assured, safe and comfortable travel experience.

*1: As of April 16, 2019, the service areas are the 23 wards of Tokyo, Musashino city and Mitaka city.
*2: The destination entry function after requesting a taxi, message function and online settlement function are not available in some vehicles.
* S.RIDE is a trademark of Minnano Taxi