As the e-hailing industry grows in South Africa, fuel economy, safety and versatility have become major factors in deciding which cars should be used for these specialised fleets. Cartrack has collected some of your pressing questions and provided answers on which car is the best for e-hailing.
Budget cars that are suited to e-hailing and hold some of the highest safety ratings in South Africa are the:
Suzuki Swift
Volkswagen Polo Vivo
Nissan Magnite
The number of airbags as well as stability control designs play big roles in ranking these four cars as some of the safest.
The best cars for passenger transport in South Africa are sedans & hatchbacks that use minimal fuel, offer superior safety features, and are easy to drive. Some notable ones include:
The Toyota Corolla 1.8 Sedan Hybrid
Suzuki Swift 1.2 Manual
The Honda Fit 1.5 Hybrid
Suzuki Celerio 1.0 GL
Toyota Corolla 1.8 Hatch Hybrid
There’s still a need for e-hailing companies to operate in SA. Competition in the industry will likely drive down prices and create more available drivers for less-than-favourable trips like long lifts from Pretoria to Johannesburg during non-peak times. Starting an e-hailing business in SA can be profitable if you focus on customer service and pricing. Both of these can be enhanced through smart fleet management technology.
First of all, Cartrack tracks your vehicles, which not only provides protection against theft, but also opens up a whole range of operational benefits. We can help you save on fuel use, monitor your drivers (and your passengers) during commutes, and even create optimised routes for passenger collection & dropoff.
It’s well worth investing in an EV fleet for a growing e-hailing business because you’ll have little-to-no fuel costs to run it. Maintenance is also much lower for EV vehicles, making this a forward-thinking move for any established e-hailing company.
At the top of South Africa’s low-maintenance vehicles list is electric vehicles. Internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles that are also low maintenance include Toyota and Suzuki sedans and/or hatchbacks. The parts for these cars tend to last longer and are easy & cheap to source when they’re needed.
Yes, Cartrack offers various maintenance software solutions that help you proactively look after your cars and increase their longevity. This includes AI predictive maintenance schedules that read the health of your cars and let you know when they need a service. Our software looks after your vehicles’ tyres, engines, oil levels, battery health, and more!
The best dashcam for e-hailing vehicles is the Dual Vision dashcam from Cartrack. This dashcam will provide forward-facing footage of the road as well as in-cabin footage of the driver and passengers. Dual Vision also comes with built-in night vision capabilities for night driving.
Globally, black cars are statistically more likely to get into accidents. That’s because they’re harder to see at night or in low-light areas. Other darker coloured cars are also prone to higher rates of accidents, including navy blue, grey and silver.
Cartrack’s software is suitable for fleets of all sizes, and can greatly benefit small fleets of only 2 or 3 cars. If your e-hailing business expands with more cars, the software easily scales with your business and accommodates as many vehicles as you end up getting.
It’s likely that using the Cartrack system will improve your customer rating because your trips will be safer and the routes will be shorter. Customers will get to their destinations quicker without complaining about reckless driving or unfriendly service. Since your fuel budget will also improve, customers will get all this at a competitive price.
Once you have your cars ready to transport passengers, create a convenient app that users can download and use when they need your services. Make sure you add tracking capabilities on your vehicles and monitor their fuel use. Also install a dashcam that records the front and inside of the car for insurance and safety purposes.
