Young entrepreneurs to launch ‘smart taxi’ franchise

STARTUPS– A start-up logistics software development company will in a few months launch an app-based ‘smart taxi’ franchise in Jamaica, allowing commuters to book taxis from the convenience of their smartphones or tablets.

Ultreya Logistics, led by a group of recent University of the West Indies (UWI) graduates, plans to launch the service at the end of summer, just in time for the new school year. Its SmartTaxi app, the engine that drives the business, is downloadable on Android and iOS-enabled smartphones or accessible via a website online.

“When you take a taxi, you are looking for convenience and a better service, and that’s what SmartTaxi provides,” said Marc Byfield, the founder of Ultreya Logistics.

Byfield, along with Ultreya Marketing Manager Akua Walters and software engineer Akil Aikman gave the Business Observer a demonstration of the app yesterday. MOre