The newly launched Wealth On Wheels (WOW) platform is set to roll out technologies such as digital cash payments, fleet and vehicle management systems with GPS, and camera monitoring in minibus taxis.

The initiative could assist minibus owners in enhancing their operations and maximising their revenue, while also creating a more secure environment for commuters.

WOW is led by the Eastern Cape Transport Tertiary Cooperative (ECTTC), a business arm of the South African National Taxi Council, in partnership with Ecentric Payment Systems and FORUS Digital.

The WOW platform is set to enter operation in 1 000 minibus taxis in the Eastern Cape, with the vehicles being fitted with equipment such as GPS trackers, cameras, WiFi access, as well as digital cash payment devices.

Other taxis will be kitted out with a similar solution, but for use as scholar transport. The only difference in this application is that the children will use wristbands, with their guardian’s information stored on them, rather than making use of payment cards.

Two projects for digital cash and fuel rebates are earmarked for launch in the Western Cape.

“It has been a journey of over a year with the WOW team, but it has been a longer journey for Ecentric, as we started about five years ago with assessing the industry’s needs,” says Ecentric Payment Systems CEO Hassen Sheik.

“This is by no means the end, and there is still a lot of hard work to be done, but it is legacy defining.”

Sheik says WOW is not only a payments solution, but an end-to-end digital ecosystem that helps formalise the minibus taxi industry, while ensuring the safety of drivers, commuters and the public.

In addition, taxi operators will be able to monetise the captive audience within their vehicles by offering value-added services, such as selling airtime or prepaid electricity, or allowing people to pay their bills without having to go to a retail store.

Taxis using the platform may also be equipped with “WOW-Fi”, which offers commuters free WiFi, while earning additional revenue for operators through ad displays.

“The WOW Initiative has taken a bottom-up approach,” notes Sheik.

“We have engaged industry first in order to understand their pain points and to look at how the private sector can help tackle those challenges.”

For taxi owners, WOW offers GPS tracking, giving them real-time information on how and where their taxis are being used, how many passengers are onboard, and how much the vehicle is earning.

Ultimately, this data, recorded on blockchain ledgers, should enable commuters to benefit from government rebates in future, should the taxi industry be subsidised as is currently on the cards.

Three cameras in the vehicles enhance safety on the road, while also potentially alerting owners via an app of incidents such as speeding, drowsiness and cell phone use.

ECTTC CEO Dr Nokuthula Mbebe echoes Sheik’s sentiments by emphasising that there can be no development in the local minibus taxi industry without the participation of industry stakeholders itself.

“The taxi industry knows best when it comes to the requirements and challenges that must be met, and needs to be in charge of finding a solution.

“There is a positive attitude toward this initiative as it is owned by the taxi industry and there is a willingness to make it work.”

She adds that ECTTC has conducted numerous roadshows across the Eastern Cape in order to “test the waters”.

She says the response has been positive, while there is also growing interest from other provinces.

Beyond the initial rollout in Gqeberha and Lusikisiki, the organisation aims to implement the WOW Initiative in five other districts in the Eastern Cape, namely OR Tambo, Joe Gqabi, Alfred Nzo, Chris Hani and Amathole.