Call taxi apps have often appeared after the development of the smartphone, and we can easily call a taxi by using those apps. Without even telling a taxi driver our location, we can check information, such as the departure of the taxi, the taxi driver’s name, and even the plate number. Also, those apps have gained huge popularity because they don’t charge any extra money for calling. Recently, Kakao Taxi released its app into the call taxi market. However, it has caused several problems even though, at first, it received a favorable evaluation from many people as it made up for the shortcomings of existing call taxi services.
  The existing call taxi services had the fatal drawbacks that they added an extra charge for calling and they were not available outside of metropolitan cities. On the other hand, Kakao Taxi has remedied those shortcomings: it doesn’t receive any extra charge for calling; it is available in all cities; and it even has discount services. In addition, this app is also convenient to taxi drivers because they can know exactly where the customers are and they can reject the call if they want.
  However, Kakao Taxi has had a number of problems. Among the top three, the first is that many taxi drivers have refused to take certain fares. Since taxi drivers have to give their company some money from their daily earnings, they prefer long-distance customers to low-paying short-distance customers, so short-distance customers are likely to be refused more than long-distance customers. Second, taxi drives can lower their income money due to customers who don’t show up at the place. If the call isn’t canceled after a malfunction of the app or if the customers take another taxi, taxi drivers have to drive back for nothing. This situation is a waste of time for taxi drivers, and, for a taxi driver, time is money. Third, for elderly drivers, it is a complicated application. Considering that most taxi drivers are quite aged, using a new application is not easy for them. Since no one teaches them how to use the application, the drivers need to learn how to use the app by themselves. Consequently, a few drivers are poor at utilizing the application.
  Go Byeong-cheol, a private taxi driver who uses Kakao Taxi in Cheongju, said, “Speaking from my own experience, I’ve experienced many times where customers just took another empty taxi even though they already called me by using the app. In fact, customers do not get any disadvantages in doing so, but it has a negative impact on taxi drivers who make their living driving a taxi. As far as I am concerned, when my customer doesn’t show up at the place or I can see my customer taking another taxi in front of me even though I am almost there, I feel like all of my effort turns out to be in vain.” Regarding the effect on his income after using Kakao Taxi, he said, “There is no difference, and other drivers might agree on this. It is disadvantageous when a cab is empty. We just use Kakao Taxi to reduce this, not for personal profit.”
  A CBNU student, Lim Su-jin(’15, Dept. of Urban Engineering) said, “I used this app to go to places that took about 10 minutes by car. At that time, it was convenient and easy for me to catch a cab with the help of this app. Some people say it is hard to catch a cab, but thanks to this app, I could find a taxi fast and easily. Unfortunately, physically challenged people find it hard to use   even though Kakao Taxi emerged for people’s convenience. Therefore, they are not given the same convenience of public transportation. If this part is improved, more people can reap the benefits.”
  People have been disappointed a lot by those kinds of problems because, at first, it seemed like there were no problems with Kakao Taxi and that it had solved some general problems with call taxi services. However, as many people have used it, problems with Kakao Taxi have emerged. If we try to solve those problems that have affected both the drivers and passengers and figure out the way to make the app more convenient for everyone, including physically-challenged people, many people will be satisfied with the convenience that the app brings us.

By Kim Hyo-seon
hs37@cbnu.ac.kr