SINGAPORE - The Land Transport Authority (LTA) will launch a new crowd-sourcing taxi application next month.
Called Taxi-Taxi@SG, it will show the availability and location of taxis across the island and better match these taxis to commuters.
Through an integrated platform map, commuters can easily locate the number of available taxis near them, and broadcast their positions so taxi drivers can identify the exact locations of potential customers. Similarly, taxi drivers can make use of this app to cut down the time spent on the roads looking for customers.
The LTA has also updated its existing journey planner app with new features. The MyTransport.SG app (on IOS and Android platforms) will have an improved estimated time of arrival for buses.
The enhanced feature tracks a bus' location by the seconds and updates commuters by the minute. Commuters will also be able to know if there is seating or standing room available on the selected bus route arriving at the bus stop, said the LTA in a statement on Monday.
The LTA on Monday also took home the top prize in the Most Innovative Use of Infocomm Technology segment.
The awards honours organisations and companies here that have used infocommunications technology to achieve excellence, and is organised by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore and the Singapore infocomm Technology Federation.
The transport regulator has, since 2012, used data analytics to look at the information stored in commuters' fare cards to understand the country's travel patterns and demands more.
Such detailed information allows LTA to quickly identify areas with a large number of passengers during peak hours and increase the number of buses in these areas.
LTA's chief executive Chew Men Leong said the data collected is translated into useful applications that can benefit commuters.
"By providing commuters with more meaningful and intuitive information, they will be able to make better decisions when they travel on buses and trains, and enjoy a smoother commuting experience," he said.
