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Hailo taxi app launches for Cork

Around 200 drivers already on board Leeside one year after Dublin app went live.

GOING OUT IN Cork this evening? The popular Hailo taxi app has just gone live there, allowing Corkonians to hail taxis from their smartphone.

The Leeside launch comes one year after it went live in Dublin – since then, Dubliners have taken over 1.3 million trips called from the app. The app allows a user to hail a taxi to a particular address, pay for the trip by cash or card and see the identity and licence number of their driver before they arrive. Likewise, drivers can see the profile of the customer calling them and either party can send a report should they have a difficult experience during the trip. Customers don’t pay a callout fee, although driver pay a small percentage to Hailo on each trip.

First-time users of the Hailo app can get €10 off their first fare in Cork by downloading the iPhone or Android app, registering and adding a promotional code – CORK01 – to the account. you have to pay by card to redeem the voucher.

Galway and Limerick are due to be added to the Hailo app later this year.

Forgetful taxi customers leave phones, keys and even shoes behind>

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63 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Murphy
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    Jul 1st 2013, 9:05 PM

    Fantastic App.

    190
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    Mute Nick Hill
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    Jul 1st 2013, 9:54 PM

    Even better city

    154
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    Mute Monnie
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    Jul 2nd 2013, 7:00 PM

    Your commenting on every story and distracting me with your looks !!!

    1
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    Mute Wayne Bruce
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    Jul 1st 2013, 9:51 PM

    Since being left down numerous times by phoning taxi companies I have used Hailo exclusively in Dublin for the last year. I would never go back.

    Even in town I would prefer to book a Hailo can than hail one down. I can pay by credit card and get a receipt sent straight to my email. Excellent app.

    Bye bye call out fees and subpar radio service!

    123
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    Mute Sinead O Brien
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    Jul 1st 2013, 9:28 PM

    If it wasn’t for Hailo, I would have had to walk out onto the street last Saturday night and flag down a taxi, or even had to phone one.

    77
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    Mute gerard carey
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    Jul 2nd 2013, 12:07 AM

    Im a hailo driver. This app is the best thing that EVER happened to the taxi industry . It has hooked me up with so many fares that i would not have got. As for the radio companies, let them swing. Robbers the lot of them. roll on hailo. Cork will love it. Dublin already loves it.

    72
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    Mute Jon Deeves Snr
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    Jul 1st 2013, 10:02 PM

    Funny combination that… Cork n smartphone

    71
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    Mute roy mcsweeney
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    Jul 1st 2013, 10:06 PM

    You be known as a l a n g e r down here ha ha

    69
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    Mute Tom Collins
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    Jul 1st 2013, 10:37 PM

    A massive Langer

    49
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    Mute Paul Matthews
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    Jul 1st 2013, 9:15 PM

    Great app.

    69
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    Mute richardmccarthy
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    Jul 1st 2013, 10:24 PM

    The fact that a friend of mine was charged 35 euro from Cork city to Carrigaline last weekend,a ten mile (16 km trip)wont encourage anybody to call a Cork taxi no matter what app they use.

    68
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    Mute David Lee
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    Jul 2nd 2013, 12:13 AM

    I am a Dublin taxi driver and don’t mind paying 10% on all jobs .the system is fantastic for the driver and customer. Totally agree with only paying a percentage on the jobs I receive instead of a weekly base fee regardless of how much or little work is passed on to you.

    67
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    Mute Coffee
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    Jul 1st 2013, 9:18 PM

    Cork is so small by the time you hail a cab you could be home.

    55
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    Mute Ansis Paukshis
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    Jul 1st 2013, 10:29 PM

    Not so small at all, for example walk from Lavitts Quay to Donnybrook take me about 1 hour…

    38
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    Mute Tom Collins
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    Jul 1st 2013, 11:07 PM

    Ignorance is bliss

    26
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    Mute Columbo Di Sullivano
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    Jul 2nd 2013, 8:38 AM

    You’ve never been in cork have you.

    8
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    Mute Coffee
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    Jul 2nd 2013, 2:03 PM

    Sorry I meant Cork “City”

    3
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    Mute roy mcsweeney
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    Jul 1st 2013, 9:21 PM

    Satelite taxis have this app since last year you can book it on your smartphone which they have a free taxi for people using the app and if you don’t get a free taxi they will automatically give you 20% off the fare,I think hailo are about a year too slow

    30
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    Mute Master Mc Man
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    Jul 1st 2013, 9:23 PM

    What’s 20% off free ?

    51
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    Mute roy mcsweeney
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    Jul 1st 2013, 9:27 PM

    It’s 20% off the fare and they have a taxi on the road that’s free to people using there app aswell what a bonus

    9
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    Mute Master Mc Man
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    Jul 1st 2013, 9:36 PM

    Sweet deal

    7
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    Mute Colin Murray
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    Jul 1st 2013, 9:21 PM

    Make sure the driver ends the journey when you actually get out of the car. Not 5 miles later.

    30
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    Mute Patrick Leonard
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    Jul 2nd 2013, 12:43 AM

    I’m a Hailo driver and a third of my income comes from Hailo

    26
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    Mute JP Saint Quinn
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    Jul 1st 2013, 11:25 PM

    is this a news article or an advertisement ?

    25
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    Mute vv7k7Z3c
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    Jul 2nd 2013, 8:42 AM

    It’s a news article, JP. As you can see from the comments, the Hailo app has brought a lot of upheaval to the taxi sector in Dublin and I thought it worth noting that it was spreading to areas around the country, where it is probably going to cause some change in consumer behaviour too.
    We are not being paid by Hailo for this piece. I use the app myself – not regularly, because I don’t often get taxis – but that’s about as far as my involvement in the company goes :)
    Hope this helps,
    Susan, Editor

    25
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    Mute roy mcsweeney
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    Jul 2nd 2013, 9:25 AM

    It is a news advert why would you let people know about booking a taxi you can book a taxi through all taxi company’s and pay by card were actually not in the dark ages like I didn’t see ye advertise when other company’s launch there taxi apps and there’s plenty out there

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    Mute vv7k7Z3c
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    Jul 2nd 2013, 9:35 AM

    Thanks Roy – you’ve taken the opportunity to plug some company in Cork here a few times over the past 12 hours so I think you’re doing well…

    JP – we have also written about this app ‘TaxiFair’ – please read here: http://www.thejournal.ie/taxi-app-fares-dublin-kevin-fagan-516907-Jul2012/

    If there is any other app with the user base and reach of Hailo, feel free to send us a tip at news[AT]thejournal.ie
    Cheers, Susan

    9
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    Mute roy mcsweeney
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    Jul 1st 2013, 9:24 PM

    The downside to hailos app is if you leave something in the car you actually can’t ring them they don’t have a phone number

    12
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    Mute Orla Ni Ghabhlain
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    Jul 1st 2013, 9:31 PM

    That actually is not true you get the drivers mobile number and name when you confirm booking. I left my purse in the taxi rang the driver when I discovered it missing and he dropped it back at no cost. It is a fantastic service and safer for everyone.

    123
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    Mute roy mcsweeney
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    Jul 1st 2013, 9:35 PM

    What if you have a complaint you actually can’t ring them they don’t have a number

    5
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    Mute jerry slattery
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    Jul 1st 2013, 9:45 PM

    Roy ,obvious from your twitter account you are a cab driver here in Cork
    Please be fair and don’t rubbish something that has not even started . This is serious competition and there is room for many different types of systems and you do no favors to yourself or the taxi companies by attacking something new

    127
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    Mute roy mcsweeney
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    Jul 1st 2013, 9:51 PM

    I’m not a taxi driver but I’ve friends that are and according to them hailo takes 10% of d fare off the drivers so its the driver that looses out all the time if hailo make 10% off every driver think of the money they take out of the industry

    6
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    Mute Orla Ni Ghabhlain
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    Jul 1st 2013, 10:00 PM

    That is a very short sighted view. I now use taxis more because it’s safe and efficient. For the drivers it is also safer the fare can be traced so less chance of pyscho or thieves. Also using cards means drivers carry less cash so less risk. Any driver I know who uses it is delighted with.

    97
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    Mute jerry slattery
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    Jul 1st 2013, 10:02 PM

    Roy, The down side is the 10% but the upside is they do pay radio charges or Base charges to Companies such as your beloved Satelite . The best of luck to all in the industry

    61
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    Mute Paddy Murray
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    Jul 1st 2013, 10:03 PM

    Many drivers play €100 plus a week for a radio. If they’re on Hailo they’d have to make a grand before aging €100. AND you can contact them through the App….

    47
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    Mute jerry slattery
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    Jul 1st 2013, 10:03 PM

    NOT !

    3
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    Mute Paddy O'Reilly
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    Jul 1st 2013, 10:09 PM

    Roy you’re a troll. As others have pointed out Hailo take 10%, but only if its used, radios cost a fixed amount plus whatever deductions the radio operators impose.
    If you have a complaint, rate the driver badly, too many 1 stars and they’re kicked off the service.
    If you forget something in the taxi Hailo had a feature where you can contact the driver to say you’ve left something in the cab, if you hail a taxi on the street its highly unlikely you would jot down their number.

    44
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    Mute roy mcsweeney
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    Jul 1st 2013, 10:41 PM

    Exactly that’s why I use satelite taxis they have all what u said in your app and you get 20% off the fare aswell will hailo give u 20% off plus satelite have cameras in all there cars so the driver is safe

    4
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    Mute roy mcsweeney
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    Jul 1st 2013, 11:18 PM

    Says he who looks like a troll ha ha

    3
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    Mute Eoin Ryan
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    Jul 1st 2013, 11:19 PM

    But it is a service for the customers. If it means that I get a more consistent taxi service, I’m definitely going to use it.

    18
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    Mute roy mcsweeney
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    Jul 1st 2013, 11:39 PM

    I agree with ya 100% but as usual this company wants to take 10% off all drivers and where does d money go certainly not back into d industry

    2
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    Mute Jason Okeeffe
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    Jul 2nd 2013, 1:34 AM

    Roy who do you think gives you the 20% off the taxi driver so will you cop on.

    19
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    Mute Efan Steffenberg
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    Jul 2nd 2013, 2:22 AM

    From Roy’s twitter – “Another boring day in d taxi. Will I ever win d lotto ha” Case closed.. hailo is brilliant. I Use it the whole time when I’m in Dublin.

    29
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    Mute Tom Collins
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    Jul 2nd 2013, 2:40 AM

    I remember I cabbie, told me who was collecting me, his/her name and where they were. Died a death apparently

    1
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    Mute roy mcsweeney
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    Jul 2nd 2013, 8:23 AM

    Don’t you worry about me cause I won’t be using it and ill tell everyone that I meet not to use it,it won’t last long cause all d other taxi company’s will have there own apps soon

    1
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    Mute Columbo Di Sullivano
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    Jul 2nd 2013, 8:43 AM

    Roy you’re making yourself look silly now. Hailo means more call outs. More call outs equals more money.

    Simples.

    12
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    Mute Suzanne Sheridan
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    Jul 3rd 2013, 10:44 AM

    I haven’t seen an app come even close to Hailos for its simplicity and ease of use. Also I used to get taxis in Dublin which promised 20% off but on so many occasions it was never taken out and I had to remind them. Seems like a win win for the industry and public

    1
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    Mute Sinead Hanley
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    Jul 1st 2013, 11:25 PM

    Only just bought my iphone so cant wait to try this out

    12
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    Mute jp quinn
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    Jul 2nd 2013, 9:10 AM

    Susan,
    I beg to differ. There are several companies around Ireland already using apps like this and I have never seen any articles on it before. The entire article is written like an advertisement,.
    I am not a troll by the way I really enjoy the journal and I rarely comment.

    7
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    Mute Billy Nomates
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    Jul 1st 2013, 9:56 PM

    “Get a taxi in 4mins” (arrives in 12minutes)

    7
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    Mute onlybuzzinwitcha
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    Jul 2nd 2013, 1:06 AM

    I couldn’t think of a worse problem to have.

    10
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    Mute james cullen
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    Jul 1st 2013, 10:20 PM

    Is there a call out fee in cork.we had it in Dublin and then they made us drop it and the service is now getting bad for the customer cos drivers won’t drive for jobs over a mile.

    4
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    Mute Dereck Alabama
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    Jul 3rd 2013, 12:21 AM

    Hailo best taxi company out there. I was always afraid for my 13 year old daughter getting sent home from friends houses that she got into some bogus taxi. But now she has hailo on her phone and im at piece of mind now. I use hailo too amd its a great app taxis are always there bang on time.

    3
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    Mute Jonathan downey
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    Jul 2nd 2013, 2:05 PM

    What happens in the case of a no contact where the customer has flag done somebody else (ie.college students they have no loyalty) what happens do ye take 5€ of the customers card?

    3
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    Mute roy mcsweeney
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    Jul 2nd 2013, 2:07 AM

    10% of every fare goes out of cork and the money goes into a business mans account prob in another country so it’s great for cork and Ireland for our money to leave the country cop on will ya and see d bigger picture,your only seeing it from your side not d drivers side

    2
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    Mute Paul Keenan
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    Jul 2nd 2013, 2:33 AM

    You are a driver but

    5
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    Mute Yeera Yeahboy
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    Jul 2nd 2013, 12:12 PM

    The button to call a cab in Cork is “C’mere to me boy willya”. Fact.

    2
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    Mute roy mcsweeney
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    Jul 2nd 2013, 1:12 AM

    Stick to d reliable

    1
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    Mute Columbo Di Sullivano
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    Jul 2nd 2013, 12:16 PM

    I’m seeing it from both sides. Drivers get more call outs. More calls = more earnings. Is that not what drivers want???!!! Customers get the benefit of not having to go search for a taxi as well as having the driver details.

    It’s a win-win situation. You are wrong. Even more so when you’re criticising it and its not even been in the city one full day.

    5
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