What’s the best way to manage a small taxi business?
There are several ways to run your ride-hailing operations—your choice depends on your business model and fleet size. But no matter which one you pick, your system should support business growth. That means:
- Passengers can order rides easily, and drivers can accept them and follow the route without confusion.
- The system runs smoothly—even during peak hours—with no delays or crashes.
- It’s simple to manage and track more drivers as your fleet grows.
- It helps promote your brand and build trust with passengers.
Most early-stage taxi companies start small—taking orders manually and assigning them to a few drivers. To manage up to 10 cars, they typically use:
- A call center
- A dispatch panel
- Ride-hailing software with driver and passenger apps
Each option has benefits and trade-offs. Here's a quick comparison:
WhatsApp taxi management: pros and cons
A common taxi business management workaround, especially for young companies, is taking orders via WhatsApp or Telegram and distributing them to drivers via groups and chat rooms.
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy-to-use interface for drivers and clients | With multiple bookings, management gets messy |
| WhatsApp account for business is cheap | No fleet management features |
| Real-time location sharing is available | Limited scalability |
| Minimal set-up time | Depends on WhatsApp’s stability and security |
| No features for driver management, business data analytics, or marketing | |
| No branding opportunities | |
| Little control over revenue, completed rides, and paid orders |
Call center taxi management: pros and cons
Call center-based taxi dispatch means customers call in to order rides, and an operator manually assigns drivers—sometimes using WhatsApp or radio.
It works for small fleets and clients who prefer talking to a real person. But as your business grows, the manual coordination quickly becomes inefficient.
| Pros | Cons |
Ordering a taxi via the phone is an obvious flow for a client | With multiple bookings, management gets messy |
| Accessible and familiar for customers of all backgrounds and ages | Hiring enough operators is an additional cost to factor into your business plan |
| Set-up time and price is minimal | Clients often experience delays with order placement due to a combination of phone and WhatsApp order management |
| Real-time location sharing is available | No fleet management features |
| More control over revenue and paid orders as compared to WhatsApp-only taxi management | Limited scalability |
| ‘Human touch’ improves brand trust as the client can always reach the call center | No features for driver management, business data analytics, or marketing |
| No dependency on the Internet and smartphone use | Severely limited branding opportunities |
| Little control over completed rides | |
| Call charges add up to operational costs |
Call centers were once the backbone of taxi dispatch. But today, they’re a bottleneck. Without tools for automation and real-time control, scaling becomes nearly impossible.
Dispatch systems for taxi business management
Centralized dispatch software lets your customers order rides through a website or call center, while operators assign drivers in real time. It automates key processes and helps manage your growing fleet more efficiently.
| Pros | Cons |
Innovative, easy-to-use way of ordering a taxi through a website | Limited branding opportunities (no branded apps) |
| Set-up and maintenance costs can be kept low in case of a ready-made solution | Set-up, maintenance, and update costs can run high in case of a dispatch solution built from scratch |
| Set-up time is minimal in case of a ready-made solution | Set-up time can be long in case of a custom solution |
| Real-time location tracking and smart drivers queue | System stability depends on the software provider |
| More control over revenue, completed and paid orders with automated revenue tracking | Often bulky and hard-to-master software can require additional training for the operators |
| Order & driver management is efficient | At surge times, order distribution tends to run slow, leading to customer dissatisfaction |
| Supports business scalability | No Uber-like applications available for your clients and drivers |
| More opportunities for marketing your taxi services | Little control over completed rides |
| Just as with call center taxi management, the operators’ salaries form additional costs |
Dispatch software offers clear benefits for growing businesses—especially those moving away from fully manual systems. But without branded apps and full automation, it doesn’t yet match the customer experience of an Uber-like solution.
WhatsApp taxi, call center, or Onde.Light platform?
Are you managing more than 10 drivers? Planning to grow your ride-hailing business or add new services like delivery?
Onde.Light is a modern taxi management platform designed to help you:
- Attract new customers
- Manage drivers easily and efficiently
- Track all cash flow and payments
- Access detailed business performance reports
Key benefits of Onde.Light:
- Manage up to 1,000 trips per month without any commission fees
- Pay only 1.9% commission per trip after 1,000 trips
- Start using the platform in just 1 business day — no complex setup needed
- Get a powerful ride-hailing system with low fees and no hidden costs
- Enjoy no contracts, no limits on drivers or passengers, and full control of your business
Call center | WhatsApp for business | Dispatch taxi | Onde.Light taxi app | |
| Time to launch | 1-2 days | 1-2 days | 3-5 weeks | 1 day |
| Initial set-up costs | low (includes operators’ salaries and phone bills) | no set-up costs | prices per platform or dispatching solution range from US$2,000 to US$20,000 | no set-up cost |
| Developer on your side required | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Hidden payments | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Built-in payment gateways | ❌ | ❌ | at extra price | ❌ |
| Stability | mostly stable | mostly stable, dependent on Meta | often unstable | 99.98% uptime |
| Data processing security | depends on operators’ and drivers’ integrity | all data is shared with Meta and stored by Meta | potentially high, depending on the data storage practices of the provider | very high |
| App updates & maintenance | not required | not required | at extra price | ✅ |
| Apps’ branding | ❌ | ❌ | at extra price | ❌ |
| Various languages support | ✅ | ✅ | at extra price | ✅ |
| Business scalability opportunities | ❌ | ❌ | dependent on the software | ✅ |
| 24/7 community support chat | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
People Also Ask
What are the common ways to manage a taxi business?
Taxi businesses typically manage orders and drivers using WhatsApp or messaging apps, call centers taking orders by phone, dispatch software systems that automate order assignment, or dedicated taxi app platforms like Onde.Light.
What are the pros and cons of managing a taxi business with WhatsApp?
WhatsApp is easy and cheap for drivers and clients, supports real-time location sharing, and requires minimal setup. However, it gets messy with many bookings, lacks fleet management, limits growth, has no branding, and shares client data with Meta, which may conflict with privacy laws.
How does call center management work for a taxi company?
Call centers take phone orders and assign jobs to drivers, offering familiarity and a personal touch. While setup costs are low, managing operators adds expenses, and the system lacks fleet management features and scalability.
What are the benefits of using dispatch systems for taxi business management?
Dispatch systems automate orders via a website, offer real-time tracking, smart driver queues, and support scalability. They give more control over revenue and marketing but may have high setup costs and require operator training.
How does Onde.Light support taxi business growth?
Onde.Light lets you attract customers, manage drivers efficiently, control cash flow, and analyze business performance. It allows 1,000 commission-free trips per month, requires no contracts, and starts in just one business day.
