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876 On The Go more professional than Uber ... says founder of innovative taxi company

Published:Tuesday | September 11, 2018 | 12:00 AMJason Cross/Gleaner Writer
Olivia Lindsay (right), chief executive officer, 876 On The Go Taxi Service, and Robert Montague, minister of transport and mining, cut the ribbon for the grand opening and launch at the company's office in Kingston on Tuesday.

More professional than international company Uber is how Olivia Lindsay describes her newly opened 876 On The Go taxi company, which now offers safe and customer-friendly transportation to Jamaicans.

Alongside Transport Minister Robert Montague, Lindsay cut the ribbon to the new establishment yesterday at 34-36 Old Hope Road in St Andrew.

"'Driven by Quality and Service' is our motto. One of the main reasons 876 On The Go was developed was to solve issues facing the transportation system, like customer service, which is very poor. There is no proper structure. We see it every day with the indiscipline of the taxi drivers on our roads. But our drivers are well trained."

"876 On The Go is similar to Uber, but is more professional. We offer Wi-Fi on board, plus refreshments and an in-cab tablet for browsing. I have used Uber before, and if I had Wi-Fi at the time while on board, I could have used a translator to speak to the driver, who didn't speak English," Lindsay said, pointing out advantages of using her cabs.

Uber, which provides a range of services, including taxicab, has already expressed interest in entering the local market. Montague spoke of this in July at a transport meeting at the Wolmer's Boys' School auditorium, encouraging taxi operators to lift their standards.

Yesterday, he described the emergence of 876 On The Go as "a new day" for transportation.

"Today's event is a trailblazing [mission]. A young Jamaican woman has approached a male-dominated industry, bringing service and technology. She has an app on Google Play and the Apple Store, which has a tracker and a feature to have a friend track you while in their vehicles. It sends information on the car and has a picture of the driver as well. This is where technology meets industry. I encourage more Jamaicans to invest in their country like Olivia has done. Have innovative ideas," he urged.

jason.cross@gleanerjm.com