Sometimes it’s impossible to believe just how clued in Google are when it comes to the Waze of the internet (see what we did there?). Their craft as early adopters of new technology and tools is a finely tuned art. Their talents are best shown when they endorse or buy products and companies that further the quality of their own. This is probably why, despite having their own navigation app, Google decided to buy Waze.
Unless you don’t drive, or have been living under a rock somewhere in the suburban towns of Timbuktu, Waze is “the world’s largest community-based traffic and navigation app”.
It’s understandable that driving all day as a minicab driver can get a little boring and repetitive. So, we’ve assigned ourselves as your own personal “boredom busters”. Our first job? To introduce you to an up and coming app called Waze.
Google purchased Waze and integrated the navigation system into its very own Google Maps. The result? Both the maps on the navigation apps have improved by a spectacular amount. While Google Maps benefits from the live community based traffic updates from Waze. Waze, one the other hand, has the benefit of using Google’s expertise in the map field.
The app itself is very whimsical and almost like a game. When you first set up your account and begin driving, you are referred to as a “Baby Wazer”, and are assigned a little blob like character to represent you on the map. You’ll notice other Wazers near you by the many cats and ninjas that appear on the map. What may take you a while to notice is that your Wazer starts off with a pacifier because you’re a “Baby Wazer”.
In order to become a “Grown Up” on Waze you’ll need to collect points, and in order to do that you’ll need to drive. You will receive points every time you notify the map of any disruptions, traffic, or even police on the road. Sometimes, you’ll even be awarded points when a golden candy appears on the road. Hint; you can get 2,000 Waze points when you connect to Facebook and add 5 friends.
As a minicab driver you’ll be driving quite a fair amount compared to the average driver. So, the opportunity to gain points is always imminent if you’re using Waze.
Most minicab offices supply their drivers with a PDA that has an in-built navigation system. However, not only are the routes on there very obvious ones, but they don’t inform you on upcoming traffic.
Sometimes a customer is in a rush. Your PDA may deliver an ETA of 30 mins, but Waze will not only offer you faster routes but also, shorter ones. Not only will the routes include warnings of traffic and road works, but should there be a sudden pile up of traffic, Waze will warn you about it, adjust your ETA, or even change your route.
When Google bought Waze and implemented it’s own map system it saved all Waze users from dealing with postcodes. Sometimes your customer might not know the postcode or address. Sometimes your customer may just give the name of a restaurant. Instead of fishing through your smartphone search engine for a postcode, just type the name in. This is one of Google’s best features, and now it’s also a part of Waze.
We don’t condone speeding. However, Waze has one feature that has the potential to reduce the amount of speeding tickets being handed out. As you drive you will be faced with notifications of speeding cameras. The app can warn you up to one whole mile before you get anywhere near the camera. It could be argued that it saves drivers from being caught whilst speeding. On the other hand it could also promote safety as a driver is likely to slow down as soon as the notification is delivered.
There are so many more reasons to jump onto Waze. But, we’re here to convince you that as a minicab driver, you may find that driving all day gets a little bit more fun when you start competing. Not only can you compete with your fellow drivers, but also the rest of the UK. Inputting information on the Waze app can also make your drive a little bit more productive. You’ll be updating the map for your friends and other Waze users nearby. You’ll also have a map that is constantly updated by your friends and nearby Waze users.
At OpenCabs, we think that the best thing to come out of this is that you don’t just avoid the traffic. Whilst you’re sitting in traffic, you’ll also know exactly when it ends. Even if the map is wrong and the traffic doesn’t end, you can update it and grab some points.
You’re driving all day, you deserve a little fun, and we believe that Waze can bring a little bit of fun to your driving. We also believe that Waze can make driving a little bit more efficient, convenient, but most importantly, driving can be made safer.