E-hailing service hits street

Russia’s Maxim arrives in EL

East London is the latest African city to host international e-hailing company Maxim on its roads.

The Russian company officially launched its ridehailing and delivery services in the city at very affordable prices, rivaling similar services apps like Uber and Bolt.

Maxim’s services include ride services around the city and courier delivery services.

The pricing starts from as little as R25, enabling passengers to save money while enjoying the comfort of reliable transportation and delivery services.

Zandile Sonti from Cambridge is a frequent Bolt user and she says she is excited to try a new e-hailing service.

“I often use Uber, Bolt and InDriver, whichever one is cheapest on that day. It would be nice to try something new.

“I have had good and bad experiences on these rides and I am excited to experience a different vibe. East London is big enough for all these ride services to co-exist and be successful.

“I have seen Maxim’s low costs and I think they will do well,” Sonti said.

Just like most e-hailing services, Maxim offers drivers the opportunity to make money using their own cars and allows them to work on the own schedules.

At the moment, the company is currently offering a temporary 0% commission fee for all drivers.

Thembekile Msuthu is a Bolt driver in East London who has already started the application process to be a driver for Maxim. According to Msuthu, the 0% commission makes it appealing as Bolt and Uber are already established e-hailing services in the city.

“It does have potential because it seems like they care about the driver, but if they are using the 0% commission as just a marketing tool, they will not last long. Bolt already has a large market in East London so it will be difficult for them to take over. They need to do better marketing because people don’t know that they exist.

“The little bit of time that I have spent on the app showed me that they have location issues because when I am in Amalinda, I can easily get a ride request in Gonubie, which is just not a good option for me as a driver,” Msuthu said.

East London is one of only six SA cities to offer Maxim’s services, with many more cities to be announced soon as the company expands its reach and impact across the continent.

Users can access Maxim's services by downloading the Maxim app from platforms like the App Store, and Google Play.

For drivers interested in partnering with Maxim, they can either download the Taxsee Driver app or register on the company's website.