Digital payment solutions are all the rage in the fintech space and the latest sector to get a payment solution that doesn’t require using cash or a card (although that is an option) is the taxi industry.

The National Taxi Alliance claims that it transports approximately 70 percent of the commuting public every day. In verifying this Africa Check says that it is mostly correct but finding current data on this fact is tough and muddies the water.

Splitting hairs aside, many South Africans rely on taxis to get to work, school and for general transport. In a bid to make paying for this transport easier, Standard Bank has launched a new app.

That app is Taxi Yam.

“Taxi Yam is a complete mobility platform that will help taxi owners and drivers connect and interact with commuters,” explains head of main markets at Standard Bank, Motlatsi Mkalala.

“Our goal is for the app to become a reliable part of the public transport system in South Africa and improve the lives of passengers, drivers, and owners. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for news about Taxi Yam,” Mkalala adds.

The app allows users to manage their transport budget more easily. Money can be sent via vouchers or linked to a prepaid debit card. This means never having to handle cash or stop at an ATM on the way to catch a taxi.

Standard Bank hopes to expand the functionality of Taxi Yam to include information about when taxis are unavailable or whether there are incidents on the road. The team behind the app is also said to be working on a feature that lets users find and hail a taxi when they’re in a rush.

What’s more is that taxi associations can make use of the data gleaned from the app to help with business decisions and more.

The Taxi Yam app can be downloaded for iOS and Android at the respective links.