Taxi Nerema : taxi à Bamako

Order a taxi in Bamako by speaking, without typing a single address.

In Bamako, most streets don't have names, and those that do don't have them anywhere. Instead of giving an address, you give a landmark. "Behind the gas station, just past the intersection, the second courtyard on the left." No text input field will ever understand this sentence. A taxi driver, however, understands immediately.

HOW TO ORDER A TAXI IN BAMAKO

1. You press the microphone and speak: where you are, where you're going, how many of you are in your party. Thirty seconds is all it takes.

2. Your request is sent to the nearest available taxi driver. They listen to your message, decide whether to take the ride, and announce their fare. You see their rating and vehicle type before responding.

3. You accept, suggest a different price, or decline. Once you agree, you exchange phone numbers and track your taxi on the map.

PRICE AND PAYMENT

The price is agreed upon verbally between you and the driver, just like on the roadside. It's not calculated by an algorithm, and it doesn't triple during rush hour.

You pay the driver in cash upon arrival. The app doesn't handle your money: no bank card to register, no wallet to top up, and no commission charged on the ride.

TRUST

Each taxi driver is manually vetted before their first fare: ID, driver's license, license plate, and vehicle photo are checked by a person. There is no automatic validation.

During the ride, you can send a friend or family member the driver's name, license plate, vehicle details, and rating via SMS or WhatsApp.

After the ride, you rate each other. The ratings are only revealed to both people about ten minutes later, so neither can respond in retaliation.

WHAT WE SHARE, AND WITH WHOM

The Play Store listing indicates that this app shares personal information and audio. Here's what that means, in plain language: your voicemail, first name, phone number, and location go to the taxi driver who picks you up, because they can't come without them. They don't go to anyone else. No advertising, no data brokers, no reselling.

BECAUSE IT'S USABLE WITHOUT KNOWING HOW TO WRITE

There's nothing to type. Someone who doesn't read or write fluently can order a taxi just like everyone else.

WHAT THE APP DOESN'T DO

We prefer to be upfront before you install it.

No in-app payments: no credit cards, no mobile money, no wallet. Only cash, given to the driver.

No automatic price estimates. The driver makes an offer, you negotiate.

Only one city for now. The service operates in Bamako. Outside of Mali, the app will tell you and then stop.

ARE YOU DRIVING A TAXI?

You keep the entire fare. We don't take any commission on your rides. Registration requires your ID and driver's license, and an administrator will validate it before your first rides.

Taxi Nerema, the voice-activated taxi in Bamako.

Android 7.0 or later. French. Bamako, Mali.