17 Apr 2013

The Corolla is a God send for the local taxi industry and taxi operators say the model is not rated top of the list for nothing

In Francistown, the use of the Corolla as a cab has spread like veld fire and the rapid use of the model has left many wondering why it is such a sensation amongst taxi operators

During a tour of the Francistown bus and taxi rank, enthusiastic taxi operators unraveled the secret behind the Corolla explosion in the country’s northern city.

"It is the best car for our business, I know this from experience,” affirms Ms Margaret Pelalelo, a taxi business woman, who says she has found it the most manageable car to use for a mobile business such as theirs.

Ms Pelaelo believes that the Corolla beats other models, particularly because of its embedded strength and resilience that will take its rivals ages to achieve. The taxi operator says she fell in love with the Corolla three years ago after using the Corona model for some time.

Another taxi business operator, Mr Caiphus Alfred, who too uses a Corolla, says he is head over heels with it not just because it has become a norm among his fellow operators, but because the car is “in the world of its own".

Mr Alfred’s first Corolla was bought in 2008, but got detsroyed when a tree fell on it. However,  that did not discourage the business man from buying another Corolla in 2010

He says owning a Corolla has been a dream-come-true because it has distinct traits such as affordability, durability and serviceability, “in fact, it is possible to take the car in for service after three months at a minimal cost,” he says.

Ms Sephiwe Mokiya is another woman who has depended on the Corolla for her taxi business since 2011 and says its maintenance depends on how one uses it.

Ms Mokiya says she routinely services it after every three months depending on what needs attention and fuels it every day to top up with P150 in order to keep the fuel tank always full.

Popular though it is, other taxi operators have chosen to use different models of Toyota such as the hatchback Run X. Having previously used the Corolla, Mr Lucky Obuseng says he now uses Run X to give his business a new look.

Run X, says Mr Obuseng, has a unique image that has the power to attract customers; it is also cheap in fuel consumption. Mr Nevisom Chireka drives a Toyota MARK II and says he chose it for its comfort and serviceability.

“Air filters for Run X are cheap, it’s unique in the market as it catches customers’ attention, but despite all this it is hard to penetrate the market”, he said. Another taxi operator, Mr Mulimisi Buka drives a Toyota VITZ and says he likes it because of its less fuel consumption compared to the Corolla.

Mr Buka says P300 worth of fuel is enough for a full tank but laments the maintenance cost of the engine as the car uses the latest VVTI engine. ENDS