Digitizing the Taxi Business: How RentaCab Built a 24/7 Keyless Taxi Fleet

Table of Contents

• Company Background
• Problem
• Solution
• Implementation
• Results

Company Background

RentaCab is a pioneering taxi service launched in 2021 to address a crisis facing independent taxi drivers in the Netherlands. As the COVID-19 pandemic decimated driver income and strict environmental regulations began phasing out combustion engines, many independent contractors found themselves locked out of the market. They were unable to afford the high upfront investment required for regulatory-compliant electric vehicles.

As the sister company of the well-established Schiphol Taxi, RentaCab filled this gap with a unique shared taxi fleet of over 100 emission-free electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles across Amsterdam, Eindhoven, and Rotterdam. The company offers a flexible alternative to ownership, allowing drivers to book fully equipped, insured, and maintained taxis for shifts ranging from one to 24 hours.

This model eliminates the financial burden of leases, insurance, and maintenance, enabling drivers to focus entirely on their earnings. With a growing community of over 1,000 active driver accounts, RentaCab has made sustainable taxi operations accessible to independent contractors who were previously priced out of the market.

Problem

Traditional taxi operations relied on manual coordination. Fleet management involved static Excel spreadsheets, phone calls, and physical key handovers. Fleet managers or administrative staff had to be physically present for every shift change, limiting operations to office hours or requiring expensive 24-hour staffing.

For RentaCab, this lack of agility was a significant roadblock to their vision of a flexible, driver-centric service. Drivers working night shifts had to arrange key pickups hours in advance. Swapping vehicles for maintenance or redistributing them to meet demand meant coordinating handoffs that increased downtime. The manual system couldn’t support the flexible, on-demand access that independent contractors needed.

Beyond the operational constraints, RentaCab faced a cultural challenge. Traditional taxi drivers viewed their vehicle as their own, at most sharing it with one other driver for alternating day and night shifts. Moving to a fully shared fleet model with several vehicles rotating among hundreds of drivers required more than just keyless access.

Convincing drivers to shift to a shared electric model required a user experience that was superior to owning the taxi. Telematics made this possible.
Daniël Hartkamp, General Manager, RentaCab

Solution

To build a scalable and automated service, RentaCab opted for car sharing technology as it solves two main challenges: keyless access and reliable operations. After evaluating several options, they chose INVERS CloudBoxx for its proven reliability. CloudBoxx serves as the digital backbone of the entire fleet, connecting vehicles to the platform for real-time data exchange and remote command execution.

Crucial to this system is the deep integration with the software from INVERS integration partner GoodMoovs. When a driver books a vehicle via the GoodMoovs app, the software communicates directly with the INVERS API to validate the reservation. Upon arrival, the driver unlocks the car with a single tap on their smartphone. The command is sent instantly to the CloudBoxx, which triggers the central locking system. Backup Bluetooth connectivity ensures functionality even in underground garages with poor cellular reception.

The integration of CloudBoxx with GoodMoovs replaced outdated key handovers with instant digital access, allowing RentaCab to run fully automated 24/7 taxi operations.
Didier Bollen, Business Development Manager, GoodMoovs

The system also tracks key data such as mileage and battery status in real-time, ensuring accurate billing and that the next driver always receives a vehicle with sufficient charge. This seamless digital workflow allows RentaCab to manage the entire lifecycle of a rental autonomously, from booking to return.

Implementation

RentaCab expanded its fleet gradually, equipping each vehicle with CloudBoxx before deployment. With support from INVERS and GoodMoovs, RentaCab provided training and educational materials to help drivers become familiar with the new app and keyless access system.

Results

The most significant result is a fully autonomous and digital 24/7 operation. Drivers can now pick up a vehicle at 3:00 AM as easily as they can at 3:00 PM. This flexibility has proven to be a major competitive advantage, attracting a diverse range of drivers, from full-time professionals to part-timers supplementing their income.

RentaCab’s fleet managers have improved operational efficiency compared to traditional taxi operations. If a vehicle requires maintenance or reports an issue, it can be remotely taken offline with a single click and replaced with another car in the system instantly, without disrupting the driver’s schedule.

The automated technology allowed the Dutch operator to offer their drivers a flexible shared taxi fleet. The friction of the rental process has been reduced to zero, making the switch to shared electric vehicles an easy financial decision for drivers. They no longer worry about maintenance, insurance premiums, or battery degradation. They simply book a vehicle and earn money.

The technology from INVERS and GoodMoovs simply works, and that reliability is what builds trust with our drivers.
Daniël Hartkamp, General Manager, RentaCab

We are proud to support RentaCab in their mission to modernize the taxi industry and accelerate the transition to emission-free mobility. Through reliable telematics and a commitment to flexibility, RentaCab has redefined what it means to be a taxi driver in the 21st century.

Explore more success stories or contact us to learn how your fleet can scale with our technology.