Addison Lee partners with PostTag to provide more accurate location selection

Mark Bursa

Addison Lee has integrated precision location service provider PostTag into its address search tools to help pinpoint pick-up and drop-off addresses more accurately.

PostTag’s address search tools will complement Addison Lee’s existing in-house allocation technology to improve the performance of this critical element of the booking process. PostTag uses multiple databases to find a customer’s location and sends a latitude/longitude reference to the dispatch system, which PostTag says is easier to use than letter-combination systems such as What Three Words.

Blacklane launches electric fleet of Mercedes-Benz EQS cars in Dubai

Mark Bursa

Blacklane has launched an allelectric fleet of Mercedes-Benz EQS saloons in Dubai. The EV rollout aligns with the United Arab Emirates initiative to be Net Zero by 2050.

Blacklane’s chauffeur-hailing services in Dubai include oneway trips, return journeys, airport transfers, hourly and daily bookings and inter-emirate travel, all with a 60-minute lead time. Newly launched on-demand services are available in some areas, including downtown Dubai and DXB Airport, with plans to roll out across the city later this year.

The customised, two-tone, topof-the-range fleet of Mercedes EQS EVs feature ventilated seats, in-chair massage and ambient cabin lighting.

Paul Yewman, CEO of PostTag, said: “Today close enough is no longer good enough. With approximately 60% of all UK addresses being at least a football field away from where a satnav system takes you, PostTag cuts down on wasted time, wasted miles and CO2 emissions by delivering the drivers precisely where they need to be – first time.”

“And as Addison Lee are at the forefront of the move to electric vehicles, this precision reduces range anxiety and helps make the transition to EV seamless.

Addison Lee’s electric fleet was scheduled to hit 1,000 vehicles by the end of last month. Addison Lee COO Patrick Gallagher said: “In the 47 years Addison Lee has been operating in London we have seen the city change beyond comparison. Location accuracy is a huge part of this and Addison Lee has invested in its own technology to ensure we are a leader in mobility. This partnership with PostTag is the next stage in location precision as our drivers navigate the continuing changes to the capital’s road network.”

All drivers will have been trained at Blacklane’s Chauffeur Training Academy, the first such venture in the region, which was opened in September 2022.

This trains all chauffeurs to the highest standards of service, safety, etiquette, and discretion. Blacklane also employs female chauffeurs in Dubai, and all drivers work exclusively for Blacklane, on a permanent, full-time salaried contract. Every chauffeur receives ongoing training across both theoretical and practical elements of driving and service throughout their careers.

“We have successfully serviced hundreds of thousands of customers across the Middle East in the past five years,” said Nicolas Soucaille, Blacklane’s general manager, United Arab Emirates. “An all-electric fleet will dramatically reduce carbon emissions. Additionally, with the launch of our on-demand services, we will provide an unrivalled experience for our guests, whiletaking a step forward towards a more sustainable future.”

The news follows Blacklane’s partnership announcement with Gargash Group, one of the leading business conglomerates in the UAE, as its most recent investor, alongside Mercedes-Benz Mobility and existing investor Al Fahim Group.

The investment is designed to bolster Blacklane’s transition to EVs, including a retained supercharging network. Launching the fleet of Mercedes EQSs into the important Middle East market serves Blacklane as a test bed to optimise its structure and subsequently scale the new approach globally.

Dr. Jens Wohltorf, co-founder and CEO of Blacklane, said: “We are strategically investing in the important Middle East market as a test bed to introduce new offerings which will diversify our business model and allow us to expand and open new markets.”