Starting a Taxi Booking Business From Scratch in Tunisia

I’ll start with a confession.

A few years ago, if you had asked me about taxis, I would have laughed. Why? Because everyone thought Uber and Bolt had “killed” the traditional taxi. But here’s the twist: the taxi booking business in Tunisia isn’t dying, it’s evolving. And there’s room for new players.

This guide isn’t a dry checklist. It’s the story of how an ordinary driver, let’s call him Ahmed, decided he didn’t want to spend his life chasing fares.

The Spark: Why Even Think About It?

Ahmed had been driving taxis for almost a decade. Long days, small profits. Customers would wave him down, but half the time, they’d already booked another ride on an app. He felt invisible.

One night, while scrolling on his phone, he thought: If apps are taking rides away from me, why don’t I run one myself?

Sounds bold, right? But that’s where most entrepreneurship stories start. With frustration.

Now, why should you consider it? Simple. The ridehailing app and taxi industry is booming. According to Statista, it’s expected to hit over $400 billion by 2028. People are done standing on street corners waving their arms. They want online taxi booking apps, instant payments, safety, and reliability.

That’s where the opportunity is.

Step One: What’s the Business Model?

Starting a taxi service business in Tunisia isn’t about buying cars first. It’s about deciding how you’ll operate.

Do you want to own cars and hire drivers? (Expensive, high control.)

Do you want to build a platform where existing drivers can join? (Cheaper, scalable.)

Or a mix of both?

Ahmed went for the aggregator model. Think Uber, but local. He didn’t have to buy cars. Instead, he connected drivers who already owned vehicles. He took a cut from each ride.

Smart move, it let him start lean.

Step Two: Research, Research, Research

Ahmed didn’t jump in blind. He talked to drivers at taxi stands. He asked: What annoys you about apps like Uber?

They answered:

• “High commissions.”
• “No loyalty for drivers.”
• “We don’t get enough support when things go wrong.”

Then he spoke to passengers. They said:

• “Hidden surge pricing.”
• “Unreliable wait times.”
• “We don’t feel safe with some drivers.”

Boom. That was his opening.

Market research sounds boring, but it’s where businesses live or die. Ahmed’s golden insight: people didn’t want the cheapest app. They wanted a fair, reliable taxi booking service.

Step Three: Legal & Paperwork (Yes, the Boring Part)

Starting a taxi booking company in Tunisia means navigating the boring but necessary stuff:

• Registering the company.
• Getting a business license.
• Ensuring insurance for rides.
• Creating legal contracts for drivers.

Every country has different rules, but the idea is the same: protect yourself before you launch. Ahmed spent weeks at government offices. Not glamorous, but essential.

Step Four: The Costs Nobody Tells You

Let’s be real. Money is the wall where most startups crash. Ahmed sat down and wrote his numbers:

• App development: $15,000–$40,000 (depending on complexity).
• Marketing: $5,000+ for launch campaigns.
• Driver incentives: discounts, bonuses.
• Admin staff: even a small office needs people.

So, the cost of starting a taxi business in Tunisia from scratch? Somewhere around $30,000–$50,000 if you want to be serious.

Sounds scary? It is. But here’s the trick: Ahmed didn’t build everything from scratch. He partnered with a company (more on that later) that provided a ready-made taxi booking app solution. That saved him months of work and thousands of dollars.

Step Five: The Heart of It All, the App

If your app sucks, your business dies. Harsh but true. Customers don’t forgive a buggy taxi booking app. Drivers won’t bother with a confusing interface.

Ahmed needed three things:

• Passenger app → simple booking, real-time tracking, easy payment.
• Driver app → ride requests, navigation, income tracking.
• Admin panel → control center for rides, commissions, and disputes.

Features he couldn’t skip:

• GPS live tracking.
• Multiple payment options.
• Driver ratings & reviews.
• Safety button for emergencies.

This was the hardest part, until he discovered Appicial Applications, which offered custom taxi booking software that could be tailored to his brand. Suddenly, what looked like a year-long nightmare turned into a 6-week project.

Step Six: Getting Drivers Onboard

An app without drivers is just… an app. Ahmed spent weeks convincing drivers to join. Some didn’t trust him. Others complained they already worked with Uber.

So he offered them zero commission for the first month. He gave early adopters better incentives. He promised transparency.

Within a month, he had 50 drivers signed up. That was enough to launch.

Also Read: Navigating Tunisia with Ease: The Rise of Taxi Apps

Step Seven: Marketing the Launch

Ahmed knew he couldn’t just release the app quietly. He needed buzz.

• He ran Facebook and Instagram ads.
• Printed flyers for hotels (tourists love apps).
• Gave referral bonuses to early users.
• Offered “first ride free” promos.

Within two weeks, he had over 1,000 downloads. People started talking. Word-of-mouth did the rest.

The Reality Check: Challenges He Faced

Was it all smooth? No. Let’s be honest.

• Drivers canceled rides.
• Customers complained about wait times.
• App glitches happened.
• Regulators knocked on the door.

But Ahmed didn’t give up. He fixed problems fast. He kept drivers happy with bonuses. He apologized to customers and gave credits. He learned that running a taxi business app is not just about tech, it’s about people.

The Future of Taxi Booking

Now comes the exciting part: the future of the taxi booking industry is even bigger.

Trends coming fast:

• Electric taxis → eco-friendly fleets.
• AI in taxi booking apps → smarter route optimization.
• Cashless payments → instant, safe, digital-first.
• Integration with delivery services → taxis doing parcel drops during downtime.

Ahmed now dreams of expanding into food and parcel delivery using the same fleet. Why not? The infrastructure is already there.

Conclusion: Why Appicial Applications Was the Game-Changer

Here’s the truth: Ahmed’s grit got him started, but technology made him scale.

That’s where Appicial Applications stepped in. They provided him with:

• Ready-made taxi booking app software (customer + driver + admin).
• Real-time GPS tracking.
• Secure digital payments.
• Fleet management tools.
• Fast customization to match his brand.

Instead of spending a year and burning cash, he launched in weeks.

So if you’re serious about starting your own taxi booking business in Tunisia, don’t waste time reinventing the wheel. Partner with experts. Focus on customers and drivers. Let the tech be handled by Appicial.

Looking out to start your own venture like Uber? Try out our HireMe Taxi Uber Clone, the easiest way to kick-start your taxi business.

Author's Bio

Vinay Jain

Vinay Jain is the Founder at Grepix Infotech and brings over 12 years of entrepreneurial experience. His focus revolves around software & business development and customer satisfaction.