From Taxi Stands to Smartphone Screens: The Future of Traditional Taxi Services in Southeast Asia's E-Hailing Economy

E-hailing platforms have changed the way passengers in Southeast Asia find, book and pay for a ride, and conventional taxi operators now compete against services that offer real-time tracking, upfront fares, cashless payment and two-way ratings. This paper examines where that competition leaves the traditional taxi and asks whether its future is one of resistance, replacement or adaptation. The study is a qualitative narrative review of peer-reviewed and institutional sources published between 2020 and 2026, with emphasis on Southeast Asian transport markets, platform governance and driver livelihoods. The evidence shows that platform entry has cut into the demand base of operators who stayed offline, most sharply where drivers lacked digital access, while also revealing uneven regulation, cost structures and bargaining power across the two business models. Passenger studies nonetheless indicate that taxis and e-hailing can coexist when each meets distinct needs. Conventional operators retain real advantages in regulated ranks, airport and hotel services, accessible vehicles, corporate accounts and locally trusted brands. The paper argues that a hybrid mobility market is a more credible outcome than the disappearance of the taxi. It proposes a four-part transition framework built on digital access, service differentiation, institutional cooperation and inclusive regulation, together with indicators for tracking progress. The paper adds a regional perspective to debates on platform competition and the future of urban passenger transport. Keywords: Traditional taxis; e-hailing; ride-hailing; Southeast Asia; platform economy; urban mobility; digital transformation; transport regulation. Title: From Taxi Stands to Smartphone Screens: The Future of Traditional Taxi Services in Southeast Asia’s E-Hailing Economy Author: Dr. Chong Guat Kit, Dr. P. Ravindran Pathmanathan, Dr. Venkatesh Karanam International Journal of Management and Commerce Innovations ISSN 2348-7585 (Online) Vol. 14, Issue 2, October 2026 - March 2027 Page No: 77-82 Research Publish Journals Website: www.researchpublish.com Published Date: 21-October-2026 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23533301 Paper Download Link (Source) https://www.researchpublish.com/papers/from-taxi-stands-to-smartphone-screens-the-future-of-traditional-taxi-services-in-southeast-asias-e-hailing-economy