Lyft

Freenow parent Lyft has announced the acquisition of both Lynk and Swift , taxi booking and dispatch apps based in Dublin and Limerick, respectively. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Lyft said the transaction is "financially immaterial". Lynk is a longstanding Dublin phone-booking taxi dispatcher and B2B partner to the public sector and hundreds of local businesses. Swift, known locally as 313131, is the top dispatcher in Limerick and a B2B partner to the pharma and health sectors in the city. Both companies will be integrated into the Freenow platform, and Lyft said passengers can expect faster pick-up times due to more drivers.

Drivers from both companies will be available by phone but also through the Freenow by Lyft app. Lyft said B2B clients and city partners of Lynk and Swift can expect operations to continue as normal, and local staff will be retained to maintain local knowledge. “Limerick has always been important to us — it's one of the first cities Freenow launched in Ireland, and Swift's position as the city's top dispatcher builds directly on that history," said Danny O'Gorman , general manager at Freenow by Lyft Ireland. "At the same time, Lynk strengthens our position in business travel, an area we're actively growing.

” Over half of all taxi bookings in Ireland are made offline, and the integration of Lynk and Swift's phone-based dispatch capabilities is expected to enhance Freenow's market position. Noel Ebbs , CEO at Lynk, said: "As a leading taxi dispatcher and a trusted B2B partner for many local businesses, we're excited to start a new chapter with Lyft. ” A spokesperson for Swift Taxis added: "After 35 years serving Limerick, we're looking forward to the future with Lyft.