Bulgaria’s leading taxi operator migrates to eCabs Technologies’ platform

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eCabs Technologies on Tuesday announced that Volt Premium Taxi, Bulgaria’s leading taxi operator, has officially completed a full migration to its ridehailing platform.

The move sees Volt Premium Taxi transition from the UK-based Sherlock platform to eCabs Technologies, as it doubles down on a more data-driven, technology-led approach to growth, service reliability, and continuous improvement.

For eCabs Technologies, the partnership with Volt Premium Taxi marks another milestone in its European expansion, as the company continues to power regulated-market operators seeking to modernise ahead of rapid competitive change.

The collaboration comes at a pivotal moment for Bulgaria, currently the only EU country without global ridehailing platforms, with market entry expected this year. As local operators prepare for increased pressure on quality, speed, and pricing, Volt Premium Taxi’s full migration to the eCabs Technologies tech stack signals a proactive strategy: invest early in scalable technology, strengthen operational performance, and retain local ownership of customer relationships.

Commenting on the migration, eCabs Technologies CEO Matthew Bezzina said the shift reflects a broader change happening across Europe, where forward-looking operators are choosing platform capability and agility as non-negotiables.

“This is a clear signal of intent from Volt Premium Taxi’s leadership team, indicating a decisive move towards a modern, data-driven operation that can evolve quickly as the market changes,” Bezzina said.

“In every city we have worked in, once an operator experiences what a high-performance platform enables, expectations rise fast: product, speed, and continuous improvement become the standard. Volt Premium Taxi is positioning itself to raise the bar for Sofia and we’re excited to be along for the ride.”

Oggy Popov, Co-founder and CEO of Volt Premium Taxi, said the company’s move to eCabs Technologies is designed to strengthen reliability, reduce cancellations, and build a scalable operational foundation ahead of increased competition.

“Sofia is at an inflection point. We want Volt Premium Taxi to lead that change, rather than react to it. Migrating fully to eCabs Technologies gives us the technology stack and data capabilities to improve service quality, move faster, and keep raising standards for both customers and drivers. This is an investment in long-term leadership in the Bulgarian market,” he said.

Over the coming weeks, Volt Premium Taxi will continue its rollout with a planned launch window and a full operational ramp-up following the complete migration of drivers and customers, supported by eCabs Technologies’ implementation and operational expertise.

The Modern Mobility Growth Stack

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A practical package for local operators who need smarter promotions without burning margin. 

What this is: A single, integrated stack that lets you run targeted promotions, trigger campaigns based on rider behaviour, and (optionally) co-fund discounts with partners — all from your existing eCabs admin workflow. 

Who it’s for: Operators losing market share and margin because campaigns are manual, generic, and constrained by budget. 

 

The Problem We See Repeatedly 

  • Static coupon tools → everyone gets the same discount, regardless of value or behaviour. 
  • Manual campaigns → marketing needs developers or ops to launch and adjust. 
  • No segmentation → you can’t target reactivation, new users, or high-value riders properly. 
  • No promo budget → you can’t keep up when multinationals increase discount pressure.

 

The eCabs Tech Answer: 3 Modules, One Outcome 

Deploy a growth engine that increases campaign frequency and effectiveness while protecting margins.

 

Stack Overview 

Module 1 — Promotions Engine (Talon.One) 

What it does (plain terms): Create promo codes and automatic promotions with full eligibility rules (zones, ride types, payment methods, caps). 

Business impact: Targeted discounts, controlled exposure, less leakage. 

 

Module 2 — Customer Engagement Platform (MoEngage) 

What it does (plain terms): Trigger journeys across Push/SMS/Email/WhatsApp using behaviour (inactive riders, aborted signup, churn risk). 

Business impact: Higher activation & retention without blanket discounting. 

 

Module 3 — Partner Promotion Suite (In-App Sponsorship + Banner Logic) 

What it does (plain terms): Tie sponsor branding to campaigns so partners can co-fund discounts in exchange for premium home-screen placement. 

Business impact: Run more campaigns with less cash burn; unlock partner-funded growth. 

 

What You Can Launch (Examples) 

  • New user activation: Automatic “first 2 rides” discount only for new riders, capped per ride.
  • Reactivation: If a rider is inactive for 14 days, trigger a targeted incentive + a push notification journey. 
  • Payment steering: Discounts valid only on Card to reduce cash handling and improve collections. 
  • Geo/event promos: Airport or event geofence discounts during defined windows. Driver supply: Bonuses for drivers completing X rides with acceptance/completion thresholds. 
  • Customer care credits: Issue compensation vouchers linked to support tickets. 

 

How It Works (Simple Architecture) 

This stack plugs into the booking flow so promotions validate in real time, while engagement journeys trigger based on behaviour. 

 

Steps 

  1. Rider/Driver behaviour happens 

Signup, app-open, booking attempt, cancellation, ride completed, inactivity, etc. 

  1. Engagement journeys trigger 

MoEngage places users into audiences and triggers journeys (push/SMS/email/WhatsApp).

  1. Promotions validate in booking 

Talon.One evaluates rules and applies the correct discount (with caps/limits). 

  1. Partner branding (optional) 

Partner Promotion Suite applies sponsor theme on the home screen when that campaign is active. 

  1. Controls & safeguards 

Campaign priority, usage limits, caps, and anti-stacking rules reduce leakage and surprises. 

 

Partner Promotion Suite (What’s New) 

  • Three-layer banner logic: Global Default → Campaign Fallback → Campaign Theme Override. 
  • Campaign ID mapping: Sponsor branding (logo/colors) is tied to specific campaign IDs. 
  • Clean UX: Home screen only; no disruption during a ride; supports light/dark mode. 
  • Self-serve: Marketing teams configure banners/themes in Admin without developer work.

 

What You Get in a Typical Rollout 

Week 1: Confirm objectives, define 3–5 launch campaigns, set guardrails (caps, priority, payment rules). 

Week 2: Configure Talon.One campaigns + MoEngage audiences/journeys; validate end-to end in staging. 

Week 3: Launch first campaigns; monitor redemption, leakage, and rider behaviour. 

Week 4: Add Partner Promotion Suite themes; prepare 1–2 partner sponsorship templates (bank/telco/retail).

Thomas Smith joins Fastdrop to create next-generation middle- and last-mile operator

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The Malta Competition and Consumer Authority has approved a strategic investment by Thomas Smith, Malta’s most established logistics provider, into Fastdrop, the island’s leading 24/7 delivery specialist. This landmark transaction marks a major step in Fastdrop’s evolution, positioning the company as the leading middle- and last-mile delivery operator across all sectors in Malta.

Through this investment, logistics specialists Thomas Smith joins mobility leaders eCabs, strengthening Fastdrop’s operational depth, scale, and reach. The venture now combines Thomas Smith’s 177-year legacy in logistics, freight, and regulatory expertise with Fastdrop’s technology-driven last-mile delivery model and strong consumer brand to create a uniquely integrated logistics platform tailored to modern business needs.

“Thomas Smith’s investment is a defining moment for Fastdrop, long recognised for its innovation, service speed and convenience in last-mile delivery,” said Greta Borg, Managing Director at Fastdrop. “The strengthened Fastdrop represents a much broader evolution, together with Thomas Smith, as it allows us to significantly accelerate our growth beyond last-mile delivery and firmly establish ourselves as the partner of choice for middle- and last-mile logistics across retail, e-commerce, FMCG, healthcare, and industrial sectors. This is about scale, reliability, and leadership.”

Gianluca Lubrano, Thomas Smith Head of Commercial, added “We bring deep-rooted logistics and regulatory know-how, while Fastdrop brings agility, innovation, and a strong consumer brand. Together, we can address the full spectrum of logistics needs, from international freight to doorstep delivery, and set new standards for the market”.

“Our investment in Fastdrop reflects a shared ambition to lead the next phase of logistics in Malta. By combining our operational backbone with Fastdrop’s innovation and delivery expertise, we are creating a market-leading platform that can serve businesses of all sizes with consistency, transparency, and speed,” he added.

The strengthened Fastdrop platform uniquely positions the company as Malta’s only operator focused on delivering a seamless middle- and last-mile solution at scale, supporting the country’s growing digital economy and evolving supply-chain demands.

With Thomas Smith’s backing, Fastdrop is set to define new standards for delivery performance, sector coverage, and operational excellence in the Maltese logistics market.