Taksiykköset
At Taksiykköset, customer satisfaction is at the heart of everything. Operating in the Kuopio, Siilinjärvi, and Joensuu regions, the company offers safe, reliable, and customer-oriented taxi services for both individuals and corporate clients. Local expertise, clean vehicles, and attentive service before, during, and after the ride are key parts of Taksykköset’s service promise — customers truly come first.
From outdated tools to a modern mobile service
The Taksi1 app project began when Taksykköset was looking for a reliable partner to maintain and further develop their existing browser-based application and order management system. The old system had been left without an active developer and no longer met customer expectations in today’s mobile-first world.
The collaboration with Hurja Solutions started through familiar contacts — but more importantly, because Taksiykköset needed a skilled, dependable, and agile partner to build and maintain a new app. Early discussions explored the development potential of the existing solution, but it quickly became clear that a full redesign would serve both customers and internal operations better.
The goal was to make the digital ordering process as local, high-quality, and dependable as the entire Taksiykköset service experience. Instead of developing the old system further, the decision was made to build a completely new solution: the commercial Movit platform was chosen for the backend, and a brand-new native Taksi1 mobile app was built for customers.
Project progress and technologies
The Taksi1 app was implemented as a native mobile application using React Native, Expo, and Encore.ts. The app allows customers to order a taxi easily and track its arrival in real time. The backend was integrated with the Movit platform and hosted on AWS for stability and scalability.
The development moved from planning to execution in agile sprints. Particular attention was given to user experience — both the visuals and usability were carefully refined already in the prototype phase. AI was widely used in the design, development, and release pipeline. The app was launched in stages across different cities while fine-tuning the final details.
Cornerstones of development: design, technology & AI
UX/UI Design and prototyping
The project began with designing the user interface and experience. A Figma prototype was built first, allowing the client to quickly explore and test the app’s structure and flow.
Special focus was placed on making the map view intuitive and the ordering process seamless on mobile devices. With the help of Figma’s AI tools, a visually consistent look was achieved — even the taxi model images were generated with AI in Figma, streamlining the design process and eliminating the need for separate image production.
Technologies and architecture
The Taksi1 app was developed using React Native, the Expo framework, and EAS services. EAS enabled an automated publishing process all the way to app stores and allowed updates to be delivered without releasing an entirely new version — speeding up development and improving the user experience.
The business logic was built using Encore.ts and TypeScript, providing reliability and predictability.
Backend services and integrations run on Amazon Web Services (AWS), ensuring scalability, security, and production-grade stability.
Map view and core features
The development began with the app’s core: the map view. Customers can see their current location, order a taxi directly from the map, view estimated pricing, and follow the vehicle’s arrival. The UI was designed to support users on the move, keeping things clear and simple.
Agile development and release pipeline
The entire project followed agile methods. Weekly reviews were held at first, later switching to biweekly. A staging environment was used early on, enabling rapid testing and release cycles.
Expo EAS made it possible to push smaller JavaScript changes directly to production without needing new app store releases. The team also established best practices for app store materials, such as image templates and icons, that will benefit future releases.
Integrations
The app was integrated with the Movit API for ride management and included Google Places to help users find addresses easily and quickly.
AI from design to code
AI was a supportive part of the process from the very beginning. During the concept phase, it helped explore implementation options based on customer needs. Later in development, ChatGPT provided practical assistance with tasks like setting up Stripe payments and refining Figma content and copywriting. In many cases, AI-generated content proved more effective than traditional placeholder texts.
Generative features in Figma helped create a consistent visual identity, such as taxi vehicle mockups — again, without separate image production. Thanks to AI, the user interface was completed quickly and elegantly.
In development, tools like Cursor were also used to generate parts of the codebase, accelerating component building.
The Taksi1 app brought ease to customer service, clarity for drivers, and flexibility for customers
The Taksi1 app has delivered exactly what the project set out to achieve. It offers customers a modern, intuitive way to book a taxi, while streamlining Taksiykköset’s internal operations in ways the previous system couldn’t.
Orders placed through the app now appear in the same system as other rides, simplifying work for the customer service team and reducing manual handling. A new feature even lets users combine bookings, adding flexibility and improving the user experience.
After its release, the app quickly gained popularity, ranking as high as #6 in Google Play’s Auto & Vehicles category.
The app has been well received and supports Taksiykköset’s operations not just today but well into the future. The project stayed on schedule and delivered what was agreed — and during the process, valuable ideas emerged for future development. The Taksi1 app was built to scale — and its development continues, as does the collaboration.
Do you need a user-focused mobile app that truly supports your business? Let’s talk — and build an app that makes everyday life smoother.
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