Shizuoka's Locally Integrated Taxi Dispatch App 'Yobura~' Launches Operations

Dentra Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture; President and CEO: Yosuke Kondo; hereinafter 'Dentra') announces the launch of 'Yobura~', a locally integrated taxi dispatch application, in Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture, starting August 5, 2026. This initiative is part of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's FY2026 'Comprehensive Redesign Project for Eliminating Transportation Gaps,' selected under the Regional Mobility Digital Transformation (DX) Promotion category.

'Yobura~' is a locally integrated taxi dispatch app utilizing Dentra's 'DS Dispatch App.' It adopts a shared dispatch system where multiple taxi operators collaborate to efficiently allocate vehicles across the region. Users can call the most suitable taxi from among the participating companies via the app, enhancing dispatch efficiency and user convenience.

At launch, three taxi operators within Shizuoka City will participate, with plans to gradually expand the number of participating companies.

Background

The taxi industry faces ongoing challenges such as driver shortages and an aging workforce, necessitating new operational models to sustain regional transportation. Meanwhile, traditional practices involve individual dispatch by each taxi company, leading to inefficiencies—such as an available nearby vehicle belonging to another company and thus unavailable for dispatch—preventing optimal use of regional transport capacity.

To address these issues, Dentra has developed a shared dispatch system enabling multiple taxi operators to collaboratively manage vehicles efficiently across entire regions, while promoting the deployment of 'regional shared dispatch apps.' The company has previously supported shared dispatch systems in Miyakojima, Kagawa, and Yamagata.

With the launch of 'Yobura~' in Shizuoka City, Dentra will again implement a shared dispatch model where multiple taxi operators collaborate to efficiently allocate vehicles across the region.

Initially, three local taxi companies will participate. Expanding participation over time aims to enhance regional transport capacity and achieve sustainable local mobility. Dentra will support this initiative as the foundational system provider for shared dispatch, contributing to improved sustainability in regional transportation.

Objectives of 'Yobura~'

'Yobura~' has been introduced to address regional mobility challenges while improving taxi operators' productivity and user service quality. Key objectives include:

Improved User Convenience Users can easily call a taxi via the 'Yobura~' dispatch app, with GPS-enabled pickup location specification and real-time vehicle tracking. This reduces the burden of phone reservations and alleviates anxiety during waiting periods, enabling a more comfortable taxi experience.

Optimized Regional Dispatch By enabling multiple taxi operators to participate in shared dispatch, the most suitable vehicles can be dispatched across the entire region. This is expected to reduce empty runs and idle time, shorten user waiting times, and improve dispatch success rates.

Enhanced Productivity for Taxi Operators The regional app expands business opportunities and reduces idle time, enabling efficient vehicle operations across the region.

Achieving Sustainable Regional Mobility Through the regional app framework, local transportation services are maintained and strengthened, aiming to provide stable mobility options even in areas facing aging populations and declining populations.

Overview of the Regional App 'Yobura~'

Launch Date: Starting August 5, 2026

Service Area: Shizuoka Transportation Zone (with plans to gradually expand)

Participating Taxi Operators: (in no particular order, total of 3 companies)

Shizuoka Hikari Taxi Co., Ltd., Shizuoka Central Taxi Co., Ltd., Chiyoda Taxi Co., Ltd.

Roles of Each Company

Company Name

Role

Each Taxi Operator

- Coordination and consolidation among stakeholders involved in operations - Planning and operational management - Taxi operations

Dentra

- Provision and implementation support for the 'DS Dispatch App' and dispatch system 'DS'

Yobura~ Details Page: https://yobura.jp/

About the FY2026 'Comprehensive Redesign Project for Eliminating Transportation Gaps' – Regional Mobility DX Promotion Type

The FY2026 'Comprehensive Redesign Project for Eliminating Transportation Gaps' is an initiative by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to support projects that maintain and revitalize regional transportation. It focuses on collaborative efforts among diverse local stakeholders to address the urgent issue of 'transportation deserts.'

The 'Regional Mobility DX Promotion Type' targets initiatives that leverage digital technologies to promote collaboration among operators and across sectors, aiming to achieve sustainable regional mobility. Specifically, it promotes advanced service implementations using digital technologies, such as integrating and utilizing multiple mobility data sources through inter-operator and cross-sector collaboration, system integration based on national standard specifications, and adoption of standardized business models.

— FY2026 'Comprehensive Redesign Project for Eliminating Transportation Gaps' https://kotsu-kuhaku-r8.jp/

About Dentra's 'DS Dispatch App'

The 'DS Dispatch App' is a service that enables taxi operators to build their own brand or regional brand dispatch apps at low cost and in a short timeframe.

Additionally, operators can join regional apps without changing their existing dispatch systems, maintaining current operations while minimizing implementation burdens and adding new dispatch channels.

Coexistence with Major Dispatch Apps Maximizes Revenue Opportunities

Major dispatch apps excel at attracting users from outside the region, such as tourists, inbound visitors, and business travelers. In contrast, self-branded or regional apps powered by the 'DS Dispatch App' support daily mobility for local residents, promoting continued usage and improved convenience. Furthermore, with multiple taxi operators participating in a regional app, efficient dispatch across the entire region becomes possible, shortening user wait times and expanding dispatch opportunities.

By combining major dispatch apps with self-branded or regional apps, taxi operators can meet diverse needs both within and beyond their regions, maximizing revenue opportunities.

For more details on the 'DS Dispatch App,' please visit:

'DS Dispatch App' Service Details

Overview of Dentra Co., Ltd.

Headquarters: 6F Amiko Higashikan, 1-chome-5 Terajimahonmachi Nishi, Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture

Established: December 2015

Representative: President and CEO Yosuke Kondo

Employees: 220 (as of January 2026)

Capital: 100 million JPY

Major Shareholders: Awagin Capital Co., Ltd., The Awagin Bank, Ltd., Iyogin Capital Co., Ltd., Uber Technologies, Inc., NTT Docomo Ventures, Inc., ENEOS Innovation Partners LLC, MK Corporation, Okuho Traffic Co., Ltd., Kokusai Motorcars Co., Ltd., GO Corporation, Sanwa Traffic Co., Ltd., JR West Japan Innovations, Inc., JR East Japan Startup Co., Ltd., Shikoku Railway Company, Daiichi Kotsu Sangyo Co., Ltd., Yamato Automobile Traffic Co., Ltd., Tsubame Motor Co., Ltd., Tokushima Taisei Bank, Ltd., Broadband Tower Inc., Mitsubishi Corporation, Yucho Asset Management Co., Ltd. * Listed in alphabetical order. Only corporate shareholders (excluding individuals) are disclosed.