There are many Taxi companies using GpsGate server. Taxi companies report that their customers get less waiting time and that the Taxi fleet has less time without a customers in the taxi. The service for the Taxi company can be improved by publishing real time position of the taxi that is on its way to pick up customer or if there are available taxis at a taxi stand.
“GpsGate Server means less waiting time and higher service to our Taxi customers.”
Gerald Toovey, The Sheriff Taxi service
Business problems Taxi companies solve with GpsGate
1. Need to quickly locate the calling customer and find the closest available vehicle.
It is expensive for a taxi company to drive without customers in the vehicle or to have idle time between customers. Without a tracking system it can be challenging to quickly locate the calling customer and assign a suitable taxi.
Solution: GpsGate Server helps the dispatcher to quickly find the address of the calling customer and pick the closest available taxi from a map. Taxi companies can add attributes to the vehicles in GpsGate Server so that when a special type of vehicle is needed it is easy to find (e.g. a vehicle with 6 seats). Points of interest (POI) can also be added to the map to make it easier to locate customers without an exact address (e.g. ”I am next to the Great Stores shopping mall”).
2, Need to Quickly inform the Taxi driver about the next pickup location
It can be difficult to tell a taxi driver where to go as he is driving his vehicle and not available to speak on the mobile phone or radio.
Solution: When the dispatcher has identified the closest, available and most suitable vehicle for a pick-up its possible to assign this vehicle to the job. The location of the customer can automatically be sent to a Garmin device so that the driver can start navigation directly after accepting the new job. The dispatcher can either chat with the driver in the Garmin device or by using text messages from GpsGate server to the drivers mobile phone (to be used when the driver is not driving). The contact details of the customer can be sent to the Taxi driver in case its needed.
3. Need to know how the Taxi fleet is used
There are several parties involved in running a Taxi operation (Driver, Owner of the Taxi and Dispatcher). All parties want to have historical information about the fleet in order to run the business in an effective way.
Solution: In GpsGate Server all tracking history can be stored and is available for reporting. You can count the total idle time for the fleet or the total time without customers in the Taxi. The parties can also get distance reports describing where the taxi has been during the day. The reporting data can be emailed to users for improving the overall performance of the fleet and to make sure the parties are paid correctly.
4. Need to inform end customers of the location of the Taxi
It can be frustrating for the end customer to wait for the taxi without knowing when it will arrive. Often the customers call back to the dispatcher to get the status to the taxi that has been ordered. In situations where the Taxi company has a Taxi stand a customer can hesitate to go there if there might be no waiting taxis.
Solution: With GpsGate Server the Taxi company can publish the position of the vehicle that has been dispatched in a real time web interface. In the simple end user interface the customer can see if there are available taxis at the taxi stand.
5. Need to minimize the risk for the Taxi driver
Taxi drivers are at constant risk of theft or other dangerous situations. In an emergency situation it might be hard for the driver to pick up the phone to get help.
Solution: In GpsGate Server you can get SOS alarms from the driver. The alarms can be displayed in a web interface or sent by SMS and email to supervisors. When an incident occurs the real time position of the incident can be forwarded to a security company or the police in a light weight mobile phone interface. GpsGate Server can also generate automatic alarms if a vehicle is leaving a predefined area.
Functional steps to activate the solution:
1. Get suitable Vehicle mounted device with SOS button and integration to Garmin (E.g. Teltonika, Intellitrac, or Cypress)
2. Sign up for GpsGate server
3. Install tracker with SIM and connect it to the Garmin navigator.
If you want to try GpsGate Server, get a Starter Pack with a 30 day free trial.
More information about Garmin integration.
If you have questions or want to get in contact with a local GpsGate partner please contact us at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
