Tracking: Taxi tracking solutions to uberise your business

If there’s one industry that epitomises the revolution at play in modern business more than any other, it’s certainly the taxi industry. The rise of companies such as Uber and Lyft to multi-million dollar multinational corporations in a matter of months indicates how technology and innovative business practices can completely change the landscape of an industry, even influencing other businesses. Taxi tracking solutions are a key element of these success stories, as they provide considerable benefits related to operational efficiency, driver management and cost control.

Features and benefits of taxi tracking solutions

Taxi businesses will look into specific features to find the right taxi tracking solution and reap all related benefits.

Key taxi-specific features

Taxi tracking systems consist of simple tracking devices, and not-so-simple industry-specific software, providing key features such as:

- Management tools, to select the right cab at the right time,

- Live route tracking, so that the user, driver and business manager can locate the cab in real time,

- Fares completed information to accurately calculate the price of the ride and associated margin for the business,

- Hard braking or stiff acceleration monitoring for driver education,

- Interconnection with smartphone applications,

- Driver tools so that the ride can be tailored to the customer’s needs.

Related benefits

Benefits include:

- Best route selection, or alternative route suggestions,

- The cab which is the nearest to the customer is automatically dispatched, saving on fuel costs and minimising customer waiting time,

- Cab selection can also be based on other parameters, or left completely at the manager’s discretion, so that special missions can be attributed to specific drivers,

- Driver behaviour can be improved following ride diagnostics evaluation,

- High volume bookings as well as more complex bookings can both be easily managed,

- Transparency concerning all details of the ride, which is useful when a dispute arises between the customer and driver, or between the driver and the management,

- Reporting to the management about all ride details to ensure accurate remuneration of the drivers based on actual work accomplished.

Providers and prices

Along with tracking solutions providers offering products for all industries, there’s a certain number of taxi tracking solutions specialists. Costs can greatly vary between one solution and another.

Taxi tracking solutions providers

Providers include:

- Verifone,

- Fleetmatics,

- Silent Passenger,

- MTData,

And specialists such as:

- Digital dispatch,

- Autocab International,

- Taxi Dispatch systems.

Costs

In the delivery services, the unexpected has to be expected 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is therefore extremely useful to be able to change plans anytime, without disrupting the whole delivery chain. Indeed, with transportation software, nothing gets lost, and all delivery options, all warehouses, carriers and vehicles can be monitored in real time, with hints at alternative fulfilment options - it’s as easy as asking a GPS for an alternative route.

Cost reductions

As with many other business solutions, taxi tracking solutions can either be purchased, rented or leased:

- Leasing can be as cheap as a few pounds per week, per vehicle,

- Purchasing the solution can cost anything between £200 and £1,000

Given the multiplicity of options and prices, it’s certainly a smart move to request a quote from a few providers...