Taxi Driver Online

So, what is known by anyone about these systems? ANd what exactly is available?

If these are new to you, try:

www.taxibus.org.uk

Trapeze-software.com

and search on Adart Transit System

The shape of the future?

_________________
There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

Andy7

Staying away from Taxibus site cos I am really p1ssed off with my efforts to enter that market.

However I do know of a system similar to Trapeze (but many times cheaper). Can't remember the name, guy running was Alan Willson and they did a DRT system for Vodafone in Banbury. Do a search in Google and you will find it.

They also provide a system for a big chauffeur company in Luton.

Tom, would like to know what problems you are having entering the TaxiBus market. May be able to help.

Sorry Tom, that was me.

_________________
There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

Oh dear. Far too long winded for here.

When I finally shift my arse over to Essex and pay you a visit I will tell.

January OK?

oh dear good old Tom,
that reply was like a bomb,
I was looking forwrd to your reply,
to Andys post I had come by,

Its very interesting to learn of your woes,
so we can be kept on our toes,
What happened to stop your quest,
please give a clue I request,

Did you actualy get on route,?
with a taxibus to boot,?
or did you not get so very far,?
you couldnt get a driver out of your car,?

oh pray pay me a visit so very soon,
that for me would be a boon,
so I can learn of your struggle,
and I can avoid a great bundle,

you can come any time,
to this workplace of mine,
I will pay to provide a meal,
will you accept this as a deal?

Paddington Bill.

_________________
Come and go as you will,
but Do so with Paddington Bill

Alright Bill.

Many moons ago I was talking to a local County Councillor saying I had been to a seminar in London about Demand Rsponsive Transport Systems. There had been several examples of different 'taxibus' services. I told him I was keen to look at the possibilities, seeing as how I had two 8 seaters not being fully utilised. He told me that three local villages had been to the County asking for such a service and he would bring all the parties together.

Next thing I know is the County ask if I will tender for a Taxibus service. I say yes. When the tender document comes out it asks for a 16 seater vehicle to do a fixed route, fixed schedule service. As this is not what I consider to be Taxibus, but small bus, I declined to tender.

The County received no tenders.

I then had a Parish Councillor ring me, saying he was the Transport rep for the three villages, asking why I hadn't tendered. I explain that I was only interested in an innovative, flexible 8 seater service. Which during rush hour had dedicated pick up points, out of peak would be a door to door service, advanced booking, taxi support for overflows at peak times etc etc. The Parish Councillor wet himself with excitement, saying that is what they had asked to be provided.

We met, designed a timetable round peak train times, school times and the like. Went to the County with a firm proposal. I told them how much I needed. The County responded by saying that it would have to go out to tender again. It did, I put in the price quoted and they gave it to a new operator (who was clearly avoiding the rules for most of the time).

The County didn't want to know about innovative services, back up provision or even fares charged. The only criteria was height of the step and was a ticket machine going to be used.

They awarded the contract to this competitor, for more money. They then ran the service illegally 75% of the time until after a year the Transport Comissioner finally caught up. The County then allowed the operator to transfer the contract to a shadow company running PH in another District. They even ammended the route so that its first pick up was eight miles away in the PH district they were licensed.

When finally the game was up the County asked me to tender again. Oh yeh, sure thing, take a walk buster.

yes now I clearly see,
your disapointment there to me,
your County Council are so sad.
by missing the boat that they had,

did you know my friend Tom,
that Parish councils have £10,000 each on transport to come,
the countryside Commission underspend on rural bus.
from them funds available without the fuss,

It seems you had worked out the clear need,
3 villages with good bus service you proposed to feed,
It seems you were not to the counties taste,
but you had the right ideas so what a waste,

if you are slightly interested to this time,
its the parish councillors to speak and make fine,
they have the key to funds to unlock,
get those lazy buses from thier dock.

the countryside funds need parish ok,
but they can come to the rescue to save the day,
youve been dealt badly by county and that is bad,
but if those buses dont feed need that will be sad,

Paddington Bill.

See this is what pees me off, more than most.

There is a need for a service to feed those that are without.

A sensible way forward is proposed, by someone wanting to stay within the law, and do the job properly.

The only thing in the way, is an ungreatfull council, led by clueless officials.

Somethings just never change.

The worse bit is though that the subsidy was 70k.

The total number of passenger journeys was 8,500 in the year.

Cost per journey = £8.25

Average taxi fare from these villages = £7.50

So it would have been cheaper to give free taxi rides as and when they needed them.

If they could have worked out the who the needy are, allocated them so many journeys then they would save a fortune.

Gosh Tom, that is such a familiar story that I think I have heard it somewhere before. Oh yes. It happened to us in 1985.

We learned.

Your initial problem, was clearly "suggesting" something to the Council before having assured your position vis a vis the competitors (Eg. Councillor's Auntie's Brother's Nephew who runs a minibus etc.)

The way to approach these things, I have found, is as follows:

1. Gee up the support from the local councillors to get a tender issued. And say nothing about what you will provide before that date.

2. When the invitation to tender for the sixteen seater arrives, submit a non-compliant tender, setting out what you can offer along with its lower price, but without sufficient detail for them to run it.

3. Immediately after the tender submission date, but before the replies have been issued, phone your local newspapers and bombard them with a really good quality presentation press release (that they can use without much editing) and simultaneously pass copies to all your local councillors and parish people.

The press release should explain what you are offering, but avoid any figures, or real facts for that matter. The idea is to fuel public interest. Not to embarass the County Council, but to make it clear that your idea was in fact a County Councillor's idea, and what splendid fellows they would all be if your (the Councillor's) idea went ahead. Then, if it doesnt, you will at least have the satisfaction of seeing them all row about it publically, and who knows, you might even get a question asked about it (from the other side so-to-speak) in the House of Commons. It has happened here!

"Why is it, Honourable Member, that our local village minibus service receives a subsidy of £124 per passenger"
(This actually got asked in Parliament. Its in Hansard).

Operating an efficient and reliable service is an afterthought. No one is interested in that side of things. Its the publicity and politics one should consider first.

Also, dont be fooled into allowing yourself to think that passenger demand is much of a factor. It doesnt really matter much whether anyone actually ever gets on your taxibus, if they do, thats just a bonus. Ideally, the services core route should lead to a village where the elections were fairly marginal last time, even if no one actually ever goes there.

One of the problems you may have where you are, is that there are no areas of deprivation close by. If there are, you might consider serving them and applying for Objective 1 grants to set it up as a new venture and bring much needed employment into the area. Thats always a good one anyway, we used it and there just aint any unemployment here.

Another idea, is to set it up as a not for profit community scheme, with one full time employee (guess who) on a salary of £45,000 a year.

There are endless options, but they need a lot of staying power to fight the sometimes moronic attitudes, and big bus operators, some of whom, will stop at very little to frustrate you.

Look forward to January.

Regards,
Anonymous.

No they cannot Tom and this is where your theory goes kaputt.

all villagers must be treat equally, so every villager must have a taxi when they want one.
the give em taxis theory does not work out regretfully.

by the way Tom just to stirr the fire all bus dealings do not have to go to tender, variations to opperators, quotations for new routes can be dealt with without tendering as long as the figure does not exceed coincidently £70,000 per opperator

[edited by admin] miself laughing can I and Paddington Bill come in January?
jesus guess what the poet will write about tonight?

How do you know what I write,
we are going to have a fight,
but this subject is one I like,
cost of busing has faced a hike.

subject not as simple as all make out,
as transport must be available to get about,
free taxis are not the solution,
they give off far too much polution.

we need to ween off the seccond car,
and move people cheaply to afar,
average subsidy on the bill,
is £60 per person, that could kill,

buses are here to stay,
and we must do all to make them pay,
Taxibus offers a cheap way to provide,
moving small amounts from villages where people reside.

the bus provided must meet a need,
an 18 seater travelling empty is greed,
research has found in every case,
a bus travelling empty is a waste,

if we find a bus just the right size,
collects more patronage, as they arise,
dedicated drivers help the case,
to build the patronage from low base,

as we succeade in our quest,
we may find a bigger bus will be best
though experimiments have shown,
a bigger bus has let patronage go down,

The smaller the bus, versitility is more,
to attract the passengers to the core,
They can stopp anywhere, just read the law,
if desired stopping outside the door.

Germany car ownership is higher than ours,
yet they use public transport more than us,
we must use our cars much less,
for theres no provision it causes a mess.

weve got to create a ballance thats true,
so youll leave the car, we need a bus for you,
it must be relevant to your need,
or you will use the car a fact indeed,

Toms solution actualy works,
his county council acted like birks
his theory on free taxis was so wrong,
in practice he overlooked the paying throng,

We shouldnt fear building the transport mix
without it congestion we are in a fix
its expensive until usage rises to the top,
for that to happen car usage must drop.

we cannot go on as we are,
were spending to much time in the car,
the polution is killing so is the stress,
good public transport is the best.

Paddington Bill.

_________________
Come and go as you will,
but Do so with Paddington Bill

So, no interest in IGT then eh?

_________________
There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.