It depends upon the way the actual "VEHICLE" is licensed Stewart. Look at the legislation.
If the vehicle is licensed as a Hackney Carriage, then even if called by phone, it is still not the same as a true private hire. A Hackney Carriage is not required by law to keep individual details of its hirings, irrespective of the way these hirings came about.
On the other hand, a vehicle licensed as Private Hire IS required to operate to a pre-booked specification. Ie. A contract between the Hirer and the Hiree.
Furthermore, Local Authorities have powers to decree what records are kept for a PH car, and in some areas, these are very prescriptive, such as Thurrock, London, etc. In some areas however, Councils do not set such stringent record keeping requirements.
In summary, you should be OK with all Hacks, as the autobook job is just a 21st Century "Flag or Hail". But for PH its down to pleasing the local Council.
Hows about, for all PH autobook customers, set up a standard contract terms and conditions direct with the customer (thus complying with the national legislative "pre-booked" aspect), and then have each job initially booked as a flat minimum rate job to a specific point, which the customer then "chooses to change" when boarding.
Better still, have Jason sort it so that the customer can type their destination into their phone - it is simply sending a text message to the computer that contains all the required booking details.
PS. If you want to use our new system as a test bed, feel free. Then, while you are at it, you could get Jason working on our "Next available cab will be XX minutes at your destination" text message that our booking system sends back to the customer...
while, simultaneously, the computer is sorting Jason's algorythms to see which taxibus' passengers itineraries are closest to a vehicle currently on the road, while despatching that said vehicle to the pickup point, while simultaneously calculating each individual pasnegers fares, while simultaneously updating the fares collected database and working out what the driver has to pay in when he finishes his shift while simultaneously rolling a cigarette for Peter, pouring a coffee for Jason (he doesnt have time to do this for himself), and simultaneously working out what extra discount you will offer us for prototype work on he system we are just about to buy.
(PS, while simultaneously sending a signal to the telematics panel at the next bus stop, telling the passengers waiting there, why their taxibus is late because it is diverting off route to pick up another passenger who couldnt be bothered to walk to the bus stop).
(PPS. While simultaneously telling me what commission you might pay me, for developing and proving in full scale operation, the worlds first such comprehensive Taxi come TaxiBus system in existance.)
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when we know sort out where the punter is going i can key in an area code that gets sent back to the office computer.
