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PostPosted: Sat Mar 04, 2017 10:30 am 
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Hi,

We are merging three taxi companies in the next couple of months and want to get a taxi dispatch system that will be suitable. The new company will have around 120 cars.

Currently two of the companies are using DataMaster but we want a fresh start and are looking at other systems that seem to have more features.

The main issue for us is dispatching work fairly to drivers as merging three taxi companies that have been family run could have complications. The drivers are used to getting a certain level of work that would need to be maintained. Is there a system that we could use to set limits for drivers e.g. we could set the revenue per driver at say £15 per hour and the system dispatches work accordingly.

We don't want to be in a situation where certain drivers are earning £25 to £30 per hour and others are only earning £10 to £15 per hour in the infancy of the new company.

Also the new entity will have around 20 company owned vehicles, is it possible to have a system that would automatically give preferential work to the drivers of these vehicles.

Basically we need a system that would allow us to configure settings for each driver if that is a possibility.

Any help to decide would be appreciated.


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PostPosted: Sat Mar 04, 2017 12:27 pm 
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Midcabs wrote:

We don't want to be in a situation where certain drivers are earning £25 to £30 per hour and others are only earning £10 to £15 per hour in the infancy of the new company.

Also the new entity will have around 20 company owned vehicles, is it possible to have a system that would automatically give preferential work to the drivers of these vehicles.


Don't these 2 sentences contradict each other?

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PostPosted: Sat Mar 04, 2017 12:49 pm 
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Self interests are always at the fore in these examples,would not want to work alongside anyone who blatantly asks for ways to feed company cars.


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PostPosted: Sat Mar 04, 2017 2:02 pm 
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[/quote]
Don't these 2 sentences contradict each other?[/quote]

Not at all, the first sentence relates to owner drivers and second relates to company owned vehicles and drivers


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PostPosted: Sat Mar 04, 2017 2:11 pm 
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heathcote wrote:
Self interests are always at the fore in these examples,would not want to work alongside anyone who blatantly asks for ways to feed company cars.


Thanks for the input, we were expecting this kind of response from some but we are a business and the interests of shareholders always come first. What business does not have their self interests at the fore?

Also in order to compete with other taxi companies we will need to invest in technology, staff, vehicles and marketing, which costs a lot of money so most of the profits that the company generates would need to go back in to improving the company. Would you rather us not invest and lose market share as a result of this?

If anyone wants to help in our decision on the system, please comment. We would rather not hear from those who want to discuss our ethics or morals instead.


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PostPosted: Sat Mar 04, 2017 7:12 pm 
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So what you really want is a bent system ?


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PostPosted: Sat Mar 04, 2017 7:28 pm 
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x-ray wrote:
So what you really want is a bent system ?


I wouldn't use that term but do you have a recommendation or did you just want to make that unnecessary point?


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PostPosted: Sat Mar 04, 2017 7:48 pm 
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Your business model is doomed for failure.

If you do not treat everyone as equals you will not survive as you will lose drivers who are your core assets.


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PostPosted: Sat Mar 04, 2017 7:52 pm 
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Look, as far as I am aware all systems are designed to dish the work out as fairly as possible. The only way that this can be changed is by dispatcher/management interference.

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PostPosted: Sat Mar 04, 2017 8:23 pm 
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Midcabs wrote:
x-ray wrote:
So what you really want is a bent system ?


I wouldn't use that term but do you have a recommendation or did you just want to make that unnecessary point?


You may not use that term but that is what you are asking for. A system that 'bends' jobs in to certain drivers. I don't believe a such system exists. (At least if the systems is left on Automatic that is)


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PostPosted: Sat Mar 04, 2017 8:56 pm 
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Location: 1066 Country
Midcabs wrote:
We are merging three taxi companies in the next couple of months and want to get a taxi dispatch system that will be suitable. The new company will have around 120 cars.

Autocab will allow you to run the three firms separately, in respect of dispatch, yet share any outstanding work, and share all the account and admin stuff.

But if you want to prioritise drivers, best use pen and paper.

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PostPosted: Sat Mar 04, 2017 9:56 pm 
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Uber is doing a pretty good job of making sure that work is split so that some drivers do not earn £££££s while others just earn ££s so saying that we should stick to pen and paper is rather silly. There seem to be a lot of drivers commenting here who should stop preaching as the post was not aimed at you. We are not doomed for failure as we will be the biggest firm in the area after the merger. The drivers are the main asset, there is no disputing that fact.


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PostPosted: Sun Mar 05, 2017 2:19 pm 
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Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2016 7:08 am
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Location: Chorley
I doubt you are going to get what you are looking for but then again, I don't have in depth knowledge of other systems. All I can recommend, from an experienced viewpoint, is that if you go the Autocab way then you will certainly live to regret it. Please do not put your life's work in their hands! Call us at Cooper's Taxis, Chorley if you need any more info on that. We have recently gone live with Datamaster, as you know they are a caring and dedicated team and their system just keeps getting better. They will go the extra mile to give you a method of working that is within possibility. Good luck with your new merger.


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PostPosted: Sun Mar 05, 2017 2:31 pm 
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Location: Chorley
Btw, any system will permit you to create a job type, ie 'company car' . Then all jobs booked with the tag company car will ensure that those designated jobs will only reach company cars. As with other responses here though, ide be very wary of upsetting your owner drivers. We found that owner drivers give give higher levels of customer service than company drivers. To the extent that we eventually eradicated all company drivers in favour of 100% owner drivers.


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PostPosted: Mon Mar 06, 2017 12:27 am 
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Location: Warrington Cheshire
There's a very good reason why all the dispatch programs work this way and it's certainly not because it can't be done any differently. We like all the other software providers see a much bigger overall picture of the working methods in the taxi industry. We see what works well and what doesn't and I can say without a shadow of doubt that companies that attempt to balance driver earnings are always less successful. This is not an opinion, it's a fact!

Using auto-dispatch, the law of averages say's that over a period of time, all your drivers should earn pretty much the same but if they don't then you need to look towards the driver rather than question the laws of physics. Also you need to bear in mind that if you're going to try to ensure that your best driver only earns the same as your worst then there's little point in anyone making any real effort for themselves or for your company.

If your plans are to expand then trust me, you need to adopt the same methods and techniques used by the larger successful companies who's focus is customer service.

Bill


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