Taxi
Onboard computer
Onboard computer
With the cooperation of the taxi sector and consumer organisations the Transport and Water Management Inspectorate is developing an onboard computer for taxis. This onboard computer was announced in the ‘Wet Personenvervoer 2000’ legislation and is expected to be made mandatory for all taxis in the second quarter of 2008.
The onboard computer taxi must ensure that a number of aspects of taxi transport are improved, such as:
Improving equal competition
At the present moment in time it is not possible to enforce all parties in the same complete and consistent manner. This leads to a number of entrepreneurs spoiling the market for the others. By means of better and more complete enforcement this will become be less of an issue.
Reducing administrative burden for taxi entrepreneur
The taxi entrepreneurs will be able to obtain trustworthy information from the onboard computer for use in their administration, reducing the need for an extensive paper trail. Furthermore enforcement can be focused at the bottom of the market. This leaves entrepreneurs who have demonstrated having a good administration with less of an enforcement burden.
Widened and improved enforcement
Through the introduction of the onboard computer enforcement agencies will be in a better position to determine if everyone abides by the rules. Also personnel of different government agencies will be able to exchange data more efficiently, thus improving the efficiency of enforcement.
Increased comprehension of the safety of taxi transportation
With a more efficient enforcement of the driving and resting times comes a better understanding on the number of drivers remaining behind the wheel for too long. This will lead to a better comprehension of the safety of taxi transportation.
Improved transparency for the customer upon payment
The customer will obtain a receipt with detailed information on price and distance. This will provide the customer with insight in the manner in which the price is derived. Furthermore information on the taxi company will be shown on the receipt, along with the complaints telephone number.
In September 2007 a letter was sent to the House of Representatives in which the House was informed on the state of progress of the implementation of the onboard computer in taxis. The letter, which is only available in Dutch, can be downloaded below.
