Taxi equipment or taxi equipment supplies: what will be required to equip the company

Are you thinking about starting a taxi business and calculating the expected costs? In this article we will look at what specific taxi equipment you will need. Taxi equipment supplies can be divided into several types based on its location and functionality:

• taxi dispatching equipment;
• equipment for taxi drivers;
• equipment for taxi vehicles (cabs).

The coherence of all processes depends on properly selected equipment. The equipment helps both drivers and dispatchers in their work, it allows them to organize work and provide the necessary level of service for your customers.

Perhaps the most important thing in the work of a modern taxi company is a software package that contains data on trips and, with the help of various software products, connects all those involved in providing services: drivers, dispatchers and customers. The software package allows you to serve customers quickly and at the proper level, accept payments online, as well as store the history of orders and work with the database.

Taxi cab equipment, generally refers:

1. Portable taximeter is a device that is mounted in the car, allows you to measure the distance and on this basis to calculate the cost of the trip. However, it is not necessary to install this device, as taximeters are now often built into the mobile app for drivers.
2. Radio used to be a popular way of communication between the dispatch center and the driver. Some companies still use them, but progress is not standing still, now there are more functional solutions.
3. Equipment that come in handy in an emergency situation, for example, in the case of an accident.
4. Various accessories that allow the customer to identify the car as a taxi from afar.

Let's talk about each item in more detail.

Some taxi companies use portable taximeters in their work. When programming such a taximeter, the cost per kilometre is set and it is also possible to set the fare for boarding. Some models can support multiple tariffs, including per-kilometre and hourly tariffs, as well as downtime charges and automatic changeover from daytime to night-time tariffs and vice versa.

A more modern and automated solution is a taximeter, which is built into the mobile app. For example, the Taxi Master app is not just a taximeter, but a comprehensive solution that allows the business owner to increase profits by:

• encouraging drivers to work harder and better,
• optimizing the staff, as orders are distributed automatically without a dispatcher,
• making interaction between the driver and the company more transparent, easier and more efficient.

Taxi radio equipment is used by some companies so that the dispatcher can contact the driver. However, this method is a thing of the past. On average, a radio-based service is several times slower in processing orders.

It can take up to 10 minutes for an operator who searches for a driver by radio to find a vehicle on order. At the same time, in companies that use our taxi software package, the dispatcher processes the order in a couple of minutes: the program automatically opens the customer's card, the operator quickly adds the missing data and the program offers the order to the free driver who is closest to the customer. The customer receives an SMS with information about the car and the driver, as well as the waiting time of the car.

Taxi car accessories help the customer to quickly spot the right car, and thus save time for both the customer and your staff. To make cars stand out, you will need to buy taxi roof checkers and car stickers. You can design and print vinyl stickers in the corporate identity of your taxi company.

Equip your vehicles with taxi safety equipment ― a kit that will come in handy in case of an emergency. This usually includes a first aid kit, fire extinguisher, reflective vest, warning triangle, flashlight, tire repair kit, tow rope. Of course, it would be better if none of this is needed. But one should not ignore the purchase of such a kit if you do not want to risk the safety of your employees and customers.

To organize the work of the dispatch center, you will need taxi dispatch equipment, namely:

1. Taxi dispatch software
2. The server
3. Router for stable internet connection
4. GSM gateway and VoIP gateway
5. Uninterruptible power supply
6. Computer, monitor, mouse, keyboard and headse

These can be of two types: cloud-based or installed on your computer.

In the first case, the data is stored on the provider's server, you pay a monthly fee and access the data via any web browser. The downside is that the provider usually gets rid of the database when service stops or if payment is not made on time. Also, most cloud solutions on the market have limited integration with external systems: payment gateways, order exchangers, maps for a more detailed display of the area.

In the second case, you install the system on your computer. It can be purchased or rented. Server systems allow you to manage databases, since the data is stored on the computer in the dispatch center. Server systems are also more flexible in terms of integration with external systems.

The Taxi Master taxi software is solution designed to meet the needs of the taxi industry. It allows you to integrate an application for passengers, a driver application and a program for dispatchers into a working system, use maximum communication channels and offer customers high-quality service with the option of cashless payment.

The server is a powerful computer on which the program will be installed. Make sure your computer has good RAM (6-8 GB), a dual-core processor, and a high-capacity hard drive (at least 500 GB). These specifications are suitable for serving up to 1,000 orders per day.

A two-hour internet blackout puts you at risk of losing up to 50 customers. So do not skimp and buy a good Internet router, because the modem is not so reliable, and also a quality router to connect all the servers and computers in your dispatch center into one local network. And make sure in advance that there are two Internet connection channels from different providers ― this may come in handy in case of a network failure.

They are needed to record conversations and calls, as well as to be able to interact with telephony ― to convert a telephone signal into a digital one, thus integrating the work of the entire dispatch center into one well-functioning system.

This will save your company in the event of a power outage: no data will be lost, and your equipment will not fail.

In order for your operators to be effective, provide them with comfortable conditions: buy a good headset, so that the operator can communicate without interference, and quality monitors so the eyes of the dispatcher are not tired during their shift. A good laptop will cost more than a simple office computer, so the second option is preferable.

The most important part is taxi driver equipment. It is a handy mobile app for drivers to manage their orders.In the Taxi Master application for drivers they can:

• start their shift with a photo of the car exterior and don't waste time driving to the office,
• automatically receive orders and respond to them in one click,
• see the distance from the customer,
• choose the best route,
• use a priority system that encourages them to work during rush hours and on weekends,
• see their rating and strive to improve the quality of work,
• pay for a shift online without visiting the office.

The app is easy to install on any smartphone and easy to use.

We also recommend that you include taxi driver accessories in your expenses.These accessories help drivers to keep their vehicles clean and therefore maintain a high level of service.

1. Car mats
2. Capes or seat covers
3. Interior stickers
   

Drivers will also appreciate it if you buy handy smartphone holders for them.

For regions that experience heavy rainfall, 'honeycomb' mats are most suitable. They retain large quantities of liquid and dust from footwear in its cells, resulting in less soiling of the interior.

They will help to preserve the appearance of the chairs longer, protect them from abrasion and other damages.

For example, stickers prohibiting eating and drinking in the car.

Let's see how much it costs to set up a dispatch office with one complete workplace.

One workplace setup costs around 790 €. Additional workplaces in the dispatch office only require cable laying and router configuration.

You can buy the software package here. Dispatch center equipment can be purchased at specialized computer stores or online stores, and taxi safety equipment and special accessories can be found on Amazon and Ebay.