International Taxi Seminar, Cologne, 27 October 2006

International Taxi Seminar, Cologne, 27 October 2006
Using Technology in the Taxi Sector:Tailoring Services to Customers’Needs

KölnMesse, Cologne, Germany
(Room: Kristallsaal Sektion III)

	Opening
	Peter Zander, President Europäische Taximesse "We are extremely pleased that the IRU has decided to organise the International Taxi Seminar within the framework of the Europäische Taximesse in Cologne."
	Thomas Grätz, Vice-President IRU Group “Taxis and Hire Cars with Driver” "Since the 1980s, in Germany we have had a very successful access to the profession system in place, which ensures the highly needed professional qualification in the sector. It is our opinion, that future modification of the EU regulation in this field should include Taxis and Hire Cars with Driver in the EU system."
	Introduction
	The IRU and the taxi and hire car with driver sector Marc Billiet, Deputy Head Passenger Transport, IRU "Introducing competition in the taxi and hire car with driver market cannot be successfully implemented without prior introduction of strict quality standards on access to the profession based on good repute, financial standing and professional competence."
	Taxitronic and technological evolution in the Taxi sector Francesc Anglés, Vice President, Infracom, Spain "Our latest product, the « All-in-One », encompasses a tactile screen for the driver, data terminal, credit card reader, printer, navigator, a “hands-free” set, a “push to talk” system for small GPRS messages, all this linked to GPS, GPRS and GSM systems. There is also the possibility to connect a second screen built in the back of the driver’s seat, for the customer to watch TV, videos, advertisements, and to make hotel reservations etc.”
	1st Interactive Session: "The latest technology in dispatch centres: improving client service to expand business opportunities and profitability in the taxi sector"
	Moderator: Mary Crass, Principal Administrator, European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT)
	Optimising company service and efficiency through technological innovation in dispatch centres: the case of Austria Ing. Anton Eberl, Vice-President of the Austrian Taxi Association AISÖ Vienna, Austria "Today, an incoming customer phone call is immediately forwarded through the network to the server. The server automatically searches for the optimal vehicle, according to the given criteria, and then sends an answer to the operations manager. At this moment, the latter can immediately rely on an overview of the situation – available vehicle, real time street bottlenecks, duration of the trip in minutes etc. This information is given back to the customer already during his call, whilst in the meantime, the order is sent out on the display in the taxi… The question is now to ensure that the increase in “phone/radio orders” is not accompanied by a loss in “on the street” customers."
	Seizing new business opportunities: the evolution of dispatch centres in Russia and the CIS: the case of Moscow Alexander Georgievich Vorobyev, Deputy Head of the Dept. responsible for the municipal administration of road traffic, Transport Department Moscow City Government, Russia "The Moscow Government worked together with the transport companies and the Moscow Transport Union to develop a strategy for the development of the taxi transport industry in Moscow, covering legislative, economic and city-planning measures."
	Gaining greater satisfaction and profitability through GPS and GPRS equipped dispatch centres: the case of the United States Brian McBride, Past-President, American Taxi Association TLPA, US "I firmly believe that it is essential to affiliate with a modern, technologically advanced dispatch system to provide quality service, and that quality service will deliver more customers. It is a win-win situation for the drivers, the companies and the customers."
	2nd Interactive Session: "The use of clean taxis: sustainability equals profitability"
	Moderator: Mary Crass, Principal Administrator, European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT)
	The challenges of CO2, Nox and particulate emissions in urban areas: the case of London Ian Catlow, Senior Policy Co-ordinator, Greater London Authority, UK "There are currently 20,000 black taxis in London, which are responsible for 24% of PM10 and 12% of NOx road transport emissions. The Mayor's Taxi Emissions Strategy of December 2004 aims to reduce taxi emissions by up to 37% by July 2008, when all taxis should be at least EURO 3 standard. To this effect, an environmental surcharge on all fares of 20p per journey has been introduced to help fund the changes."
	What clean vehicles and fuel technologies are available on the market? Dr. Udo Schriever, Representative Volkswagen AG, Germany "Through technological innovation, we have constantly and significantly reduced the CO2 emissions of our vehicles, whilst at the same time developing hybrid vehicles, which will be able to improve even further the ecological performance of our products."
	Turning sustainability into profitability: the case of the Nordic Countries Lennart Hamnered, President Swedish Taxi Association, STF, Sweden “Can sustainability be turned into profitability? Without any doubt “Yes”. It will not be easy though, partly due to our structure with many taxi owners that have to be persuaded of the advantages of environmental responsibility and partly because many of our customers don’t care. They just want to be driven from one place to another. This however, is changing continuously. The customers, whether they are authorities, companies or private individuals show a steadily increasing demand for environmental responsibility.”
	Conclusions
	Jean-Paul Gallé, President of the IRU Group “Taxis and Hire Cars with Driver” "Taxis and hire cars with driver will continue to play a key role in the mobility chain. They form an integral part of the public transport system in many cities. They can ensure a viable and safe alternative to the private car. They contribute to social equity. Many people such as tourists, the elderly and mobility impaired passengers depend to a very large extent on taxis and hire cars with driver for their personal mobility. We must continue to seek to cooperate with governments and local authorities in order to achieve a higher degree of recognition for our sector and to obtain a regulatory framework which will encourage our sector to pursue innovation in technology and operating practices, and to achieve sustainable development. Misguided and punitive policies should be eliminated. There is a win-win situation for authorities, operators, drivers and customers."

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