Taxi meter

Terrontress

Given the gps technology, it would be possible to have a taxi meter which notes the starting point and finishing point and could ascertain the correct distance and give the price accordingly.

This would have the benefit of not having to attach anything to the wheel of the car and would not need regular calibration. On the customer side, you could not be taken the 'long way round' as it would measure point to point distances on the roads stored in it.

Would this have any merit?

Random

taxi drivers would lose out in traffic etc.

Terrontress

Passengers would not lose out in traffic etc?

Or the difference could be halved.

GPS can react to traffic now anyway.

Random

depends how it would be implemented i guess.

Victor

Random wrote: »

taxi drivers would lose out in traffic etc.

Not necessarily, it could still be time based for low speeds.

Or do you mean drivers taking the long way around to get somewhere quicker?

2qk4u

What happens when you loose GPS coverage ?
Whats wrong with the current system ?
If you think you are going the long way around there is a system in place to deal with that.
If you mean that the fair is calculated as the crow flies that will never work, what about diversions ect ?
Why do people think they shouldnt pay for the actual taxi journey ? gps, discounts, paranoia ect, cop on.

Terrontress

I'm just trying to come up with the iPhone app that will make me my millions.

As it stands, you can put two locations in Dublin into Google Maps and it will know the best route between them and the distance. A GPS device can pinpoint your location to a couple of meters.

So why do we need to wire up car wheels and calibrate meters etc? As long as it were properly tested a GPS device with a button to start and finish a journey would do the job with no complications.

I have GPS on my phone and it can report traffic back even.

It might not be a runner immediately but I reckon it will happen eventually.

Random

Victor wrote: »

Not necessarily, it could still be time based for low speeds.

Or do you mean drivers taking the long way around to get somewhere quicker?

never mind, gps could still track time too. just never mind me.

Brian_83

Terrontress,

GPS in mobile phones and any other devices available to the public is just not accurate enough for such job. Their accuracy is only to about 50m and that's when you have a good signal. They will also most definitely loose signal in places like port tunnel, meaning we'll need a better and more accurate technology to replace the good old taxi meters.

ardmacha

They will also most definitely loose signal in places like port tunnel, meaning we'll need a better and more accurate technology to replace the good old taxi meters.

Most people's destinations are not within tunnels, so they come out of the blackout at some stage.
An iPhone app that could calculate fares according to all international systems, would give people some confidence. If the meter was near enough then no problem, if it is different time to ask why.

mikemac

Brian_83 wrote: »

They will also most definitely loose signal in places like port tunnel,

Terrontress wrote: »

I'm just trying to come up with the iPhone app that will make me my millions.

As it stands, you can put two locations in Dublin into Google Maps and it will know the best route between them and the distance.

Seems this app is going to be for Dublin only, booooooo

Anyway, such a site already exists, it's pretty accurate
http://www.worldtaximeter.com/

Mimikyu

This post has been deleted.

Brian_83

Terrontress,

There's already an app there called Irish Taxi which does most of what you're talking about. I've used it few times in the past and it's reasonably accurate when giving the price. One thing that's missing for me in it is a map feature to see the route it has chosen.

arybvtcw0eolkf

A taxi receipt already records the time/date the journey started & ended, and the distance traveled.

If you want to quiry that it also contains the taxi reg. & plate number.

Non issue really.