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Hi,

I was looking for some thoughts on a website I have been designing.

It was first proposed to me by a local Taxi driver friend who knew I do websites and software and asked me if I could write a system to give taxi quotations.

He says that his local taxi company didn't have a proper, easy and quick system to give quotations out to people who phone in. He says that the operators end up putting a call out over the radio asking drivers how much they thought it would be for the fare.

So, I went away and wrote a demo system for him to have a look at.

It's quite simple how it works although it does use some quite modern and complicated route mapping software.

The route distances are calculated by the route mapping software and then the distances are then converted into cost based on the local borough taxi rates. It allows for address to address routes. Well known place to well know place routes and multidrop. It also takes into account the time of day, the vehicle and the tariff. The only thing it really can't calculate accurately is "waiting time" in traffic.

So, my questions is....

Is this a good idea? Would you, the taxi industry, use it?

My understanding is that the company that my friend works for has just upgraded their booking software to include this functionality and they paid £8k for the upgrade. My system would cost nowhere near this.....

Thanks for any thoughts/comments in advance!

Trev

www.taxiroute.co.uk