Source: www.streetdirectory.com
If you have been living in Dubai for quite some time now, you would definitely agree that getting a taxi is a nightmare. During busy hours, waiting for an empty cab to pass by would take you not less than 30 minutes. You might think that when a cab stops to pick you up, you thought that you were the only one waiting for it, think again.
Even before you approach the vehicle, at least five people will immediately rush to the cab. And it does not even mean that one of you can already ride the vehicle. Knowing that taxis are really scarce during peak hours, the driver will automatically lock the doors preventing anybody to jump in. He will then negotiate with the potential passengers in terms of destination. If your destination is known for heavy traffic, the driver will then immediately move on to the next passenger. Although this practice is not allowed, commuters really do not have a choice.
Fortunately, thanks to Dubai Taxi’s advance GPS Dispatch and Fleet Management System, commuters can just call a toll free number (+971 600 543 322) to order for a taxi. Due to the huge call volume, the hold time will take about five minutes or less. A customer representative will then obtain your identification such as name and mobile number, plus your exact location or the site where you want the taxi to pick you up. With the help of its
Fleet Management System, the operator can easily dispatch an order to the nearest available cab. Cabs not accepting the order will be fined, thus drivers can never refuse a passenger no matter where his or her destination is. One more advantage in calling the toll free number and with the advance Fleet Management System is that your name is registered in the GPS/ Meter of the taxi, hence, the cab is intended only for you and no one can get it even if a swarm of passengers will rush to your cab when it stops.
Currently, there are around three thousand taxi vehicles in Dubai owned by several operators. And because of the sophisticated GPS Dispatch and Fleet Management System employed by Dubai’s Road Transport Authority (RTA), orders can easily be sent to any of the operators. You do not need to call separately each cab operator just to check for availability since every taxi vehicle, regardless of company, is integrated into one Fleet Management System.
When Dubai started with its taxi service in 1995, there were only around one hundred cabs and a sophisticated Fleet Management System was still not in place. At the time, a simple voice radio dispatch system was utilized. Now, since it has grown to more than 3,000%, an effective Fleet Management System is definitely not an option but a requirement to have a sustainable business. This Fleet Management System not only enhances the efficiency of Dubai Taxi’s operation but also improves customer satisfaction which is a very important factor in business continuity.
From a point of view of a passenger, the Fleet Management System employed by the transport authority is maybe unknown to him or her; however, its advantages and effects are definitely felt and well appreciated.
