Taxi fare calculator application

Create a mobile phone app which people can use to verify their taxi fares.  

Option 1: Allow people to enter two postcodes and determine what the basic taxi fare should be, not including charges for waiting time.  Make it clear in the application that this does not include waiting time.

Option 2: Have people click at the start of their journey, when they get into the taxi and click again at the end of their journey.  Use the official algorithm for calculating taxi fares and the GPS information from the phone to determine what the fare should be, within some range.  Perhaps users could enter what the actual fare charged and number of people in the taxi was at the end of the journey, so real data can be calculated over time to determine how good the estimating is and see the distribution of real fares.

If there is a significant discrepancy, could have an interface which reports the taxi driver's information direct to the council.  Take a photo of the driver's badge with the travel information, how much was charged, and submit?

(Perhaps this could be a school project or competition for young developers in our city...)

Why the contribution is important

Crowdsource enforcement of taxi charging rules.

Empower taxi passengers with the information about what should be the fare for a journey.

Collect data about taxi journeys.  Understand where many of the taxi journeys happen to help with travel planning.

by user419622 on December 07, 2013 at 10:55PM

Current Rating

Average rating: 3.7
Based on: 8 votes

Comments

  • Posted by user338616 December 09, 2013 at 15:10

    Nice idea,but this will only allow people who can afford an iphone or simliar to benefit

  • Posted by user419622 December 09, 2013 at 21:40

    Well, actually, it could benefit everyone, but in different ways:

    As of this year, 72% of 16 - 64 year olds in the UK own a smart phone (Deloitte). So, they could see direct benefit from the app of course.

    Everyone may benefit indirectly, however, from wider enforcement of correct taxi fares and calling out when metering isn't accurate. That is, the crowdsourced enforcement could benefit a wider group than just the app users.

    The application could help tourists arriving to our city too.

  • Posted by user815952 January 03, 2014 at 20:20

    Brilliant idea.

  • Posted by user815952 January 03, 2014 at 20:22

    Although, it doesn't just need to be an Iphone app, but could be available on an official website too for calculating what the fare should have been vs what fare was charged, etc.
    And, yes, a brilliant idea for a school project.
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