installing taxicards in subsidized taxi programs
TRANSCRIPT
Using Taxi Cards in Subsidized Taxi Programs What role should new technology play in the context of the ailing taxi industry?
A Presentation by Terra Curtis
September 27, 2016
International Conference on Demand-Responsive Transportation
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How Taxi Vouchers Work from a Cash Flow Perspective
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Taxi Cards: A Better Way?
Replace paper with digital solution
Like a bank debit card – Put money in an account – Charge taxi rides
Used for ADA supplemental taxi
subsidy programs in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and other cities
Source: SFCTA
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Benefits
Customers – No more paper to carry – Opportunity to reload value online – Nothing to print, mail, or keep safe
Drivers – Easier payment processing
Companies – Simpler invoicing
Cities – Fraud protection and automated trip validation – Real-time record of trips – Flexibility to change program rules – Cooperation among cities
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Alameda County City-Based Taxi Subsidy Programs
CASE STUDY
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Available Products & Vendors
MJM Innovations CabConnect
Pre-Paid Debit Cards
Swipe technology
Integration with PSP units (and meters)
Vendor-provided hardware
Vendor hardware integration with meter
Real-time Trip Data
Integration with Eligibility Database
Flywheel Integration
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N/A
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Available Products & Vendors
Flywheel and TaxiOS – Taxi hailing mobile app and fleet management software
Source: Flywheel
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Mixed Regulatory Environment
Berkeley – All taxis required to accept scrip – Not required to accept credit cards
Fremont
– No provision related to credit cards
Hayward – Recent revisions require credit card
acceptance and centralized radio dispatch
Oakland – Required to accept credit cards – Potentially will require trip data tracking – Fleets with more than five vehicles
required to have radio dispatch
Region – Clipper Card Updates, East
Bay Paratransit fare payment
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Taxi Market Considerations
None of the taxi companies have payment devices compatible with either vendor’s debit card products
Facing challenges attracting/retaining drivers Lost business due to competition from TNCs Limited wheelchair accessibility
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Benefits and Costs
Estimated Annual Implementation Costs
Potential Annual Cost Savings
MJM: $128,434
CabConnect + Flywheel:
$65,074
$64,150
Costs and savings estimated over a 5-year period for both systems implemented in Hayward, Oakland, and Fremont
Cost savings include reductions to printing/mailing and reduction to program misuse
Outreach/communications costs not included (will remain the same)
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What’s happening now?
What is the role of technology in the context of the ailing taxi industry?
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Marin’s Paperless Voucher System
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Available Products & Vendors
MJM – Debit card – Payment processing hardware
CabConnect
– Debit card – Payment processing hardware
smartphones (partnership with Flywheel)
– Used in San Francisco Source: MJM Innovations
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Taxi Market Considerations
Berkeley – All taxis permitted in
Berkeley required to accept scrip
– Five taxi companies service majority of trips, but many owner/operator companies
Fremont – One contracted provider – Non-accessible, use mobile
payment app
Hayward – One contracted provider with
multiple business arms – Enterprising owner, willing to
work with programs but payment hardware not connected to meter, GPS
Oakland – Two contracted providers,
using mobile payment app
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