A challenge in this project is ensuring sufficient support among the dozens of involved and interested parties.
The Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) supervises taxi transport in the Netherlands. It is important that this transport is safe and that there is fair competition. The data required for the supervision of taxi transport is currently still recorded in the On-Board Computer Taxi (BCT) that must be installed in every taxi vehicle. This data concerns the vehicle, the driver, the taxi company ('carrier'), trip data and working and rest times.
Program Realization Variant BCT (RVB) has the assignment to obtain this data wirelessly and card-free. With the continuous automatic delivery of the data in the future, a taxi company will not be obliged to use a specific device (such as the BCT) or a specific app for this. The intention is that taxi operators can choose for themselves which device or app they will use to register the requested data and submit it to the ILT.
“The reason for this project is twofold. Firstly, it now costs the ILT a lot of manual work to extract and process data on working and rest times (A&R data) from the BCTs. For various reasons, things often go wrong with the reading, uploading and processing of the BCT files. This not only costs the inspector a lot of time, but also the taxi driver and entrepreneur. Secondly, the State Secretary wants to get rid of the BCT maps that are necessary to guarantee the reliability of the data. These cards have security certificates with limited validity. The periodic large-scale exchange of those cards is very expensive.”
After months of collecting information within the current working group, the project is now ready for a new phase. The ILT wants to do this by organizing a meeting, intended to inform interested parties and to come into contact with manufacturers and ICT service providers who can develop and market the necessary equipment and software. The ILT thus expects that all parties will be given the opportunity to offer a product or service, so that there is fair competition.
"We experience the talks with the ILT as very constructive. Taxi companies will soon be able to choose for themselves which device in the taxi or which app on their phone they will use to register the requested data and deliver it centrally to the ILT. The obligation for fixed boxes in the taxi This will no longer be the case. Something we have been striving for for years because it often works against innovation in the sector."
This meeting is intended to inform everyone and to get in touch with manufacturers and ICT service providers who can develop and market the necessary equipment and software. Program Manager Realization Variant BCT Henri van der Heijden attaches great importance to sufficient 'input' from the market and wants to do this by giving suppliers ample opportunity to come up with possible technical solutions. The ILT is not out to enforce a technical solution, but wants to do this in broad consultation with the sector, in order to place a solution on the market that satisfies all parties involved.
critical
Employers' association KNV is in favor of introducing a new BCT, and is therefore closely involved in the ILT project. As the KNV responsible for this project, policy advisor Ton Hokken is extremely critical and stands up for the members. Perhaps the biggest difference with the current on-board computer taxi is that the new technology is not just about the BCT. ILT has also carefully chosen the name of a Central Database Taxi Transport (CDT). Basically, the new technology is about much more than checking the driving and rest times of taxi drivers.
Unfortunately, we have to conclude that enforcement by the ILT has hardly taken place, if at all, since 2014.
In view of the experiences gained during the creation of the current BCT, KNV feels compelled to indicate what is essential to bring the project to a successful conclusion and also what their current concerns are. The introduction of the current BCT in 2014/2015 has been very disruptive and has created enormous problems and costs for the industry (both at the time of implementation and afterwards). In particular, the high level of security made the BCT and the way in which it could work complex.
During the process, additional elements also became part of the project at the time, which meant that carriers were confronted with high costs. In the end, it took much longer before the BCT was there, it became much more expensive and more complicated, and enforcement of the use of the BCT and compliance with working and rest times was very limited. It is important for both employers and employees in the sector that the registration, monitoring and enforcement of working hours and rest times take place in a correct and effective manner. Unfortunately, we have to conclude that enforcement by the ILT has hardly taken place, if at all, since 2014.
The Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) is working on this project Everything that's needed to receive and further process the A&R data online. Think of work processes, organizational design, a central database and the technical connections (interfaces) that are necessary for data exchange with taxi drivers and entrepreneurs, the registers of Kiwa, RDW and Chamber of Commerce and with the BCT Supervision Tool.
The new working method also requires the Ministry to make amendments to the law. ILT also wants to encourage ICT service providers to develop products and services that support taxi drivers and entrepreneurs in registering and supplying A&R data.
