The Council of Ministers has approved the introduction of the Central Taxi Transport Database (CDT), a digital registration system that will replace the existing, outdated taxi on-board computer (BCT).
This new system should not only ensure more efficient data collection, but also contribute to a safer and more transparent taxi market. The BCT, which is currently still in use, requires drivers to physically store their trip data and have it read out periodically. Research has shown that this method is inefficient and outdated.
State Secretary Jansen of Infrastructure and Water Management has therefore proposed a change in the law that will pave the way for the new, fully automated system. In this system, journey data will be registered directly and digitally, making it easier for the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) to check whether drivers are adhering to working and rest times.
The switch to digital registration should not only reduce the administrative burden for drivers, but also better tackle fraud and abuses in the taxi industry. “A fair taxi market is in everyone’s interest. This system helps us to detect violations faster and offers more transparency,” according to a spokesperson for the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.
privacy issues
Before the bill was finally approved by the Council of Ministers, it was examined by the Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP). The AP initially expressed to care about protecting the privacy of both drivers and passengers. In the original proposal, the GPS coordinates of both the departure and end points of the journey would be stored, something that, according to the privacy watchdog, entailed risks.
“With the right linking of data sources, the end point of a journey can expose sensitive information, for example about the home address of a passenger or the location of a business meeting,” explained a spokesperson for the AP. “It was therefore necessary to make adjustments to this to prevent abuse.”
Now that the Council of Ministers has given its approval, the draft decision will be submitted to the Council of State for final advice.
Based on this criticism, the ILT has implemented changes. For example, in the new setup, the end point is no longer registered, but only the starting location of the taxi and the distance traveled. The legal retention period of the data has also been laid down more explicitly and limited to a maximum of two years.
implementation as of July 1, 2025
The cabinet's approval did not come out of the blue. Before the green light was given, extensive technical efforts were made by ILT. A special project group carried out extensive tests, involving ICT service providers such as Euphoria (Cabman), Censys BV (Pitane Mobility) and Noot Personenvervoer (Quipment). The first practice test, in which the new system was tested in collaboration with these taxi software companies, provided valuable insights.
Based on this evaluation, a second practical test was started at the end of last year, in which Neone also successfully participated. This second test, which will run until the end of March, must definitively demonstrate that the system is reliable, efficient and user-friendly.
“It was crucial to not only develop a theoretically working system, but also to prove in practice that this is the best solution for both drivers and supervisors,” said an ILT official.
If no major obstacles arise, the new registration system will come into effect on 1 July 2025. This means that taxi drivers and companies have the coming months to prepare for the transition to the digital system.
For many drivers this means an adjustment in their working methods, but the government promises that the transition will be gradual. "We will inform taxi entrepreneurs well about what is changing and guide them through the implementation," said a spokesperson for the ministry.
It is expected that in the long term the new system will not only save time and money for drivers, but will also contribute to a more reliable taxi market in which the rules are better observed.
