Tan Kin Lian's Blog: Taxi Automated Booking System (TABS)

Sunday, July 04, 2010

Taxi Automated Booking System (TABS) - Simulation

I have developed a taxi automated booking system (TABS). It is now being runned in simulation mode. A taxi company is likely to use this system with a fleet of 600 taxis. The simulation will reflect the real life situation quite closely. The booking fee is cheaper than the normal booking service.

A customer who wish to book a taxi will send a SMS to the server. You can try this service by sending a SMS as follows:
- Starhub mobile: Send "CAB " to 82028866
- M1 and Singtel Mobile: Send "CAB pppppp " to 82028866
Note: pppppp is the postal code of your location (not required for Starhub customers).

If a taxi is available within 2 km of your location, you will receive a SMS to call the mobile phone of the taxi driver. If no taxi is available, a SMS will be sent to you, saying that you have been placed in the taxi queue.
Please join this trial. During the simulation run, you will get a simulated mobile phone number (i.e. not a real number) of the taxi.

PRIZE: I will be giving a Tangram book to one person, picked at random, from those who participated in the trial for each of the next three days. Good luck.

Tan Kin Lian

17 comments:

Anonymous said...: Hi Mr Tan
If the passenger accidentaly left his/her valuables in the taxi, who do we call?; July 02, 2010 8:11 AM
Anonymous said...: Mr TKL
I tried it. It is quite fast. When will this service start? I like to try it for real!; July 02, 2010 8:30 AM
Tan Kin Lian said...: Reply to 8:11 am
you can call the taxi driver as you already have his mobile phone number! You can also call the taxi compnay but it is likely to take a much longer time.; July 02, 2010 8:41 AM
Anonymous said...: Reply to 8:41am
This is great! No more figuring out who is the driver of the taxi which you left the valuables in. If you lost something you can contact the taxi driver immediately.. unless you lost your handphone.; July 02, 2010 11:32 AM
Tan Kin Lian said...: Several people have tried the system already. The response is quite fast - they get a simulated taxi immediately.

I have now increased the customer load in the simulation, to simulate 25 requests every minute, in addition to the request submitted by real people.

The server is able to handle the load comfortably.

For the simulated taxis, I have assumed that each taxi takes 20 mins for a trip and will only be available after 20 minutes (from the last booking). This should be quite realistic.; July 02, 2010 12:46 PM
Tan Kin Lian said...: About 10 people took part in the trial today. The chance of winning my Tangram book prize is quite good. The prize is available for the next two days!; July 02, 2010 5:24 PM
Anonymous said...: Mr Tan, its a great system. I have one concern though.

I may not know the postal code of the location that I am in.

Example: If I am at Lim Chu Kang near the Police Academy, I would not know the postal code.

Example: I am along River valley road near Delta Sports Complex.. I do not know the postal code.

Hope there is a solution to this.
Otherwise I have to ask people or remember postal codes.. other people may not give reliable information. How about bus stop numbers?; July 02, 2010 10:38 PM
Tan Kin Lian said...: Reply to 10:38 PM

You can ask someone to tell you the postal code of the place that you are at. If they live or work there, they can tell you. It is also on their businss card.

If you have a Starhub mobilephone, you do not need to send the postal code.

I am now working with M1 to offer this same facility to their customers. I am also willing to work with Singtel, if they are interseted.

Later, I will work with the apps provider to allow a request to be sent by a smart phone with GPS factility. There is no need to send the postal code.; July 03, 2010 6:35 AM
Tan Kin Lian said...: Reply to 10:38 PM
Your suggestio of bus stop number is Excellent. I will build it into the TABS system.; July 03, 2010 6:37 AM
Anonymous said...: I am glad to have been helpful, Mr Tan.. ( bus stop numbers ).
Have a great weekend!!; July 03, 2010 11:31 AM
Anonymous said...: Just tried it a while ago. The SMS reply is very fast, within 30 seconds. Impressive ! It will definitely save us a lots of time comparing present way of booking via telephone. Why can't the rest of us think of this cheap, better and faster way ....; July 03, 2010 12:39 PM
Tan Kin Lian said...: Reply to 12:39 pm
thanks for your feedback.
please pass the word around and get more people to try it.
they also have the chance to win the tangram book prize.; July 03, 2010 1:33 PM
Tan Kin Lian said...: Reply to 8:30 am
I hope to start the service by 1 August, after the GPS is installed on 300 taxis (first stage) before expanding to 600 taxis.
Please ask your friends to try.
Please spread the word through Facebook, twitter.; July 03, 2010 1:35 PM
akio said...: Great idea! If the taxi drivers can register directly with your company, it will bypass the booking systems of the various taxi companies, thereby lower booking fees, it has a potential good business model.; July 03, 2010 9:51 PM
SnOOpy168 said...: nice idea and hopefully that we don't have to face those rediculous taxi surcharges for using this sytem.

In HK, were it is a lot more crowded and has a lower taxis per capita, I get a 15-20% for calling taxi. Only thing to this is that the fare has to be above HK$50 / S$8.; July 04, 2010 1:57 AM
Anonymous said...: I have tried it, its fantastic.; July 04, 2010 7:45 AM
boon wee said...: i've tried it; cool! come to think that we've been using the primitive cab booking method for so long (though IT is already so advance in sg) thanks for your great idea Mr Tan cheers; July 05, 2010 1:00 PM