TOA Taxis invests more than £300,000 in despatch system

TOA Taxis in Birmingham has installed a state of the art booking and despatch system provided by Cordic, at a cost of more than £300,000.

The move has allowed TOA to be the first cab firm in Birmingham to launch an iPhone booker app.

The new system enables a variety of booking methods including the IVR (interactive voice response) system through which customers can book jobs without needing to speak to an operator, as well as keep track of the booking.

Other booking methods include the online web booker, the text booker and the kiosk booker which can be installed in hotels, clubs, airports and railway stations.

With the iPhone booker app customers can book, track and pay for a taxi with their iPhone using the TOA Taxis App to be launched in the coming months.

In-vehicle software will ensure that when a job is booked the closest available vehicle is engaged, reducing dead mileage, fuel costs and also CO2 emissions, making the whole fleet operation greener, more efficient and more customer friendly.

The firm’s chairman Manwar Hussain said: “At TOA Taxis we are keen to use new methods to ensure we provide the most up-to-date service.

“The new Cordic system brings massive improvements on virtually all areas of our previous system, allowing for an efficient use of our resources and utilising smartphone technology and the latest payment and booking methods.”

TOA Taxis was formed in 1961 with around 25 cabs. The firm now boasts 400 vehicles.

Cambridge-based Cordic Ltd develops and markets state-of-the-art fleet management solutions including mobile data despatch systems targeted at the taxi, private hire and courier service sectors.