SJC’s On-Demand Dispatch Model

Three views of where we are now

Today’s Points of View

• Airport Landside Operations• Taxi San Jose

• Dispatch Services Contractor under contract through September 2012

• Yellow Checker Cab• Taxi Company whose affiliated drivers

are performing over 50% of the Airport On-Demand trips

A Brief History

• Airport Taxi Concessions in place from 1994 through start of this model in 2005

• Mayor’s Taxi Task Force and Taxi Advisory Team studied City’s taxi model

• Consultant study provided a City-wide Taxicab Services Model that was approved by City Council in 2004

• The current Airport Model was implemented in September 2005

A Brief History

• The Airport model implemented an On-Demand Dispatch Services company to dispatch taxis and door-to-door shuttles

• 300 Airport Access Permits issued• 195 to taxi drivers• 105 to taxi companies• Alternate day access (150 per day)

• Taxi and Shuttle companies contracted to provide service, drivers affiliate with them

A Brief History

• In 2005• 14 Taxicab Companies each issued a

minimum of 7 Permits• 31 Door-to-door shuttle companies• Taxi San Jose used a contractor to

perform dispatch / management duties• Companies started reporting non-Airport

trips, upgrading dispatch systems

A Brief History

• In 2007• Started reallocation of Company Permits

based on non-Airport trip volumes and minimum requirements:• 15 drivers and 15 vehicles• 25% clean fuel vehicle trips• Computerized dispatch system• Paid up on fees

A Brief History

• During Four Years of Airport Construction• Staging lot was relocated four times• Curbside loading areas were moved:

• Two times at Terminal A• Five times between Terminal C and B

• The AVI system has been completely replaced

• Taxi rates of fare and trip fees have each changed once

A Brief History

• Airport Annual Taxi Trip Volumes• 2006 374,992• 2007 396,780• 2008 366,482• 2009 276,016• 2010 287,009• 2011 202,851 through August

• Airport passenger volume down 22.7% between FY 2005-6 and FY 2010-11

Current Status

• Eight Taxi companies, Six with Permits• 3 of the 8 comprise over 83% of the trips

• 32 Door-to-Door Shuttle Companies• 38 vehicles compared to 63 in 2008

• Taxi San Jose has hired all staff and manages the program in-house with their fourth on-site general manager

• Curbside locations were relocated at Terminal B one more time

The Airport Perspective

• Positive Impacts• Improved taxi service for the entire City

• 34% increase in non-Airport trips• 71% of 2010 trips are non-Airport trips

• Coordinated appearance at terminals• Minimal complaints from passengers• Reduced issues with late flight or peak

period taxi service

The Airport Perspective

• The Challenges• Heavy administrative load

• 300 Permits and 30+ contracts• Alternate day trip activity monitoring• Enforcement and appeal processes• Trip fee and monthly fee collections

• Reduced Airport staffing to handle GT program• 3 people compared to 8 in 2005

The Airport Perspective

• The Challenges (continued)• Average waiting time for drivers in

staging is 1 hour• Resistance from drivers to reduce the

number of Permits issued from 300• Continued complaints / issues from and

between the industry members on model• Annual issues up to City Council level

about company permit reallocations

The Taxi San Jose Perspective

• Permitting System a Success• Drivers income and independence

supported• Ability to enforce standards increased• Airport can drive accountability

• Standards have improved since concession model

The Taxi San Jose Perspective

• Service levels at an all time high• New convention welcoming program• Doors open, luggage loaded, visitor

services performed• Five minute commitment upheld for 6 years

• 300,000 trips/year – less than .001% have waited over five minutes

• TSJ employees have longevity, consistency• Some employees since opening in 2005

The Yellow Cab Perspective

• Model has allowed Permit holders to reduce their service fees

• Has increased taxis at Downtown cabstands• Drivers prefer total ‘per trip fees’ to monthly

dispatch fees plus trip fees• Model leaves nearly ½ of City’s drivers

without access to on-demand passengers• Concession systems reduce Airport

administrative tasks

What’s Next?

• The Taxi San Jose contract expires in 2012• Review and Analysis

• October 2011 - Stakeholder Meetings and submission of written input

• Fall 2011 – Staff analysis of input• Spring 2012 – Recommendations and

RFP process for Dispatch company • May, or may not, require prior City

Council action depending on changes

SJC’s On-Demand Dispatch Model

Questions?