Synthesizing Taxicab Improvements

Dade County, Florida has taken major steps to address all components of its public transportation system. This includes a recent study of the administrative and operational aspects of the area's taxicab system—the first project of this type in the country. As part of the study, a submodal split model was developed to quantify the relationship of taxicab ridership to that of all public transportation modes. The model was employed to test operational improvements such as taxicab pooling, advantaged flow taxicab service, central dispatch of all taxicab operations (with and without computer assistance), and various fare reductions. The results indicate possible expansions in 1985 taxicab patronage of between 5% and 10% over that expected without any improvements in the Dade County taxicab system. Significantly, if nothing is done to improve taxicab operations, by 1985, the soon-to-be-developed rapid transit system will limit taxicab service to no growth in its percentage share of the trip market and, in fact, divert a number of longer trips from this latter mode.