Reality Check | Ephraim Schwartz | InfoWorld | GPS in taxis: Big Brother or boon? | September 4, 2007 03:00 AM

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GPS in taxis: Big Brother or boon?

September 04, 2007 | Comments: (0)

GPS in taxis: Big Brother or boon?

New York City cabbies don't like the idea of being tracked by satellite. But what alternative do any of us really have?

I feel badly for New York City cab drivers, but I'm inclined to be philosophical about their plight. What they are going through is a precursor to what all of us face as technology gets deeper and deeper under our skin.

I touched on this topic a bit last week: Where exactly do we draw the line between technology and expediency? Or more specifically: Where do we draw the line between our rights as individuals versus the ability of technology to strip away almost all of our freedom to behave like humans?

To the story at hand, it seems the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) in its infinite wisdom is mandating that every cab in the Big Apple be equipped with GPS. In response, the New York Taxi Worker's Alliance (NYTWA) is threatening to pull its 10,000 drivers off the street for 48 hours.

The NYTWA says it amounts to spying on drivers. The GPS will monitor where the cab was, at what time, how many fares were picked up, when the cab went off duty, and how much money the driver made.

TLC says this will help automate paperwork, help customers locate packages left behind in a cab, and even create a safer environment for the driver by allowing a dispatcher to notice any unusual or unexpected stops by a taxi cab.

Of course, GPS will also be able to tell if a driver is taking a snooze on the job. This is not a major issue for owner-operated cabs -- but the price of installing the system, estimated to be more than $5,000 plus yearly maintenance, is certainly a big deal.

The problem is that the NYTWA will have a hard time defending its drivers because to do so the group would have to admit its membership is only human. Machines don't get tired. Machines don't goof off. Machines are cold sons-of-you-know-what that are relentless in reporting the so-called truth.

In high tech, we always like to say we want "one version of the truth." But the truth is more manifold than we give it credit for. One version of the truth may be useful when reporting financial numbers -- and it could be critical for managing the supply chain and knowing where your goods are. But people aren't goods.

When a cab driver pulls over and turns off the light that says he's available, that may be the only way he can catch 40 winks because he's been driving for 15 hours in order to pay for the gas, pay for the use of the cab, and bring some money home to the family.

Of course, cab companies believe they can dispatch cabs far more efficiently by knowing which cab is the closest to a customer. And by looking at street traffic, dispatchers can redirect drivers to alternate routes. The TLC also sees the technology as protection for the cab-riding public because there will be a display in the backseat to make sure that the driver isn't taking them for a ride. Which, I admit, probably happens, but not as often as we think.

Here we have technology supposedly creating the perfect system to increase profits, improve safety for drivers, and deliver better service for the customers. What could be wrong with this picture?

The TLC is trying to foist machine-like standards onto human behavior. GPS is great at tracking people, but what they can't do is cut a person some slack. That never figures into the algorithm.

As I write this, the drivers were meeting with the taxi commission. But even if they dodge the GPS bullet this time, it's inevitable that technology will win out. The allure is too strong. You see, people may eventually tire of fighting the relentless intrusion of technology into their lives. But machines don't know how to say "no mas."

P.S. If you don't want to be tracked, simply place a coffee cup full of shredded tinfoil over the GPS antenna. That should do the trick.

Posted by Ephraim Schwartz on September 4, 2007 03:00 AM

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COMMENTS

I do not feel bad for the taxi-drivers. They accepted a fair hike in exchange for putting in this technology. The greedy company owners should not have accepted the money if they didn't want the technology.

Posted by: taxpayingnyer at September 4, 2007 02:44 PM

I thougt the GPS was just to make it easier for someone to get in a cab and say "FOLLOW THAT CAB"

Posted by: watchestoomuchTV at September 6, 2007 12:25 PM

I work in a call center and the agents taking calls are tracked every second of the day from call times to how long it took them to use the restroom. Recording of all calls are kept along with all screen data. All conversations with customers are lead by our scripting software. The human factor is gone, these guys are talking monkeys and I feel sorry for them. On the other hand we have saved millions over the last few years after we put the system into place. Calls are taken care of quickly and efficiently and the complaints from customers have gone down by over 60%.

This is what the cab drivers, and other service type industries face. (Over the road truckers have had to deal with this for years.) The company wins, the customer wins, and the cab drivers lose the freedom to do the job the way they think it should done.

Welcome to the future.

Posted by: Jim at September 6, 2007 12:42 PM

Q. What do you call a society in which "policing" work is made easy?
A. A Police State.

Posted by: Charlie at September 6, 2007 01:05 PM

There is a lot more to GPS in NYC cabs than meets the eye. This is something that the City is force feeding the taxi drivers, and the public; nobody has asked for this technology. If it were just GPS, why should it cost so much more than OnStar and other tracking systems? In addition to tracking trips, the new system adds the ability for passengers to pay by credit card. This might sound great at first, but at the end of their 12-hour shift (it is against the law to drive longer than that), the taxi fleet owner will deduct the 10% credit card fee from the cab driver's take. There goes the cabbie's tips! Fleet owners are also raising the cost of renting cabs to cover the cost of installing and maintaining these systems (there are a couple of new companies that already have a monopoly on this). The logging-in, satellite tracking and credit card payment are also a way to eliminate any "wiggle room" drivers now have with paying taxes on the tips they receive (assuming anything is left).

Posted by: Sandy Campbell at September 11, 2007 01:15 PM

This Big Brother stuff is complete nonsense. The cabbies benefit because they can see which order is closest to them. They still get to see the destination and choose which fare to pick up. It is a win for them, for the dispatchers and for customers.

As far as monitoring human behavior goes, does anyone really think that the dispatchers don't already know that drivers take breaks? If drivers aren't driving, the only one they are hurting is themselves. GPS won't change that.

And have you been in a cab with a driver who is trying to figure out which fare to pick up based on the non-GPS system? It's ridiculous. We have had GPS-based dispatch here in Chicago for years, and it really is good for everyone. I have asked drivers about it, and have not heard a single negative comment. The difference is they have a choice here.

Re: previous comment about credit cards-- Passengers have been able to use credit cards for years. They don't do it often because drivers have to find a form, put it in the machine, take a manual impression, get the signature and return the cardholder's copy. Cash is quicker and easier. If you really want to tip the driver, you'll still have to pay (or tip) in cash!

Posted by: Steve Isakson at September 12, 2007 10:04 PM

My company BluCast is only months away from releasing www.CabDaddy.com which will allow patrons of Taxis and shuttles to establish a locality on a map, from which point the patron is able to view, real-time, taxis and shuttles moving on the map, when the icon is clicked, tapped or moused over and a profile for the driver is displayed...This displays the driver's name, phone numbers, safety rating, friendliness rating, and a link to a proprietary mini-app that allows the consumer to pay via credit card in the instance that the data terminal is down in the cab. Patents are filed and a submission form is in place with the TLC of NY for a request for Pilot. I think this medium will open up the doors for the taxis to be able to engage in more fares everyday, save fuel, and allow the driver to maximize their time daily. It is beneficial to the commission because it gives the driver justification for the GPS and allows them to use it to their advantage. For more information, email me at SamHyatt76@hotmail.com or call 978.201.2356....There is nothing like this in the world and all patents are filed. If you would like to inquire on how you can engage in a test pilot for your company or how to get this in your city, contact me immediately for details...Have a great day.

Posted by: Sam Hyatt at March 13, 2008 12:43 PM

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