We recently finished a discovery project in partnership with Welsh Government, the general public (including passengers from seldom heard groups), and local taxi companies in Cardiff, Bangor and Llandrindod Wells.
Aims
The project aimed to make significant progress within the taxi and private hire vehicle sector in Wales by working collaboratively with key stakeholders and data sharing between local authorities and taxi companies, to improve the safety standards for all passengers.
The problem we were trying to solve
The safety of passengers is crucial, and this project sought to address a critical challenge within the taxi and private hire vehicle sector – fragmented databases and limited data sharing.
By bringing together Welsh Government, the general public, Dragon Taxis, and local taxi companies from Bangor and Llandrindod Wells, we intended to create a joint approach that proactively addresses safety concerns.
Our partnership with Dragon Taxis, a prominent player in the transportation industry, enabled us to use their experience and valuable insights to enhance our project's scope and impact.
Local taxi companies in Bangor and Llandrindod Wells represented the frontline of passenger transportation. Their participation allowed us to understand the unique challenges faced by taxi drivers, passengers, and the communities they serve.
The inclusion of the public ensured that the passenger's voice was heard, and their feedback and perspectives played an important role in shaping our strategies.
A summary of the work
In the initial stages of the project, we conducted interviews and workshops with stakeholders from local taxi companies in Bangor and Llandrindod Wells.
We actively engaged with the general public, collecting feedback and valuable input on their experiences and safety concerns during taxi journeys.
The discovery phase provided us with essential data on the existing databases and data sharing practices among the local authorities. We analysed this information, explored best practices, and looked at potential approaches to improve data sharing without compromising privacy and security.
Partners
Welsh Government – As the project sponsor, the Welsh Government provided invaluable support and guidance in achieving our shared vision for safer taxi and private hire services.
Dragon Taxis – A key partner in the project, Dragon Taxis brought their extensive expertise in the transportation industry, enriching our understanding of the sector's complexities.
General public (passengers) – Passengers were at the heart of this project, and their involvement ensured that the solutions we looked to propose met their needs on safety and comfort.
Local taxi companies – The collaboration with local taxi companies allowed us to gain insights into the realities faced by drivers and their passengers on a daily basis.
Next steps - alpha
Now that the discovery phase has ended, we are moving into a short alpha phase. One area that was highlighted as part of the discovery was that improvements can’t be made to safety until we understand how data is captured, stored and shared. We are working with a range of stakeholders to understand how driver and licensing data is captured on a number of local and national levels.
We are continuing to work with Welsh Government and the taxi bill team to explore this issue and are speaking to as many stakeholders as we can. We plan on blogging about our progress. You can also keep up to date by signing up to receive CDPS weeknotes.
