From January 1, customers in Den Bosch can give their opinion about their ride online using a QR code on the window of a taxi. For example, about the driving style, customer friendliness and cleanliness of the taxi. According to the municipality, this should motivate drivers to improve their service. But the taxi companies think differently.
“It is important for customers that they are brought home safely and in a clean taxi. Leaving a review is often not important for many customers,” says Ismail Dayioglu (49), who has been a taxi driver in Den Bosch for more than 20 years. He speaks on behalf of about 130 other drivers in the city.
“Fake reviews can be posted too easily.”
The drivers have several objections to the assessment system. “First, it costs us money to participate, which is difficult for many small businesses to afford,” Dayioglu explains. Drivers also fear that the system can be easily manipulated.
“Fake reviews can be posted too easily. Drunken people driving at night can unfairly leave a bad review. Competitors can also try to discredit a driver,” said Dayioglu. On the other hand, there is a possibility that drivers allow themselves or their friends to leave positive reviews to artificially boost their score.
“There are certainly things that could be improved in our industry, but such an assessment system is of no use,” says Dayioglu. A survey he conducted among 130 taxi companies showed that 80 percent of drivers are against the system. And 10 percent of drivers even say they will stop if the rating system is introduced. The remaining 10 percent are concerned that their permit could be revoked if they do not agree to the change.
“If this continues, this situation will escalate.”
What also bothers the drivers is that they have hardly been involved in the decision-making. The plan for the assessment system was developed in collaboration with the municipality and the now defunct Stichting Belangenbeharting Keurmerk (SBK). “We feel left out and not taken seriously by the municipality,” says Dayioglu. “We were told that if we were to oppose the system en masse, it would not happen. But we were never listened to.”
The situation has seriously damaged the trust between the taxi companies and the municipality. Some drivers even claim that they have been threatened with having their licenses revoked if they do not agree to the system. “I told them that they should drive a taxi themselves at the municipality,” says Dayioglu.
To express their concerns, the drivers are organizing a meeting on Tuesday evening. “If this continues, this situation will escalate,” Dayioglu warns. According to him, a solution must be found quickly, but that seems far away for the time being. “We will look together at what we can do next to prevent this system from actually being introduced.”
