Uber will be the taxi service provider at Prague's Václav Havel Airport

In January of 2023, the present operators' contracts will expire and Uber will begin making the necessary preparations to begin offering rides as soon as possible.

As in the spring of 2023, Uber will replace the current operator of taxi service at Václav Havel Airport Prague. Two companies had originally submitted bids for the concession process. The winning bidder promises to provide prearranged, set fares, round-the-clock service, and a fleet of up to five-year-old, mostly affluent vehicles.

Jakub Puchalský, Member of the Prague Airport Board of Directors, commented:

“Taxi service is key for us. In the concession procedure, we emphasised the requirements of passengers, who above all want to know the price in advance. The new taxi operator will provide its services under the constant control of the airport. All rides, even those outside of Prague, must comply with the maximum price regulation.”

Zbyněk Stanjura, Minister of Finance, also stated:

“The world is changing dynamically, and if we don’t want to be left behind, we have to respond to this development, among other things, by continuously improving our customer service offer. I believe that the new operator of the taxi service will fulfil the airport management expectations they have of them in this regard.”

The operator is responsible for establishing the final fare for each journey, which will be computed by the service's proprietary software and shown to customers before they embark. No matter what happens—a detour or a traffic jam—the final fee can't go beyond what was originally agreed.

Taxi service will be available to passengers via a web interface, airport-based kiosks, and mobile apps, eliminating the requirement for app downloads. The operator will employ drivers who, in accordance with the terms of the contract, will guarantee the necessary level of service quality and traffic safety. In addition to ensuring that its drivers are properly licenced, the company will make sure they can communicate in Czech and that they know enough English to get by. Also, they need to dress appropriately for the work. Contactless payment options will always be available to the client.

The request from the traveller will be processed rapidly. Customers will be notified of the car's licence plate number, brand, and colour as soon as the order is confirmed. If the transport is ordered from an airport booth, the customer will see this information either on their screen or by SMS. Furthermore, a PIN number supplied to the passenger upon ordering the trip may be used to associate that request with a particular vehicle. Once they do, they may choose any vehicle waiting outside the terminal. This technology is used by the operator at other airports, where it has resulted in a median 50% reduction in wait lists. An intelligent destination prompter that allows for the entry of numerous stops is also planned. More than a hundred different languages may be used inside the software itself. The programme will utilise the language selected in the user's device's operating system. The language barrier between the driver and the passenger is eliminated thanks to the app's automated translation features.

The taxi company must vary the number of vehicles available at the airport according to demand in order to maintain service availability and prevent customers from having to wait too long. One of the prerequisites of collaboration is providing transportation services for people with mobility and orientation impairments.

The airport took environmental considerations into account while crafting the criteria of the concession process. New taxi service promises to increase number of electric vehicles serving the airport. At least ten percent of the orders will be delivered by an electric vehicle in the final year of the contract. In addition, passengers will be able to provide feedback on the service and the driver after the fact; low ratings might lead to the driver being barred from working at the terminal again.

Štěpán Šindelář, Uber's Operations Manager for the Czech Republic, added:

“The official partnership with Václav Havel Airport is a huge success and a significant milestone for our operation in Czechia. We know how crucial the quality of transport from the airport is, not only for the capital city, but also for the entire Czech Republic. This gives us the opportunity to influence the reputation of our country at the very first contact with foreign visitors, which entails a great commitment that we are ready to take on with the utmost responsibility and care.”

 

Source: traveldailynews.com