MONTREAL, Nov. 12, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ – Taxi Diamond announces unprecedented measures to ensure the safety of its clientele and improve the quality of its services. Beginning in January 2015, the company will introduce concrete actions in four distinct areas: driver background checks, service quality, new technology and green vehicles. This renewed focus on quality will see the Montreal firm invest more than $1 million over the coming years.
"This initiative represents a major investment for us, but we firmly believe that as a result, Montrealers will see the difference, that they will have more confidence in us than ever before, and that our drivers will increase their income," stated Dominique Roy, President and Chief Executive Officer of Taxi Diamond.
Measures that go beyond the By-Law Concerning Taxi Transportation
The measures announced go beyond the requirements set out in the City of Montreal By-Law Concerning Taxi Transportation:
Driver Background Checks
Effective January 2015, all drivers seeking to renew a Taxi Diamond driver's permit will have to provide a Criminal Background Check Certificate. This document, issued by the Sûreté du Québec, confirms that the individual has no criminal record. All drivers will be required to provide this certificate in order to serve the clientele of Taxi Diamond.
Service Quality
Effective with the new measures, all taxis entering into service at Taxi Diamond may be no more than three years old. In comparison, the City of Montreal's requirement stipulates that no taxi may be older than five years while the maximum UberX vehicle age is 10 years. The new measures will also see all Taxi Diamond drivers undergo mandatory customer service training. In addition, to ensure full compliance with all established rules, the company is tripling its number of inspectors. No other taxi company is doing this much at the moment in Montreal.
Use of New Technology
The Taxi Diamond mobile application is being completely revamped and improved. New functionalities are being added, including a mobile payment option and an opportunity for clients to evaluate the quality of service provided. A new version of the application will be launched in the coming weeks.
Use of Green Cars
The leaders of Taxi Diamond are well into negotiations with a car dealership to develop a program to provide drivers with access to hybrid vehicles. An agreement is expected to be confirmed by the end of December.
Uber is changing the game and the taxi industry must adjust
Uber is creating an upheaval in the taxi industry in all of the world's big cities, and Montreal is no exception. The City of Montreal and the Ministère des Transports du Québec recently made statements on Uber's failure to comply with the laws governing taxi firms. "I am confident that the authorities will intervene rapidly with Uber, as it is in the public interest to do so," said Mr. Roy. "However, as an industry, we must have the courage to ask ourselves why Uber is enjoying such success worldwide. Why are so many people using this service? It would be too easy to hide behind the injustice, as real as it is, to justify our inaction."
The management team at Taxi Diamond has been preparing for the arrival of international players for some time, and the development of the Smart Cab® is proof of the company's proactive approach. In fact, Taxi Diamond was the first taxi company to use GPS tools to dispatch calls in Montreal, the first to introduce a highly secure credit and debit card payment system in all of its cars, the first to launch its own mobile application, and the first to become an AIR MILES® Reward Miles Program sponsor. "We are constantly looking for ways to innovate by making technology available to our clientele," stated Mr. Roy.
About Taxi Diamond
Taxi Diamond de Montréal (taxidiamond.com) is the largest provider of dispatched taxi services in Quebec and one of Canada's industry leaders. Founded in 1922, Taxi Diamond offers its services via some 1,100 regulated vehicles that adhere to the rate schedule set by the Commission des transports du Québec. Each year, Taxi Diamond provides close to five million taxi rides on the Island of Montreal.
Image with caption: "Taxi Diamond (CNW Group/Diamond Taxi)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20141112_C4191_PHOTO_EN_7832.jpg
SOURCE: Diamond Taxi
Sylvain Arsenault, 514 931-4000, ext. 222, 514 235-8443, [email protected]
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