The 5th IRU International Taxi Forum confirms commitment and wide support to taxi industry values of safety, accessibility, flexibility, comfort, and environmental sustainability in the provision of taxi services, as embodied in the IRU initiative “Taxi - Anytime! Anywhere!”.

Cologne – The 5th IRU International Taxi Forum, on the theme “Taxi - Anytime! Anywhere!” was held in Cologne, Germany. More than 200 top level participants from the taxi industry and public authorities from around the globe discussed how to implement a shared public-private vision for safe, accessible, comfortable, flexible, yet sustainable taxi services, fully integrated in the public transport chain, as embodied by  the industry-led “Taxi - Anytime! Anywhere!”initiative.

President of the IRU Taxi Group, Hubert Andela, explained: “Taxis offer safe, flexible and sustainable services to all citizens, anytime, anywhere and as such play an invaluable role in our societies’ daily transport needs. The perception of taxis by the general public and decision-makers has a strong impact on the taxi market, regulations, and indeed on the future development of the taxi industry itself. We have launched the ‘Taxi - Anytime! Anywhere!’ initiative with the participation of all our partners from the public and private sectors, in order to adopt policy and business measures that will enhance the taxi industry’s key contribution to the public transport chain.”

Topics discussed included the results and recommendations of the EuroTest survey on taxi service quality in 22 European countries, best practices from around the world, the importance of professional training and rules to access the profession, as well as the opportunities and pitfalls of new technologies.

The industry resolved to develop the initiative further within their national markets by developing business models and creating partnerships to effectively implement the shared values and objectives.

Organised in partnership with the IRU’s German Member Association, BZP, and its regional member, Fachvereinigung Personenverkehr Nordrhein e.V., the 5th International Taxi Forum was held within the framework of the world’s largest taxi exhibition, the Europäische Taximesse, whose 2012 motto was also “Taxi – Anytime! Anywhere!”.

Download forum presentations and high resolution pictures

See “Taxi – Anytime, Anywhere” initiative

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Press contact: Juliette Ebélé, +41 22 918 27 07, press@iru.org