Taxi stuff

[bwolfsohn]

Bobby,

did this guy work for one of your clients ??

From the NY Daily News:

Wasim Khalid Cheema manipulated the meter in his yellow cab to inflate fares paid by unsuspecting passengers, authorities said.

A Taxi and Limousine Commission review of trip data concluded Cheema ripped off 574 riders in a single month, officials said.

Brian

[rdonnay]

There are several Khalid Cheema's in the database, but I don't think so.

BTW - It is very easy to write an algorithm to figure out if they have altered the meter.
The taxi has equipment installed that reports everything back to a central office via wireless cell phone technology.
We use a web service to retrieve the trip logs from the taxi and to get the amount charged to the customer's credit card.
Simple math will tell us if the amount charged > miles travelled * max rate. That's probably how they caught him.

[sdenjupol148]

Brian,

While I was trying to look up the information to answer you, Roger jumped in and not only figured it out, he also knoew exactly how to prevent it from happening in the future. It surprises however, because everytime I explain something about the TLC business to Roger, he gets a funny blank look on his face. I never realized any of this stuff actually sunk in.

Apparently the student has surpassed the teacher....

Bobby

[rdonnay]

It's not the "how" of the TLC that sometimes confuses me, it's the "why".

[bwolfsohn]

Brian,

While I was trying to look up the information to answer you, Roger jumped in and not only figured it out, he also knoew exactly how to prevent it from happening in the future. It surprises however, because everytime I explain something about the TLC business to Roger, he gets a funny blank look on his face. I never realized any of this stuff actually sunk in.

Apparently the student has surpassed the teacher....

Bobby,

Based on what roger said, have you considered putting an "audit" function into your software ?? It could return the % of rides "outside the norm"

Brian

[rdonnay]

Brian -

I have worked with Bobby long enough on this project to know what inspires him to write new auditing code.

It's when the TLC announces a new $1000 fine for each and every non-compliance.

We talked about that this morning, after your first post and I remember saying "We can always thank the TLC for keeping us in business".

Roger

[sdenjupol148]

Brian, Roger,

Yes it's true.
The TLC is the only transportation governing body that works the way it does.
The New York 'Cab' model is unlike any other in the United States or the world to my knowledge.

The TLC reserves the right to charge any amount of fine it deems appropriate.
So for unauthorized dirvers, it charges 1000 per day per the number of cabs in the fleet.
In other words, if you manage 250 cabs but only have 1 offensive in 1 cab over the course of 3 days,
the TLC reserves the right to charge you $1000 X 250 X 3 for a total of $750,000.00.
Or, they pull your license.

This is why, after I've lost all my hair, I continue to lose my hair.
Keeps you on your toes.

Bobby

[rdonnay]

Here's an update.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/nyregion/13taxi.html