Taxi transport, Q3 2009

With respect to the same quarter in 2008, the industry registered a decline in most of the indicators. Namely turnover, number of taxi trips, hours in operation and hours offered declined, while kilometres driven with passenger remained unaltered in the third quarter this year relative to the same period last year. Number of taxi trips declined by 4 per cent during the same period. The taxi industry covered a distance of 143 million kilometres during the third quarter of 2009; an increase of 4 per cent. Out of this, 84 million kilometres were driven with passengers on board, which remained unchanged relative to the same quarter the preceding year.

A decline in turnover

Turnover declined by 2 per cent during the third quarter of 2009 compared to the same period in2008. The annual change in turnover for the industry was on the plus side for the first two quarters in 2009 despite a profound decline in the industry’s transport activity. This is attributable to the increase in taxi fares around the second quarter of 2008.

An average taxi trip lasted for 27.5 minutes in the third quarter of 2009 compared to 28 minutes in the corresponding period in 2008. Capacity utilisation, measured as a share of kilometres driven with passengers to total kilometres driven, was down 4 per cent to 58.6 per cent. Capacity utilisation measured as a share of taxi hours on offer, however, was 43.5 per cent. In other words, an average taxi was occupied for 58.6 per cent of the distance covered or 43.5 per cent of the time it was in operation.

Tables:

• Table 1 Taxi statistics. 1st quarter 2007-3rd quarter 2009