The Australian Taxi Industry Association (ATIA) has decided to join the IRU and, at the same time, the fastest growing taxi service quality network in the world, the GTN,  thus strengthening the global taxi industry’s leadership in service quality.

With ATIA on board, GTN is proud to announce that it has set foot on four continents. Before, the largest North American taxi association, Taxi Limousine and Paratransit Association (TLPA) joined IRU’s Global Taxi Network

With over 500 taxi company members, the TLPA, also an IRU Member, is the leading taxi trade association in North America. As a new member of the Global Taxi Network, the TLPA will join the International Evaluation Committee and review North American taxi apps that wish to join the network.

Hubert Andela, President of the IRU Taxi Group, said, “We very much welcome the TLPA’s move. It will considerably strengthen the taxi industry’s know-how and advocacy power and add significant benefits to the GTN and its customers by bringing leading North American apps to the GTN, the fastest growing taxi service quality network in the world.”

Alfred LaGasse, TLPA CEO, said, “The GTN is an important step in countering irresponsible apps that seek dominance and monopolies, but which ignore safety and licensing requirements. The TLPA is joining the GTN to help develop a global network of multiple apps operating with licensed fleets that emphasise excellent customer service and responsible business and public safety practices.”

The GTN is a network of taxi industry federations and taxi app providers, whose objective is to promote legal, reliable, high quality and safe services to taxi customers, by making use of the latest smartphone technology in full respect of the regulatory framework in force. The network currently operates on four continents encompassing 160,000 taxis worldwide and is growing rapidly with new countries and cities being added regularly.

Before the two associations, German app-provider Taxi Deutschland had joined GTN adding 50,000 taxis in Germany.

Dieter Schlenker, Chairman of the Taxi Deutschland cooperative, said, “Our decision to join the Global Taxi Network shows our commitment to quality and safety for our passengers. Driving with network partners ensures an internationally valid and unique service with qualified drivers and licensed taxis. These are standards that Taxi Deutschland customers have been used to for many years.”

• New US and Australian members for GTN: ATIA and TLPA.