Call Sign April 2003 - Page 26-GREEK VISITORS TO DAC

Such is the esteem and reputation of DaC worldwide, that other radio taxi company's look to us for advice and innovation before updating their own operations.   This was again the case recently when Brian Rice was host to John Tsomlektsogou and Panagis Antipas from Greek radio taxi company Kosmos, whose fleet of 850 mobiles serves the Athens and Salonika area.
   Their 'one-number' telephone identity - 1300 - also serves the wider community allowing members of the public access to over 3000 radio taxis, quite similar to the 'one-number' system recently proposed here in London.
   "It's the Family of One-three-double-O," John, Head of the Kosmos IT department proudly told Call Sign. "The drivers pay about Ł50 per month in subs, with cash-only fares."
Panagis, President of Kosmos, expressed gratitude to the DaC Chairman for his hospitality and openness regarding DaC's set-up before Kosmos make the jump from voice to data despatch.

GREEK VISITORS TO DAC

Brian Rice shows the two Greek visitors and Helen Garrett of Microbus how the call centre at DaC operates

And Microbus too...
Joining our Greek visitors tour
were David Bates and Helen
Garrett of Microbus, the manufacturers of our MDTs and who will be supplying Kosmos with similar hardware. Speaking to Call Sign, John T explained that unlike London, Greek taxi drivers use a variety of vehicles such as Mercedes and Toyotas etc and there simply isn't the dashboard space to fit the type of terminal so familiar to us here.
David Bates then gave details about the modified terminals with

separate units that will soon be fitted to the Greek taxis. He went on to add:
"Greek drivers use a diverse range of radio equipment and Kosmos are commencing a driver training programme to standardise procedures for data. That way, everyone will be starting off at the same level."
So, if you are going on holiday to Greece this year and you see Kosmos taxis with Microbus terminals, you'll know where it all started... in Brunswick Place, N1...!

(c) Call Sign Magazine