Taximeter version 1.6 - what's new?

More options for fare/tariff

Fare editor screen has been reworked (and yes, it is now Fare, not Tariff - thank you Zach!):

New options added:

- Include minimum mileage in the Entry/Base fare (previously only minimum fare may have included min mileage).
- Handling time before the minimum mileage provided by base/entry or minimum fare has been reached is moved from “Advanced settings” to a fare editor. Now each of your fares can define its own rules for handling the entry/base or minimum fare. Rules in the “Advanced settings” stay as a default for creating new fares or for these where you have not explicitly expressed your preference.

For each of the screens I touched I tried to change it in a way so it “tells its story”. Screen above describes you how time and entry/base/min fare is handled in plain English (I hope:)).

Separate screen for fare time rules + new options

Here is the new screen for setting time handling rules:

New to time handling in version 1.6 is ability to setup some “waiting time at trip start”. Idea here is that you come to the pickup address, start the trip and if you have 5 minutes waiting time in your starting fare, the app will start the count down from 5 minutes down to zero without touching the meter. When waiting time is exceeded, time charge is added per the fare rules. This whole thing is totally optional.

Separate screen for min/entry rules + new options

New as well is a “Fare rules” screen. Here you can define what minimum or entry/base fare includes (if anything) and how to handle time fare before the minimum mileage included in the base/entry/min fare has been reached:

Top row allows you to pick from following options:

Minimum fare includes extras and fare up to its own value
Entry/Base fare includes limited mileage (new in 1.6)
Minimum fare includes limited mileage

Then you set the mileage included and rules for handling time until this included mileage has not been reached:

Hide until min mileage is reached. Add to meter on reaching it.
Add time fare to meter instantly regardless of reaching the min mileage.
Deduct the equivalent value of min mileage left.
Until min mileage is reached throw the time charge away

For “throw the time charge away” time handling option you can set the max time you allow to waive away.

Fares list/picker has also been improved to tell a better “story” (I hope) for each fare line:

Library of fares to grab pre-canned fares from

If you read this page on your iPhone/iPad you can just visit library and add fares to the app with one tap . You may need to adjust fare values as these vary per country/town and change over time. What library tries to achieve is to describe different scenarios of mileage/time handling and make them installable with one tap.

Library is work in progress and always going to be I guess. If you want to have your fare added here, please use “action” button in the fare editor screen and pick “send fare to Stan to include into library”. I’ll review the fare, may ask you for the country/town where the fare applies and add it to this page, so you and your colleagues will be able to add this fare to the app with one tap. Can also be used as a fare “backup” mechanism.

Use action button in the fare editor screen to send fare by email to your colleague, yourself for backup or there is an option to send fare to the app author (me) for inclusion to the library of fares.

Changes in receipt

Breakdown receipt has been changed a bit to include a row on a minimum fare:

Changes:

#1 - “First X mi/km” now shows “Included in min. fare” or “Included in entry fare” if there is some mileage included in these.

#2 - If min.fare was used, a row added to show what the minimum fare was.

#3 - All notes on fare are now placed into the single “fare notes” row - can be hidden, if needed.

Tip or discount in simple receipt

Now tip/discount can show on the simple receipt as well. Use Total button (while trip is running) to change the trip total and thus the tip/discount. Name used Tip/Discount - is customisable in advanced settings.

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Advanced Settings > Hide leading zeros in fare, custom text for ‘received with thanks’

Setting “Show leading zeroes” to NO in advanced settings will stop the app from showing leading zeroes in front of total fare:

Here is an example of how big fare numbers can get with this:

One more thing requested from Australia was ability to either change or hide the “RECEIVED WITH THANKS” text on a receipt. This is now possible in the Advanced Settings:

Keep it empty if you want to remove this section from a receipt.

Credits: Huge thanks to Ed B., Eamon, Bill C., Zach, Mick H., Catalina M., Steve T.! You rock, guys!

I’ll be totally honored if you review or rate the app kindly in the AppStore to inspire further app development! As easy as tapping here and leaving me a few words.

Yours,

Stan.

What’s next? Integration of Square Point Of Sale . Then trip estimate/quote.