![]() Taximeter FAQs |
FAQs
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Where do I start? Have you a quick start guide?
If you have a simple tariff, then take a look at the setup for "Acme Limos" in this video at 6:19. The video was made for the iPhone but the setup is identical for the Android version.
The steps are:
More complex tariffs that require calendar control, steps based on fare or distance, geofencing etc. can be programmed in XML and we will gladly configure and add a preset to the downloadable presets (Menu > Download presets) for you.
Drop an email to us at support@planetcoops.com if you need any help. |
The app has suddenly stopped working, why can't it get a GPS fix?
There are two possible reasons why the app may all of a sudden stop working. The first is a hardware issue which may be resolved by steps in, "Why is Taximeter "Waiting for a valid GPS fix..." when I have a GPS position fix in Google Maps?". Read on for the second reason... Due to a bug in the way Android handles permissions, users updating to a later version of Taximeter on devices which have been OTA upgraded may be unable to obtain a valid GPS fix. Users experiencing this particular issue will see "Fix: 0" on the main display. Skip to the solution if you are not interested in the technical blurb. Each year, Google forces developers to target a more recent version of Android if they are to continue providing app updates in the Play Store. The way in which an app obtains permissions, e.g. to access GPS location, changed between Android versions. In older versions an app received implicit permissions at the point of installation but with more recent versions an app must prompt the user at runtime to obtain certain permissions. An updated app should be unaffected by this change but, due to a logic flaw in Android, an app running on a device which has previously been upgraded to an Android version greater than or equal to the target version fails to obtain access to the GPS location.
Solution The solution is to uninstall and reinstall the app accepting the runtime permissions.
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Does Taximeter need an internet connection?
To prevent piracy, Taximeter uses Google Play Licensing to query the Play Store to obtain the licensing status for the current user. The result of a licensing query is cached so network access is rarely required.
If you intend to run the app for most of the time without an internet connection, we recommend that you exit and launch the app once per week in the presence of an internet connection, either Wi-Fi or mobile data, so that the cached license status can be refreshed. Refreshing the cached license status once a week will avoid "License check failed" errors.
If you activate using a license key from us, see volume licensing, then launching the app once per week is no longer a requirement.
The following features require an internet connection:
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How do I setup a flat rate or fixed rate tariff?
For flat rates, using the Custom Preset Wizard (Menu > Settings > Custom preset settings > Custom preset wizard) create a tariff with a flag drop of $0.00, $0.00 per mile and $0.00 per hour. When the tariff is in use, use the extras to enter the variable flat rate charge. At the end of the hire, total the fare by pressing the fare in time off/stopped mode and the extras (the flat rate) will be added. If you have a tariff with a fixed rate, e.g. airport $40.00, create a tariff with a flag drop for the fixed rate ($40.00), $0.00 per mile and $0.00 per hour. |
Can I connect to a Wi-Fi OBD2 adapter on iOS and still use mobile data?
Yes, follow these steps:
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Can you recommend a particular device to use with Taximeter?
We won't recommend a particular tablet or phone because each customer's environment is different and new hardware is being released all the time. We would advise customers to thoroughly evaluate potential devices to ensure compatibility and stability of payment card readers, OBD2 adapters, roof light switches, GPS signal, etc. in their target environment before making a commitment. What we can share, is a list of devices where customers have reported problems to us in the past: Bluetooth interference/dropouts: LG G Pad X 8.0 LG-V521 System crashing and rebooting: Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 (7.0") SM-T230/SM-T231 GPS signal loss: Samsung Galaxy Tab A (2016, 7.0") SM-T280/SM-T285 |
What is data logging?
The data logging/tracking feature is described on pages 29-31 of the user guide, http://www.planetcoops.com/apps/taximeter/taximeter.pdf and is currently only available on Android devices. The data logging feature costs US$1 per registered device per month with a minimum monthly charge of US$10. This is to help with our ongoing hosting and mapping costs. We will invoice for this monthly in advance by PayPal. Once registered, we will issue you with:
The tracking and logging history are available by signing into https://datalog.planetcoops.com/tracking with the username and password we provide. Note that the server will automatically delete any data more than a week old and while we can't provide a service level guarantee, our service provider claims 99.9% uptime. |
Are there any settings needed to comply with the BC, Canada soft meter rule?
In order to comply with the British Columbia Passenger Transportation Board's BC Taxi Soft Meter Rule, please set your Operator name (taxi company name) and Vehicle identification number (unique taxi ID) under Menu > Settings > Operator settings. As of Taximeter version 1.1.59, this information will appear on receipts and in the fare announcements at the start and end of the hire when the fare is totalled. |
Unable to send a test email: Bad email username or password
If you receive the following error while testing your Gmail settings in Taximeter: Unable to send a test email: Bad email username or password and you are confident that you are using the correct <user>@gmail.com username and password, then head over to Account Security Settings
(https://www.google.com/settings/security/lesssecureapps) for the Gmail account in question and enable
"Access for less secure apps". This allows you to use the Google SMTP mail server
for clients other than the official ones and would appear to resolve this issue. Note that Taximeter securely connects to the Gmail SMTP server on port 465 using a TLS encrypted link. You may have to wait up to an hour for the setting to take effect as it is rolled out across Google's infrastructure. If your Google account has 2-Step Verification enabled, you can generate an application-specific password here, https://myaccount.google.com/apppasswords. |
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