Texxi, Deployment Guide, How To, Operational Concepts

1. Texxi - the transport scheme with a difference.
Working with Texxi
This document is an overview of the licences, marketing strategies and some of the
operating practices which form the basis of successfully deploying a Texxi scheme. All of
these practices have been learned – often the hard way – in field trials conducted in
Liverpool (2006), the Isle of Wight (2008) and Bournemouth (2008), and as a result all
the following details regarding branding, licensing and marketing strategies must be
considered to be a requirement for taking on a Texxi operation.
Branding
For any company taking on and deploying a Texxi scheme, it is important to decide at an
early stage whether to go with the Texxi or a white label brand. For a Texxi branded
scheme the licensee will have access to a ready-made set of marketing templates and
materials, and will also benefit from a higher, existing level of brand promotion. It is
important to realise that for a company wishing to start up under their own label, Texxi
would have to be significantly persuaded that the licensee had a brand of equal or better
strength for that particular mode.
Meeting Points / Coverage Areas / Prices
This concerns the ‘where and how’ of running a Texxi scheme and an idea of the
profitability of the operation. Firstly, the meeting point and coverage areas need to be
agreed with appropriate price maps. The price maps will be determined by proper
consultation with appropriate vehicle operators and any other parties involved in the
scheme. Details such as meeting point opening times will need to be set to ensure that
the scheme is sustainable whilst the business grows.
Secondly, despatch standards - waiting times, vehicle quality and driver standard – are
important and need to be determined before the scheme commences. In particular,
meeting point waiting times need careful consideration - long enough for Texxi to fill the
cab but short enough for customer satisfaction. Expectations will be set on how people
will be grouped and moved as the passenger numbers grow.
*Texxi claims no association with any of the social networking sites mentioned. Their brands are their own. The FT
Climate Change Challenge logo including sponsors is included by permission, but it not to be considered in any way
an endorsement. All other content is the intellectual property of Texxi Limited (or of Crane Dragon Limited and is
available to Texxi on licence) . All Rights Reserved . 2004 – 2010. Document Ref:
“TexxiDeploymentGuide03032010”. Texxi is a flexible scheme that can be deployed in a number of ways by
agreement. Not to be forwarded or distributed. This document originally released in November 2009.

2. Licences
These take the following form unless special arrangements need to be negotiated. There
are three types of licences available to prospective Texxi operators depending on how
many of the aspects of the operation they choose to undertake.
1.Master Mode License
This applies to any company wishing to deploy Texxi shopping, evening & night,
commuter, corporate, school, tourist or big event modes of operation. Typical license
holders could include retail outfits, hotel chains, large corporate organisations and
nightclubs, for example a supermarket chain wanting to increase its market share by
providing green, affordable and convenient transport for its customers. Alternatively,
any vehicle operator wishing to provide a Texxi service may apply for a master mode
license - possibly a local taxi firm hoping to supply the evening and night Texxi service to
pubs and clubs in a particular area.
This master license details specific Texxi meeting points, coverage areas and prices, and
in particular, will frame how the meeting points will be operated and marketed. The
agreement will also cover the contributions of the parties involved, and determine the
apportioning of budgets to marketing, liquidity and other set-up costs.
2.Vehicle Operator Meeting Point Access Licences
This standard off-the-shelf agreement allows a vehicle operator to access and service a
meeting point – in short, to pick up or drop off passengers at designated Texxi ‘bus
stops’. This applies to all vehicle operators whether they are providing a complete Texxi
service or are just supplying cars and drivers on demand. For the former, they will also
need to be holders of a Master Mode license.
It is important to note that there may be conditions in the Master Mode agreement that
impact whether Texxi can offer Meeting Point Access Licenses to various parties, and
there could be additional standards or conditions to be met by those vehicles/drivers/
firms servicing that particular meeting point. A typical example might be where cars
designated for the Texxi shopping mode might need to be equipped with large,
dedicated storage space or alternatively, vehicles for the Texxi corporate service might
need to be of limousine standard.
A template of the final form of this licence would be placed with the Master Mode
agreement.
*Texxi claims no association with any of the social networking sites mentioned. Their brands are their own. The FT
Climate Change Challenge logo including sponsors is included by permission, but it not to be considered in any way
an endorsement. All other content is the intellectual property of Texxi Limited (or of Crane Dragon Limited and is
available to Texxi on licence) . All Rights Reserved . 2004 – 2010. Document Ref:
“TexxiDeploymentGuide03032010”. Texxi is a flexible scheme that can be deployed in a number of ways by
agreement. Not to be forwarded or distributed. This document originally released in November 2009.

3. 3.Texxi System Licence
The Texxi system licence is entirely for vehicle operators providing a full Texxi service.
It licences the software and systems (and, where necessary, hardware) that an operator
will need to manage Texxi jobs.
Marketing
Regardless of the name in which the scheme is being marketed, an approved marketing
plan will need to be delivered to the satisfaction of all parties. Texxi and the operators
work on a percentage of transacted business and it is in their interest that any marketing
strategy is not only successful but also must comply with all known transport and text
service marketing laws and regulation.
Our extensive field trials have shown that the following techniques work and must be
considered to be the bare minimum in marketing needed when setting up any Texxi
operation. Marketing a new style of transport is challenging; it takes time for travel
behaviours to change, and a suitable schedule of marketing must be in place which
coordinates all the following elements.
i) Face-to-face
Nothing has beaten face-to-face explanation delivered by ground promotions teams in
the field, and it is vital that marketing crews are properly trained to answer appropriate
questions correctly. Over the course of our field trials, we have assembled an extensive
list of typical FAQs with appropriate correct and unambiguous answers.
ii) Liquidity Provision
Texxi’s unique selling point is automated, passenger aggregation based on destination
which then offers lower prices to customers; for Texxi to succeed, these prices must
available from launch. To facilitate this, Texxi stipulates the use of a liquidity provision
for every new deployment. The aim is to set profitable prices for operators and
economic prices for users, based on expected vehicle occupancy for any given journey.
So, for example, if a trip is to be considered profitable with 75% occupancy (3
passengers instead of the maximum four for a particular vehicle), then prices should be
*Texxi claims no association with any of the social networking sites mentioned. Their brands are their own. The FT
Climate Change Challenge logo including sponsors is included by permission, but it not to be considered in any way
an endorsement. All other content is the intellectual property of Texxi Limited (or of Crane Dragon Limited and is
available to Texxi on licence) . All Rights Reserved . 2004 – 2010. Document Ref:
“TexxiDeploymentGuide03032010”. Texxi is a flexible scheme that can be deployed in a number of ways by
agreement. Not to be forwarded or distributed. This document originally released in November 2009.

4. set accordingly. and be applied from start-up. While the scheme beds-in and customers
need to be persuaded to use the service, the liquidity provision can be used to buy
empty seats to ensure customers are still moved within reasonable timescales. As word
spreads and cabs start to fill, over a number of weeks, so the use of the liquidity budget
will fall to zero.
In addition, once the system stabilises, and people are using Texxi on a regular basis,
then sliding prices (and other more complex systems) can be introduced to take into
account vehicle occupancy. Customers will become adjusted to the idea that they need a
full cab to take advantage of the low prices on offer. It is then that customers can work
with Texxi (through the various travel preference systems of Trusted Groups and Ratings
etc.) to ensure they get best deals.
A meeting point for a given mode is designated opening hours. These opening hours will
initially be more restrictive than final-state operation might support. This allows a focus
on the time period when there will be the highest concentration of passengers who might
share at the outset, thereby maintaining scheme pick-up time standards without
excessive use of the Liquidity Provision budget.
iii) Local radio stations and newspapers
These two types of advertising have been shown (by far) to be the not only the most
effective but also the most cost-effective. TV or local radio slots such as special news
items or special interest articles work well and can be free but cannot be bought.
However, Texxi is different and will often be considered to be newsworthy so it is worth
drawing the attention of local news broadcasters whenever a Texxi scheme starts up.
iv) Vehicle and meeting point branding
As with all products, branding is critical and whether running under the Texxi brand or as
a white label scheme, it is important that cars and meeting points are clearly marked.
This not only helps the marketing campaign but also the day to day operation; branded
cars and meeting points are easy for users to find. Fully branded vehicles especially are
very effective billboards but branding any vehicle can depend on the local licensing
authority. In some places, adverts are required to be approved, and unfortunately this
can take as long as the authority has determined. However, this is worth pursuing as
Texxi has found that using clearly branded vehicles greatly helps the customers’
perception that there is a new transport scheme in operation.
*Texxi claims no association with any of the social networking sites mentioned. Their brands are their own. The FT
Climate Change Challenge logo including sponsors is included by permission, but it not to be considered in any way
an endorsement. All other content is the intellectual property of Texxi Limited (or of Crane Dragon Limited and is
available to Texxi on licence) . All Rights Reserved . 2004 – 2010. Document Ref:
“TexxiDeploymentGuide03032010”. Texxi is a flexible scheme that can be deployed in a number of ways by
agreement. Not to be forwarded or distributed. This document originally released in November 2009.

5. v) Printed collateral
Texxi would normally recommend a split between posters showing price zones with
clearly marked meeting points and a “master” z-card or a pocket fold card detailing the
scheme. Cheaper printed collateral (flyers and the like) merely makes for a good floor
covering (not exactly the target for a scheme with strong environmental credentials).
vi) Incentives
If any party has the motivation and opportunity to incorporate incentives that push
people to travel then this can easily be introduced as part of the Texxi operation. For
example, any supermarket using the Texxi Shopping Scheme could offer green reward
points for every Texxi trip or a nightclub involved in the Evening and Night Mode might
offer travellers a ‘twofor’ deal for their next visit.
vii) Social network marketing
The Texxi group scheme was an early example of social networking; its ability for users
to select and rate their fellow passengers was effective in offering peace of mind about
the implications of shared travel. Nowadays with Texxi groups able to sit within the
framework of commercial social networking sites such as Facebook, not only do they
build trust and familiarity for Texxi customers, they can also provide Texxi operators
with all-important feedback. More significantly, these social network capabilities build
the ‘network effect’, increasing passenger numbers purely by word of mouth and little
capital outlay.
*Texxi claims no association with any of the social networking sites mentioned. Their brands are their own. The FT
Climate Change Challenge logo including sponsors is included by permission, but it not to be considered in any way
an endorsement. All other content is the intellectual property of Texxi Limited (or of Crane Dragon Limited and is
available to Texxi on licence) . All Rights Reserved . 2004 – 2010. Document Ref:
“TexxiDeploymentGuide03032010”. Texxi is a flexible scheme that can be deployed in a number of ways by
agreement. Not to be forwarded or distributed. This document originally released in November 2009.

6. How to Contact Texxi
Eric Masaba
Chief Executive Officer
Texxi Limited
37 Warren Street
London
W1T 6AD
eric.masaba@texxi.com
Matthew Burden
Chief Operating Officer
Texxi Limited
37 Warren Street
London
W1T 6AD
matthew.burden@texxi.com
How to Follow Texxi
Social Networks*
become a Facebook fan (predominantly evening & night) : http://www.texxi.com/
facebook
Business Focus: Search for the Texxi group on LinkedIn
Twitter : texxi_watch
Website
http://www.texxi.com
*Texxi claims no association with any of the social networking sites mentioned. Their brands are their own. The FT
Climate Change Challenge logo including sponsors is included by permission, but it not to be considered in any way
an endorsement. All other content is the intellectual property of Texxi Limited (or of Crane Dragon Limited and is
available to Texxi on licence) . All Rights Reserved . 2004 – 2010. Document Ref:
“TexxiDeploymentGuide03032010”. Texxi is a flexible scheme that can be deployed in a number of ways by
agreement. Not to be forwarded or distributed. This document originally released in November 2009.