iCabs is a system, delivered by opensky Data Systems through an iPhone, developed specifically for the National Transport Authority’s Compliance Team. iCabs allows each Compliance Officer to validate each small public service vehicle licence (in excess of 50,000 licence entries), record all regulatory checks, create notes on each licence and issue Fixed Charge Penalties when required. iCabs is the main tool of the Compliance Officer’s work and provides an excellent system for each officer to receive and provide up-to-the-minute information on every licence holder. Without iCabs, Compliance Officers would be unable to complete their tasks efficiently

1. iCABS - A Taxi Compliance & Inspection Mobile Application System for Irelands National Transport Authority 1
Service Type:
Enterprise Mobility
Technologies:
HTML5, QR, Digital Signatures,
Device:
iPhone
Irelands National Transport Authority is responsible
for public transport strategy, financing, licencing,
promotion & provision in Ireland.The NTA are also
responsible for the regulation of the small public
service vehicle sector ie (i.e. taxis, hackneys and
limousines). Providing a well regulated and best in
class public service is very important to the NTA and
they invest in smart systems to ensure very high
standards in public transport service provision in
Ireland.
The National Transport Authority awarded a €1.4m
contract for ICT support and software development
services for its business systems to opensky Data
Systems in 2012. In 2013, the NTA asked opensky to
analyse, design, build and support the development
of a new mobile application version of their existing
SPSV Mobile Management System that would
contribute to efficiencies and reduce audit process
time.
iCABS -
A Taxi Compliance
& Inspection Mobile
Application System
for Irelands National
Transport Authority

2. iCABS - A Taxi Compliance & Inspection Mobile Application System for Irelands National Transport Authority2
The Challenges
■■ Previous version was
platform specific with
costly implications on
device choice
■■ Lack of seamless
realtime updates to the
back end system
■■ No quick search facility
on previous version
added time and hours to
each audit process
■■ Issues with loss of
network connectivity
needed to be addressed
for the user within the
app
■■ UI Design needed to
improve to make the
app easier to use and
encourage higher end
user adoption
Mobilising SPSV Enforcement Officers
- The Solution : iCABS
In 2013, the NTA made the decision to support their field based team
of 8 enforcement officers (with ability to scale to over 20) with a
new mobile version of iCABS that enabled them to process roadside
vehicle audit checks of SPSV’s and issue fixed charge penalties in their
“office on the go” on their mobile devices. iCABS allows enforcement
officer to remotely validate and link both the taxi and driver licence
details on the roadside before an audit by use of a powerful QR
based search tool on their mobile device.The QR scanner on their
phone scans a tamper proof licence sticker on the vehicle that
speedily searches the back end system and selects the correct
vehicle record.The app facilitates the performance of a scripted audit
check, based on what if scenarios and to finally choose and issue
a fine (if appropriate) by collecting a digital signature. openskys
middle-ware layer provides a sophisticated mechanism to cater for
communications between the mobile device and
back-end systems in real time. Once a fine is issued, the system
creates a unique case on the central database, which notes can be
added to by the enforcement officer.The app uses GPS to record the
location of the taxi during the audit for verification purposes. Previous
to iCABS the officer carried a Book of Fines and issued paper dockets,
which were sent back to head office for processing in batches.
The officer can now also view audit history and assess compliance
performance on the spot. Designing a night-mode version proved
useful to officers and colour coding linking to similar colour schemes
in the central database, enhanced speed and ease of use.
Data collected by the application can then be analysed by the NTA
for performance monitoring and emerging trends in reoccurring fines,
which informs decision making for improved standards in the future,
using their own analytical tools.
The new I iCABS system is based on HTML5 technology due to its
device platform independence and is a perfect fit into new SOA
architecture.As the app is used to manage a specific work flow
by a number of employees and not a consumer app, native app
development was not required.

3. iCABS - A Taxi Compliance & Inspection Mobile Application System for Irelands National Transport Authority 3
Key Benefits:
Customisation - iCABS solution was fully
customised to meet NTA requirements and it
is flexible to adapt to their evolving needs.
User Friendly - Our solution simplified all audit
tasks that were being handled by staff members
by providing an intuitive and user friendly
display and interface.
Hardware - The solution is compatible with
all leading device providers, allowing the NTA a
reduced cost of ownership and protecting
against redundancy as device vendors change
their platforms
Support - opensky’s support team provides
support and maintenance to the NTA ensuring
that any and all issues are resolved promptly
and in accordance with our SLA.
Key Features:
UI Design – Includes back buttons, nightmode,
colour change buttons based on previous actions,
static sidebars when scrolling, lazy loading and
phone links
Inter-operability - opensky’s Mobile Audit
Management system is fully interoperable with
multiple back-end systems, including SAP. Our
middle-ware layer provides a sophisticated
mechanism to cater for communications between
the device and back-end systems, including legacy
based systems.
Security – The mobile application complied with
the National Transport Authority’s secure password
policy including – password expire verification,
password complexity levels, account lockout
thresholds applying to multiple logons from the
same device and reduced the dependence on VPN
connections.
Device Selection – Enforcement Officers
use mobile phones (Apple iPhone) to run the
application, rather than tablets, as it is a more
secure solution.
> iCabs is a system, delivered through an iPhone,
developed specifically for the National Transport
Authority’s Compliance Team. iCabs allows
each Compliance Officer to validate each small
public service vehicle licence (in excess of
50,000 licence entries), record all regulatory
checks, create notes on each licence and issue
Fixed Charge Penalties when required. iCabs
is the main tool of the Compliance Officer’s
work and provides an excellent system for each
officer to receive and provide up-to-the-minute
information on every licence holder.Without
iCabs, Compliance Officers would be unable to
complete their tasks efficiently <
Taxi Compliance Manager
Irelands National Transport Authority

4. iCABS - A Taxi Compliance & Inspection Mobile Application System for Irelands National Transport Authority4
opensky Data Systems,
Unit 8, Osprey Business Campus,
Naas, Co Kildare, Ireland.
www.openskydata.com
Further Details: William Flanagan, Chief Technology Officer,
opensky Data Systems, +35345855675
For enquiries on openskys suite of software and IT services
for the transport sector, please contact
Brendan Dunne, Sales Manager, +353 45 855675 Ext 1011
Further Enterprise Mobility Solution Case Studies -
www.openskydata.com