Try Waze ‘Taxi mode’ to help with changing speed limits and new road restrictions says LTDA rep
Updated: Jul 31, 2022
Taxi drivers have been urged to look at the popular traffic and navigational app Waze to help keep to changing speed limits and stay up to date with new road restrictions.
The real-time traffic app also has a handy ‘Taxi’ mode that takes into account bus lanes, unlike many other navigational apps on the market.
Multiple road network changes were made throughout the pandemic. Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) schemes popped up creating havoc for drivers returning back to the industry after coronavirus lockdowns.
There are also a number of new speed cameras in the capital. Roads have shifted from 30mph speed limits to 20mph. According to the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA), cameras on Bayswater Road, Euston Road, and Park Lane, all places where the speed limit has changed recently, are catching drivers out.
Kanize Cozens, LTDA Membership Senior Officer, said in TAXI Newspaper: “Something that might help drivers is using a navigation app that shows you what the restrictions are as you drive along and alerts you when you are doing something wrong.
“These also show you where there is congestion (more congestion than usual) so you can avoid the worst of the traffic.
“I’m a big fan of technology. When it comes to setting off on a journey, even one I do on a regular basis, I always set up Waze.
“There are other similar apps out there, but for me, this is the most user friendly and has the most useful features on it, particularly for cabbies, who already know where they are going.
“You can set Waze to ‘Taxi’ under ‘Vehicle Type’, which takes into account the use of bus lanes. It’s also often more up to date and accurate than other satellite navigation apps as other Waze users share information on things such as potholes, police enforcement, accidents, or objects on the road. Most importantly, if you’re driving over the speed limit, a visual alert will appear on the Waze speedometer. It will stay there until your speed drops below the limit.”
