Brussels taxi-share transports record number of passengers

The Brussels taxi-share scheme Collecto carried a record number of passengers in 2013, according to the region’s transport minister Brigitte Grouwels. The night taxis were used by 142,000 people in 2013, compared to 116,000 in 2012, an increase of 21%.

The Collecto project was set up in 2008 to provide affordable taxi service after the public transport network has shut down for the night. Taxi drivers pick up passengers at more than 200 designated bus stops across the city between 23.00 and 6.00, charging a modest flat fare – €6 per person, or €5 for those with a public transport annual pass. 

The taxis averaged three passengers per trip last year. About 60% of rides took place between 1.00 and 3.30, and 40% took place on Friday and Saturday nights. 

Grouwels revamped the scheme in 2010 to cut the fare from €8 to €6, while improving the service – a policy she describes as “doing more with less.” The changes appear to have paid off in terms of passenger numbers. “The number of people using Collecto every month is now more than 20 times higher than before the restructuring,” she said.

Grouwels also announced positive figures for the Noctis night bus network, which carried 6% more passengers in 2013 compared to the previous year. The average number of people using the service now ranges from 2,600 to 4,000 every month, with a peak in October.

The Noctis service was also radically reorganised in 2010 so that it now covers the entire city more effectively, although it only operates on Fridays and Saturdays and closes down at about 2.30. “Thanks to the restructuring, our capital now has a better night public transport network at a lower price for both the passenger and the taxpayer,” Grouwels said.