The economics behind every positioning decision in TaxiIntel. This guide explains how the system ranks routes, when short trips beat long drives, and why empty drives are sometimes the most profitable move.
| Component | Rate | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Grundgebühr (start fee) | €5.00 | Charged on every ride. The foundation of the accumulation strategy. |
| Kilometerpreis | €2.70/km | Distance component. 12km airport run = €32.40 in distance alone. |
| Wartezeit | €0.75/min | Below 12 km/h. Rush-hour traffic = passive revenue at €45/hr. |
| Flughafen-Zuschlag | €2.00 | Airport pickup surcharge. Added to every fare from DUS terminal. |
| Messe ↔ Flughafen | €25.00 | Fixed fare. Guaranteed regardless of traffic. |
| Großraum-Zuschlag | €9.00 | >4 passengers. Major uplift on group bookings. |
| Nachtzuschlag | €0.00 | Düsseldorf has NO night surcharge. Same tariff 24/7. |
| # | Zone | Avg Fare | Tip % | Frequency | Yield/hr | Best Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flughafen DUS | €32 | 40% | 1.5/hr | €70/hr | 07–10, 15–17 |
| 2 | Messe (event day) | €25 | 35% | 2.5/hr | €62/hr | 08–10, 16–18 |
| 3 | Königsallee | €22 | 50% | 2/hr | €44/hr | 07–09, 12–13, 17–18 |
| 4 | Kaiserswerth | €35 | 50% | 1/hr | €35/hr | 07–08, 16–17 |
| 5 | Benrath | €35 | 40% | 0.8/hr | €28/hr | 08–09, 16–17 |
| 6 | Oberkassel | €28 | 45% | 1/hr | €28/hr | 07–08, 16–18 |
| 7 | Altstadt (lunch peak) | €15 | 30% | 3.5/hr | €52/hr* | 12–14 only |
| 8 | Medienhafen | €20 | 35% | 1.5/hr | €30/hr | 08–09, 12–13, 17–18 |
| 9 | Gerresheim | €30 | 35% | 0.8/hr | €24/hr | 08–09, 16–17 |
| 10 | Hauptbahnhof | €18 | 30% | 1.5/hr | €27/hr | 07–09, 12–13, 16–18 |
| 11 | Derendorf | €20 | 35% | 1/hr | €20/hr | 08–09, 17–18 |
| 12 | Hafen/Zollhafen | €19 | 35% | 1/hr | €19/hr | 12–13, 17–18 |
| 13 | Bilk | €17 | 30% | 1/hr | €17/hr | 08–09, 12–13, 17 |
| 14 | Flingern | €16 | 30% | 0.8/hr | €13/hr | 08–09, 12, 17 |
*Altstadt at lunch peak (12:00–14:00) jumps to #2 overall because of the start-fee accumulation effect: 3-4 short fares × €5 start fee each. Outside lunch hours, Altstadt drops to ~€22/hr.
| # | Route | Distance | Fare | Incl. | Yield/hr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oberkassel → Flughafen | 9km | €31.30 | €2 airport | €78/hr |
| 2 | Königsallee Hotel → Flughafen | 12km | €39.40 | €2 airport | €70/hr |
| 3 | Messe ↔ Flughafen (Festpreis) | 5km | €25.00 | Fixed fare | €100/hr |
| 4 | Flughafen → Königsallee | 12km | €39.40 | €2 airport | €65/hr |
| 5 | Benrath → Innenstadt | 14km | €42.80 | — | €55/hr |
The Messe ↔ Flughafen fixed fare (€25) is the single most profitable route per hour because the distance is only 5km (~8 min). On Messe days, a driver can do 4 of these per hour = €100/hr. TaxiIntel detects Messe event days and prioritises this route automatically.
Tip probability by zone ranges from 30% (Altstadt, HBF) to 50% (Königsallee, Kaiserswerth). At an average tip of €3–5 on business fares, tips add €6–10/hr in high-tip zones. TaxiIntel factors tip probability into the yield calculation — a €28 Oberkassel fare with 45% tip probability is worth more than a €30 Gerresheim fare with 35% tip probability.
| Time | Best Zone | Mode | Why | Yield/hr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06:00–07:30 | Flughafen | P | First arrivals. Low queue. Business passengers. | €70 |
| 07:00–08:00 | Königsallee Hotels | P | Hotel checkouts → Airport. Premium fares + tips. | €55 |
| 08:00–10:00 | Messe (event day) | P | Registration wave. First-mover at north entrance. | €62 |
| 08:00–10:00 | Flughafen (no Messe) | P | Steady arrivals. Queue manageable if <8 taxis. | €55 |
| 10:30–11:30 | Königsallee Hotels | P | Late checkout wave → Airport or Messe. | €48 |
| 11:00–12:00 | — LULL — | L | Reposition to Altstadt. Demand at low point. | €18 |
| 12:00–14:00 | Altstadt circuit | A | Lunch cluster. Start-fee stacking. Peak frequency. | €52–82 |
| 14:00–15:30 | — BREAK — | L | Lowest demand of day. Optimal break window. | €12 |
| 14:30–16:00 | Flughafen | P | Afternoon arrivals. Hotel check-in wave. | €50 |
| 16:00–17:00 | Messe (event day) | P | Afternoon session ends. Exhibitor departures. | €58 |
| 17:00–18:30 | Medienhafen → Oberkassel | A | Rush hour. High frequency + wait-time revenue (€45/hr passive in traffic). | €55 |
| 19:00–21:00 | Altstadt | A | Dinner + nightlife starting. Short fares, high frequency. | €35 |
| 22:00–02:00 | Altstadt + Medienhafen | P | Nightlife departures. Longer rides home to suburbs. No night surcharge but premium demand. | €42 |
P = Premium Positioning · A = Accumulation Mode · L = Lull Bridging
| Condition | Effect | Strategy Adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| Rain | +30% demand | Stay in current zone. Demand spikes everywhere. Don't reposition — serve the surge. |
| Snow/Ice | +50% demand, -20% speed | Wait-time revenue increases (€45/hr passive). Short trips become more profitable. |
| Messe days | +40% in Messe zone | All morning resources to Messe Nord. Afternoon: airport for exhibitor departures. |
| Flight delay | Shifted arrival wave | TaxiIntel recalculates. Don't queue early — arrive when passengers land. |
| Construction | Route detour | Longer distance = higher fare. Wait-time revenue in slow zones increases. |
| Holiday | -40% business, +20% leisure | Shift from Messe/Kö to Altstadt/residential. Leisure passengers take longer rides. |
An empty drive costs fuel + time with zero fare. TaxiIntel only recommends an empty drive when the net yield (expected fare minus fuel cost, divided by total time including the empty drive) exceeds the current zone's yield.
Düsseldorf's €5.00 Grundgebühr creates a mathematical paradox: on short trips under 3km, the start fee can be 40–60% of the total fare. Three short trips collect €15 in start fees; one long trip collects €5. At high frequency (3+ fares/hr), short-trip accumulation outperforms premium positioning.
| Variable | Source | Update Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Zone demand density | Historical patterns + live event calendar | Every 15 min |
| Airport queue depth | Queue model based on flight schedule | Per flight arrival |
| Messe activity | Event calendar + registration patterns | Per event session |
| Expected fare per zone | Tariff × avg distance × tip probability | Continuous |
| Empty drive cost | Distance × fuel price × consumption rate | Per repositioning |
| Wait-time revenue | Traffic speed model × €0.75/min | Per zone, per hour |
| Start-fee accumulation rate | Short-trip frequency × €5 per ride | Per zone, per hour |
| Competitor density | Queue models + zone saturation estimate | Hourly |
| Weather multiplier | Forecast API | Hourly |
| Construction/detour impact | Route length delta + wait-time increase | Daily |
Every 15 minutes, the system recalculates the yield-per-hour for all 14 zones and recommends the highest-yield position — factoring in the empty drive cost to get there. The driver sees one recommendation. The system considered all alternatives.