GB2372845A

GB2372845A - Travel planning, booking and payment over a remote network

Info

Publication number: GB2372845A
Application number: GB0026992A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Timothy Peter Jordan; Christopher Frederick Jordan
Original assignee: FREEPHONE TAXIS Ltd
Current assignee: FREEPHONE TAXIS Ltd
Priority date: 2000-11-04
Filing date: 2000-11-04
Publication date: 2002-09-04
Also published as: GB0026992D0

Abstract

A computer system for delivering instructions from a client to a transport service where the client defines the journey start and end-points, number of passengers, time and date of travel. The data is transmitted to the service provider which gives the client an identifier for the transaction. The type of vehicle to by used can also be defined by the client. The service provider can be selected from a list or assigned automatically. The transaction can take place by fax, over a computer network or a telecommunications network. Also when a plurality of journeys are made the details can be correlated and any anomalous journey costs identified. Also the start and end points can be predefined.

Description

Transport service booking system This invention relates to transport service booking systems.

It is not uncommon within large organisations for taxis to be booked for various purposes, frequently on a contract basis. A problem exists where it is very difficult for the organisation to reconcile journeys undertaken against invoices received as individual journeys are hard to identify when an invoice may be for a number of separate journeys combined and the invoice may not arrive until several weeks after the journey. It is also a particular concern to reduce costs by avoiding fraud and also being able to select the least expensive company for a particular journey. The present invention solves this problem by using a computer based system to reconcile journeys made with invoiced costs, enabling analysis of journey cost against a host of other data about the journey. Over a fairly short period of time data can be built up to indicate the cost of particular journeys and particular firms and any unusual cost or usage patterns can be identified, costs for particular journeys or journey types can be optimised (i. e. minimised).

The present invention also provides a number of technical additional features which provide substantial advantages to passengers, customers, taxi firms, persons providing taxi booking services and individual taxi drivers.

According to the present invention there is provided a method as implemented on a computer system of delivering instructions from a client to a transport service provider and providing a payment reconciliation system, said method comprising the steps of: i) defining journey parameters for a journey transaction comprising a pick-up point, a destination, number of passengers and time and date of journey ; ii) transmitting said journey transaction from said client to said transport service provider, either one of said client and said transport service provider determining a unique identifier for said journey transaction and transmitting it to the other; iii) recording said journey transaction and said unique identifier on said computer system; and iv) upon receipt of an invoice bearing said unique identifier for said journey transaction, reconciling said invoice against said journey transaction. A transport service provider may be a taxi cab company, private hire vehicle company, minibus hire company, coach or bus hire company An additional journey parameter may be included to allow the type of vehicle required to be selected from a group consisting of vehicles such as taxi cabs, private hire vehicles, minibuses, buses, coaches, limousines and vehicles that are adapted for the use of disabled passengers.

A further journey parameter may be included to specify that the journey is to be repeated and at what interval and for how long the repeat is to continue, or for what range or set of dates it should be repeated.

Further additional journey parameters may be included to allow a return journey to be defined or to specify whether the journey is to be paid in cash by the passenger or on account.

The transport service provider may be selectable from a predefined list of transport service providers. The selection may be performed automatically by the software according to the journey parameters, selecting the transport service provider using criteria such as which transport service provider is nearest to the pick up point or has the most suitable vehicle. The selection may be based on user definable criteria, such as always choose the least expensive, or the choose the most reliable from past experience. This offers the advantage of favouring certain transport service providers over others based on past experience of reliability or on cost or on vehicle type.

The number of vehicles required for the journey may be calculated automatically where there are two or more passengers.

The pickup point and destination point may be selectable from a predefined list of points with no alternative allowed. Alternatively, new pickup and destination points may be allowed and the inputting of a new pickup or address point may cause the new address to be added to a predefined list of pickup and destination points. Allowing new pick up points and destinations to be added to the predefined list has the advantage of adding flexibility to the system, whilst limiting the choice of pick up point and destination strictly to the predefined list has the advantage of reducing the likelyhood of fraud by preventing unauthorised journeys.

The journey transaction may be sent to the selected transport service provider by fax, or over a computer network, a telecommunications network (for example by modem) or by post. Preferably, the transaction will be transmitted immediately upon completion, but transactions may be stored and sent at a predefined time or interval. The invoice may be sent from the transport service provider to the client by fax, over a computer network, a telecommunications network or by post. An invoice sent electronically has the advantage of being in a computer readable form and can be imported into the payment reconciliation system automatically, saving the user the job of manually entering figures.

The invoiced cost of a journey may be stored and when the journey is repeated (and the above steps (i)- (iv) repeated), the costs of the subsequent journeys compared (i. e. correlated). This has the advantage of allowing any anomalous costs to be readily identified as a database of journey costs is built up. The stored data can also be examined so that, for example, costs for the same journey by different transport service providers or costs for the same journey at different times of the day can be compared. This has the advantage of providing the user with data to bias future transport service provider selection.

If it is necessary to amend or cancel a booked journey, a second journey transaction may be made using the same unique identifier as the first with the amended parameters or cancellation instruction attached.

Also provided is a method as implemented on a computer system of delivering instructions to a transport service provider, said method comprising the steps of: i) providing a website for booking a transport service provider; ii) defining journey parameters for a journey transaction comprising a pick-up point, a destination, number of passengers and time and date of journey ; iii) transmitting said journey transaction to a central transport service provider; iv) said central transport service provider forwarding the journey transaction to a secondary transport service provider; v) said secondary transport service provider being selected according to predetermined criteria.

This has the advantage of allowing anyone anywhere in the world with web access to book, for example, a taxi via browser or WAP phone, for the journey from an airport to their final destination. The secondary transport service provider may be a subsidiary or a franchisee of the central transport service provider or may be a separate company paying the central transport service provider for the right to receive bookings made this way. There may be many secondary transport service providers spread across an area. This has the advantage to the central transport service provider of making money through commission on bookings or by payments from the secondary service provider. The secondary transport service provider benefits from receiving bookings that might otherwise have gone to another transport service provider or not been made at all.

Secondary transport service providers may be selected for a particular booking based on past performance, so that providers who perform well receive more bookings than others, badly performing providers may be removed from the list of providers.

Also provided is a method for using a computer for delivering instructions from a client to a transport service provider and providing a payment reconciliation system, said method comprising the steps of: i) defining journey parameters for a journey transaction comprising a pick-up point, a destination, number of passengers and time and date of journey ; ii) transmitting said journey transaction from said client to said transport service provider, either one of said client and said transport service provider determining a unique identifier for said journey transaction and transmitting it to the other; iii) recording said journey transaction and said unique identifier on said computer system; and iv) upon receipt of an invoice bearing said unique identifier for said journey transaction, reconciling said invoice against said journey transaction.

Also provided is a computer program for delivering instructions from a client to a transport service provider and providing a payment reconciliation system comprising : i) defining journey parameters for a journey transaction comprising a pick-up point, a destination, number of passengers and time and date of journey ; ii) program code for transmitting said journey transaction to said transport service provider and for either determining a unique identifier for said journey transaction and transmitting it to said transport service provider or for receiving from said transport service provider a unique identifier for said journey transaction; iii) program code for reconciling received invoices bearing said unique identifier against said journey transaction.

Also provided is a computer program product for delivering instructions from a client to a transport service provider and providing a payment reconciliation system comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in the medium.

Also provided is a method as implemented on a computer system of delivering instructions to a transport service provider, said method comprising the steps of: i) providing a website for placing orders or reservations for goods or services which necessitate the presence of a person or persons at a location; ii) upon receipt of an order for said goods or services from a client, determining whether transport to and/or from said location is required for said person or persons; iii) if transport is required, defining journey parameters for a journey transaction comprising a pick-up point, a destination, number of passengers and time and date of journey ; and iv) transmitting said journey transaction to a transport service provider.

Alternatively the computer system may automatically determine from the goods or services booking itself the pick up point using the payment means address, the destination point using the location required to use the goods or services, the number of passengers using the number of individuals on the goods or service booking and the date and time transport is required using the date and time for the goods or services booking.

Said journey transaction may be given a unique identifier to be used in invoicing and reconciliation. This gives the user the advantage of being able to book transport to and from a location for goods or services in a single step. The user may be able to pay the transport service provider as part of the original goods or services booking. Examples of the goods and services that this could be used with are theatre tickets, cinema tickets, train tickets, air plane tickets, sporting event tickets and restaurant bookings.

The present invention also extends to the dispatch systems used by transport service providers such as taxi firms, who typically have a calendar-style booking system into which pre-ordered and immediate jobs are entered. A call to service the job is put out to the firm's fleet of taxis and, upon a taxi calling in to accept it, the job is removed from the system. These systems are frequently computerised, and they can be readily modified to allow the importing of data from a remote data source, i. e. to allow the import of journey transactions from the systems of the present invention. In order to do this an electronic link needs to be established between the system of the invention and the computer system of the transport service provider. This can be readily achieved using for example email or virtual private networks (VPNs). The journey transaction, once received by the computer of the transport service provider can then be imported into its dispatch system. Filters can be readily created using for example visual basic, C++, PERL and other such languages as appropriate in order to format the journey transaction data appropriately for the dispatching system. Invoice data can be similarly transmitted from the transport service provider back to the system of the client.

Thus a method according to the present invention in which said journey transaction is transmitted as electronic data, may additionally comprise the steps of : i) importing said journey transaction data into a transport service provider vehicle dispatch computer system; and ii) when said journey transaction is due to be serviced, said transport service provider communicating said journey parameters to at least one vehicle.

In addition, said vehicle dispatch computer system of said transport service provider may subsequently transmit to said client an invoice bearing said unique identifier for said journey.

A further extension of the invention provides a method of payment for a journey where payment is made by the customer phoning a particular telephone number and the cost of the journey being added to the user's telephone bill, or in the case of a prepay mobile, deducted from the user's balance. For example, when the customer makes the booking it may be an option to specify that payment is to be made via an account with a telephone service provider and the customer's account to be debited accordingly with the reference number for the journey recorded along with the cost of the journey on the customer's telephone bill.

These extensions to the method of the invention also apply equally to all of the methods and computer programs of the invention.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a flowchart for generating a transaction; Figure 2 shows a flowchart giving more detail of step 100 from Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a flowchart giving more detail of step 200 from Figure 1; Figure 4 shows a flowchart giving more detail of step 300 from Figure 1; Figure 5 shows a flowchart giving more detail of step 400 from Figure 1; and Figure 6 shows a generic computer system.

Referring to figure 6, computer 10 comprises central processing unit 12, computer memory (RAM) 14, permanent data storage (hard disk) 16, floppy disk drive 18, fax modem 20, telephone socket 21, mouse 24, keyboard 26, display 28, printer 30, LAN adapter 34 and LAN connection 35. Computer 10 is operated by user 32 (not shown).

A computer program is provided on computer readable diskette 22 and loaded and run on computer 10. The computer program is written in any language suitable for the operating system of computer 10, for example in Visual Basic, C++ or Java. The computer program operates as follows: Example 1 Referring to Figure 1, step 100 initialises the program and presents user 32 with a startup screen on display 28. The startup screen 140 gives user 32 a list of options comprising bookings, reconciliation, account details, list of addresses, data export, and quitting the program. In other embodiments user 32 is presented with a bookings entry screen upon startup rather than one listing various options (above), such a screen instead being accessible from the startup booking entry screen. Selecting the bookings option (step 200) from the startup screen takes user 32 to the bookings entry screen. When user 32 has completed a journey transaction on the bookings entry screen, the journey transaction data is validated (see below) and if valid the journey transaction is transmitted to the selected transport service provider using fax modem 18 and the journey transaction data stored on diskette 22 and printed if required on printer 30. If the data is not valid, the user is requested to modify the data to make it valid. Selecting the reconciliation option (step 300) takes user 32 to the reconciliation screen where invoiced journey transactions are reconciled against journeys known to have been made. Selecting the account details option takes user 32 to the account details screen where the details of the user's account are modified. Selecting the list of addresses option takes user 32 to the list of addresses screen where the addresses for pickups or destinations are edited. The account details and list of addresses screens are accessed only by a predefined set of users with access permission to those screens. Selecting the data export option allows user 32 to save data from the program on to diskette 22 in a form that is readable by other programs such as wordprocessors and spreadsheets. Selecting quit causes the program to shut down (step 500).

Referring now to Figure 2, step 100 of Figure 1 is divided into further steps.

Steps 100-140 are the initialisation steps for the software, where the program and data for the specific client are read into the computer memory 14 from diskette 22 (steps 110 and 120), the data read into the computer memory 14 contains the user name, address and phone number, a list of locations previously defined as pick-up points or destinations, a list of transport service providers and a list of vehicle types. A startup screen is then presented on the computer display 28 (step 130), the startup screen presents user 32 with the options listed in the previous paragraph and user 32 selects the required option (step 140).

Referring to Figure 3, when user 32 begins to create a new journey transaction, the identity of user 32 is authenticated for security reasons by presenting a login screen, step 210. If authentication fails, at step 220, user 32 is presented with three further opportunities to login correctly, failure to login correctly causes the program to shut down; authentication success presents user 32 with a bookings entry screen with a unique identifier reference number allocated for the transaction, step 230. The bookings entry screen displays areas for data input called fields which are grouped in blocks, and displays four onscreen buttons, a'completed'button to transmit a completed transaction, a'print'button to print the journey transaction on printer 30, a'new journey'button to begin inputting a new set of journey parameters and an'exit'button to exit the bookings entry screen and return to the start up screen. The data input fields are completed either by user 32 or automatically by the program (step 240). User 32 completes the fields necessary to define the journey, these fields comprising pick-up point address fields, destination address fields, date and time fields, vehicle type field, main passenger name field, number of passengers field, and repeat journey field, repeat journey interval field and number of repeat journeys field. The program automatically completes the fields for the unique identifier number, time and date that the booking was made and the identity of user 32. The program can also store customer names and addresses so that customer details can be accessed by for example name or address or even a customer ID number.

To define a journey user 32 begins by selecting an address for the pick-up point. This is done by typing the address into the pick-up point address fields, or by selecting an address from the predefined list. User 32 then selects an address for the destination, this is done by typing the address into the destination address fields, or by selecting an address from the predefined list. For both the pick-up address and destination address fields the program offers to autocomplete the fields when user 32 begins to type the address by comparing the first characters entered into the field with the first characters of previous values for that field and displaying those that match. Where a pickup point or destination has not been entered previously, the new location is automatically be added to the stored list of predefined pickup points or destinations as appropriate. User 32 next enters the date and time that the pick-up is to be made into pick-up date and time fields.

User 32 then chooses the type of vehicle required for the journey in the vehicle type field, selecting from a predefined set of vehicles comprising taxicabs, private hire vehicles, minibuses, buses, coaches, limousines and vehicles suitable for disabled passengers.

Next, user 32 enters the name of the main passenger in the main passenger field and the number of passengers in the passenger number field. If the journey is to be repeated user 32 checks the repeat journey checkbox field and enters the interval between repeat journeys into the repeat journey interval field and the number of repeat journeys into the number of repeat journeys field.

Once the journey parameter fields are complete user 32 clicks the onscreen 'completed'button and the program verifies the validity of the transaction parameters (step 250), checking that the date and time for the journey are in the future rather than in the past, that a pickup point, destination and number of passengers are specified for the journey and that the pick-up point and destination are not the same location. If the transaction details are not valid, display 28 shows an error message requesting correction and user 32 has the opportunity of correcting the errors, if the details are valid a message is displayed to confirm the transaction details (step 260) and the transaction details automatically prepared for transmission. These preparations comprise calculating the number of vehicles required for the number of passengers booked on the transaction and selecting the transport service provider. The transport service provider is selected automatically according to programmed criteria. These criteria take account of the relative location of the transport service provider and the pickup point or destination, the cost of previous journeys with a particular transport service provider and the type of vehicle required in order to minimise the cost of the journey. The journey parameters are then saved to diskette 22. The journey transaction is then transmitted to the selected transport service provider by fax modem 20 (step 270).

User 32 can then print the journey parameters by clicking on the onscreen'print'button, continue to add further transactions by clicking on the'new journey'button which clears the fields of the previous journey parameters and allocates a new unique identifier number (step 280) or return to the startup screen by clicking on the onscreen'exit' button (step 290).

Referring to Figure 4, when user 32 chooses the reconciliation option, the identity of user 32 is authenticated for security reasons by presenting a login screen, step 310. If authentication fails, at step 320, user 32 is presented with three further opportunities to login correctly, failure to login correctly causes the program to shut down; authentication success loads a set of data from diskette 22 consisting of unreconciled journey transactions and presents user 32 with a table displaying a list of the unreconciled journey transactions (step 330) on display 28. These are displayed in date order according to when the journey took place, but options allow these to be listed in a different order if the user prefers. For each journey transaction there are columns in the table indicating the date and time of the journey, the unique identifier number for the journey transaction, pick-up point and destination and charge for the journey. User 32 inputs the total charge for the journey into the charge field. A final column in the table has a checkbox which is checked to indicate that the invoice for that journey transaction, has been received and the charge for the journey entered (step 340). On the next occasion that the reconciliation screen is displayed, those journey transactions that have been checked are not displayed. When the user 32 has finished reconciling invoiced journeys against journey transactions made, the data is saved to diskette 22, the reconciliation screen is closed and the startup screen is displayed again (step 350).

Referring to Figure 5, when user 32 is at startup screen 140, a further option is to quit the program. When this option is selected, all data is saved to diskette 22 (step 410), the display window is removed (step 420), and the program files are closed down (step 430). Example 2 In a second embodiment, the unique identifier for a journey transaction is determined by the transport service provider and transmitted to user 32 by fax when a booking is received.

Example 3 In a third embodiment, the choices for pickup point and destination are limited to a predefined set with no alternatives being allowed. Entering an address not in the set causes a validation error and user 32 is asked to correct the address to one that is allowed. The set of locations is modified by using the list of addresses option from the startup screen by a user with access permission to that screen. This embodiment reduces the opportunity for fraud as journeys are only made between the predefined locations.

Example 4 In a fourth embodiment, the booking screen includes additional'return journey'fields for the input of a time and date for a return journey so that the journey parameters include an instruction to the transport service provider to return to the destination point at a defined time and date to return the passengers to the pick-up point.

Example 5 In a fifth embodiment, a'cancel or modify journey'option is presented on startup screen 140, selecting this option brings up a screen identical to the bookings entry screen except that instead of a'completed'button, there is an onscreen'cancel'button and an onscreen'modify'button. User 32 scrolls through the journey transactions made where the journey has not yet taken place, selects the journey transaction to be cancelled and clicks the onscreen'cancel'button. The program then saves the data to diskette 22, and transmits a fax using fax modem 20 to the selected transport service provider for the selected journey transaction comprising the unique identifier for the journey transaction, the date and time of the cancelled journey and the word'cancelled'in large type. To modify a journey transaction parameter, user 32 selects the journey transaction to be modified as above, amends the relevant field (s), then clicks the onscreen'modify'button. The journey parameters are checked for validity as in example 1 and if valid the program then saves the data to diskette 22 and a fax is transmitted using fax modem 20 to the selected transport service provider for the selected journey transaction comprising the unique identifier for the journey transaction, the date, time, pick-up point, destination and passenger details of the modified journey and the word'Amended'in large type.

Example 6 In a sixth embodiment, a'bias'option is presented on startup screen 140.

Selecting this option brings up on display 28 a screen where user 32 inputs data to bias the criteria used to select the transport service provider. The biasing factors comprise a relative price factor, a reliability factor and a vehicle comfort factor.

Example 7 In a seventh embodiment, the transaction details are printed on printer 30 and transmitted manually by fax or sent by post.

Example 8 In an eighth embodiment, a journey transaction is not transmitted immediately, but is stored upon completion on computer 10 and transmitted at a set time or interval. This reduces communication charges by allowing several journey transactions to be transmitted together.

Example 9 In a ninth embodiment, a'review'option is presented on startup screen 140.

Selecting this option brings up on display 28 a screen where user 32 compares the costs of a particular journey when made using different transport service providers, on different days or at different times of day. This allows anomalous costs to be identified and to provide data to bias the transport service provider selection towards the less expensive providers.

Example 10 In a tenth embodiment, a website is offered, accessible by Internet browser or other means such as a WAP-enabled phone, displaying a bookings screen similar to that of example 1 where user 32 inputs journey parameters for a journey transaction.

Selecting the transmit option sends the journey transaction via the Internet to a central receiving company who forward it to an associated transport service provider near to the pickup point and confirm the booking to user 32 by means of email or other message.

Example 11 In an eleventh embodiment, a service is offered to websites selling items such as train tickets, theatre tickets, air plane tickets, etc. , where transport is provided for the purchaser to or from the station, theatre, airport, etc. , by integrating transport service provider booking into the purchase transaction if it is required. User 32 checks a checkbox on the ticket booking form to bring up a bookings screen as in example 6 allowing journey parameters to be specified, and upon confirmation of the ticket transaction send the journey transaction via the Internet to a central receiving company who forward it to an associated transport service provider near to the pickup point and confirm the booking to user 32 by means of email or other message. This allows a vendor's website to offer a complete door to door service to user 32 with user 32 being required to do little more than indicate that transport is required.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A method as implemented on a computer system of delivering instructions from a client to a transport service provider and providing a payment reconciliation system, said method comprising the steps of: i) defining journey parameters for a journey transaction comprising a pick-up point, a destination, number of passengers and time and date of journey ; ii) transmitting said journey transaction from said client to said transport service provider, either one of said client and said transport service provider determining a unique identifier for said journey transaction and transmitting it to the other; iii) recording said journey transaction and said unique identifier on said computer system; and iv) upon receipt of an invoice bearing said unique identifier for said journey transaction, reconciling said invoice against said journey transaction.
2. A method according to claim 1, an additional journey parameter being the type of vehicle required.
3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the type of vehicle is selected from any one of the group consisting of: i) taxi cabs; ii) private hire vehicles; iii) minibuses; iv) buses; v) coaches; vi) limousines; and vii) vehicles adapted for use by disabled passengers.
4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said transport service provider is selected from a predetermined set of transport service providers.
5. A method according to any one of claims 1-4, said computer system automatically selecting said transport service provider for said journey.
6. A method according to claims 4 or 5, said transport service provider being selected according to said journey parameters.
7. A method according to any of claims 4-6, wherein said client can input data to said computer system to bias the selection of said transport service provider.
8. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said journey transaction is transmitted by fax.
9. A method according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein said journey transaction is transmitted over a computer network.
10. A method according to any one of claims 1-7 wherein said journey transaction is transmitted over a telecommunications network.
11. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein steps (i) (iv) of claim 1 are repeated on at least one more occasion and the costs of said journey transactions are correlated with said journey details.
12. A method according to claim 11, wherein any anomalous journey transaction costs are identified.
13. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said pickup point is selected from a predefined set of pick-up points.
14. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said destination is selected from a predefined set of destinations.
15. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein inputting a new pick-up point or destination causes it to be added to those previously defined.
16. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said journey parameters for said journey transaction specify that said journey is to be repeated on a specified date or dates or range of dates.
17. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said journey transaction includes parameters for a return journey.
18. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said journey parameters specify how payment is to be made for said journey.
19. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said journey transactions are transmitted immediately upon completion.
20. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said journey transaction is stored upon completion and transmitted at a required time or interval.
21. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a second journey transaction is created to amend or cancel a previous journey transaction.
22. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the number of vehicles for said journey is calculated according to said number of passengers.
23. A method as implemented on a computer system of delivering instructions to a transport service provider, said method comprising the steps of: i) providing a website for booking a transport service provider; ii) defining journey parameters for a journey transaction comprising a pick-up point, a destination, number of passengers and time and date of journey ; iii) transmitting said journey transaction to a central transport service provider; iv) said central transport service provider forwarding the journey transaction to a secondary transport service provider; and v) said secondary transport service provider being selected according to predetermined criteria.
24. A method for using a computer for delivering instructions from a client to a transport service provider and providing a payment reconciliation system, said method comprising the steps of: i) defining journey parameters for a journey transaction comprising a pick-up point, a destination, number of passengers and time and date of journey ; ii) transmitting said journey transaction from said client to said transport service provider, either one of said client and said transport service provider determining a unique identifier for said journey transaction and transmitting it to the other; iii) recording said journey transaction and said unique identifier on said computer system; and iv) upon receipt of an invoice bearing said unique identifier for said journey transaction, reconciling said invoice against said journey transaction.
25. A computer program for delivering instructions from a client to a transport service provider and providing a payment reconciliation system comprising: i) defining journey parameters for a journey transaction comprising a pick-up point, a destination, number of passengers and time and date of journey ; ii) program code for transmitting said journey transaction to said transport service provider and for either determining a unique identifier for said journey transaction and transmitting it to said transport service provider or for receiving from said transport service provider a unique identifier for said journey transaction; and iii) program code for reconciling received invoices bearing said unique identifier against said journey transaction.
26. A computer program product for delivering instructions from a client to a transport service provider and providing a payment reconciliation system comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means according to claim 25 embodied in said medium.
27. A method as implemented on a computer system of delivering instructions to a transport service provider, said method comprising the steps of: i) providing a website for placing orders or reservations for goods or services which necessitate the presence of a person or persons at a location; ii) upon receipt of an order for said goods or services from a client, determining whether transport to and/or from said location is required for said person or persons; iii) if transport is required, defining journey parameters for a journey transaction comprising a pick-up point, a destination, number of passengers and time and date of journey ; and iv) transmitting said journey transaction to a transport service provider.
28. A method according to claim 27, wherein said pick-up point is the address registered for a credit card used for payment or to guarantee payment of said order.
29. A method according to claims 27 or 28, wherein said location is said destination.
30. A method according to any one of claims 27-29, wherein said number of passengers is the number of said person or persons.
31. A method according to any one of claims 27-30, wherein said journey transaction is given a unique identifier to be used in invoicing and reconciliation.
32. A method according to any one of claims 27-31 where said website provides for the booking of at least one of the group consisting of: i) theatre tickets; ii) cinema tickets; iii) train tickets; iv) air plane tickets; v) sporting event tickets; vi) event tickets; and vii) restaurants.
33. A method according to any one of claims 27-32 where transport is paid for as part of said booking.
34. A method according to any one of claims 1-22, said journey transaction being transmitted as electronic data, and additionally comprise the steps of : i) importing said journey transaction data into a transport service provider vehicle dispatch computer system; and ii) when said journey transaction is due to be serviced, said transport service provider communicating said journey parameters to at least one vehicle.
35. A method according to claim 34, said vehicle dispatch computer system of said transport service provider subsequently transmitting to said client an invoice bearing said unique identifier for said journey.