Dead smartphone, app crash or no network: can the driver keep operating?

Flat battery, crashing app, no network, GPS that no longer locks: in Flanders this is not “we’ll improvise”. Article 42 of the Flemish Government Decree of 9 June 2023 sets a clear rule for equipment failures during a trip, and what happens afterwards.

Main rule: if the failure happens during a trip, the driver informs passenger and customer immediately, agrees the fare, finishes to destination, then stops service with this vehicle while the equipment no longer works properly. Before a new trip, without usable equipment: do not start.

This guide complements everyday driver mistakes (oversights, wrong vehicle, ticket not sent): here the problem is technical. For amounts on control, see also document fines.

Why the phone / app matters so much

For many operators, the smartphone with compliant software is the on-board equipment: it opens the duty sheet (dienststaat), records each trip, generates the transport ticket (vervoerbewijs) and feeds the Chiron queue.

Without a usable tool, the driver can no longer produce the documents required on control. Continuing “the old way” (personal notebook, WhatsApp notes, encoding at night) is not a compliant solution.

Phone dead before service

Battery at 0%, device will not start, black screen: do not open service and do not take a customer. Without equipment: no start time, no opening mileage, no trip recording, no ticket.

• Charge, reboot, or take a backup device already configured.
• Check that the driver account and the correct vehicle are selected before the first customer.
• Notify the operator if the problem lasts: vehicle out of commercial service.

Phone dies during the trip (article 42 procedure)

If equipment fails during a trip:

1. Inform immediately the passenger and the customer (order giver / platform if distinct).
2. Agree the amount (see next section).
3. Drive to destination — do not leave the customer mid-trip to “go charge”.
4. Hand over a ticket if possible (digital, another compliant device, or handwritten exception).
5. Stop service with this vehicle after drop-off: no new trip while the equipment is not correctly usable.
6. Report the failure to the operator without waiting until end of day.

How to set the fare

Article 42 refers to a fare set by agreement with the customer / passenger. In practice:

• Rely on what was already announced (flat rate, app estimate, displayed tariff) if it is still credible.
• Explain clearly that the equipment can no longer calculate / record normally, and propose a reasonable amount for the remaining + already driven journey.
• Note the agreed amount (time, place, sum) for the handwritten ticket or later traceable reconstruction — not to “invent” a trip in the evening.
• Do not impose an arbitrary fare “because of the failure” without agreement.

Can you take a new trip after drop-off?

No, while the problem prevents normal equipment operation. Finishing the current trip does not authorise chaining another. No “we’ll catch up tonight” encoding, no personal notebook as a software substitute, no “just one more trip until I charge”.

App crashes but the phone stays on

Close / reopen the app, reboot the phone, log in again. If immediately everything works again (service open, trip visible or reconstitutable, ticket generable, Chiron queue OK): continue normally.

If the app will not restart, refuses to record, or can no longer produce the ticket: treat as equipment failure (article 42).

App restarts after several minutes

During unavailability the driver often cannot close correctly or generate the ticket. If the failure lasted during the trip:

• Already informed the customer and agreed the fare if the system was unusable.
• On resume: check whether the open trip is intact; otherwise correct with a trail (old / new value, reason) — never an invisible edit.
• If the equipment stays unstable: finish the current trip then stop this vehicle until reliable repair.

No mobile network: offline ≠ automatic failure

A 4G/5G drop is not automatically a failure under article 42. Many apps record offline: service and trip data, ticket, Chiron queue waiting for sync.

Offline is compliant only if the software still records everything securely (indelible, coherent, presentable on control). Check in the app: trip in progress, ability to generate / hand over the ticket, Chiron queue indicator.

When network = real failure: impossible to record the trip, close it, produce the ticket, or keep data securely. Then: article 42 procedure (inform, agree fare, finish, stop).

GPS failure

If the software needs location to start / close / fill ticket or duty-sheet mentions, and GPS no longer provides anything usable: that is an equipment failure. Same logic: finish the current trip under article 42, then do not resume until mandatory location is restored.

Do not invent “approximate” addresses to bypass GPS — data must match the real journey.

Printer failure

Paper printing is not always mandatory if the ticket can be handed over another way (PDF, email, SMS) and the customer actually receives it, with all mentions. A dead printer alone is not an article 42 failure if the digital channel works.

If there is no longer any way to hand over the ticket (neither digital nor paper via the equipment): handwritten exception, then stop new trips.

Exception: handwritten ticket (only if no other way)

In principle, no handwritten ticket (article 35). Article 42, § 3 allows a limited derogation: if, during the trip, a failure prevents issuing the ticket otherwise, the driver hands over a handwritten ticket with all article 35 mentions — detail in the transport ticket guide.

Minimum mentions on paper:

• « vervoerbewijs » label ;
• operator (name, address, email, phone) ;
• vehicle code / plate ;
• driver name ;
• sequential trip number ;
• date / time of pick-up and drop-off ;
• places, distance, price, and the rest of the 12 mandatory mentions.

After this trip: no new passengers while normal hand-over is impossible. This is not a faster everyday mode.

Personal backup phone

A second device helps only if it is already configured as compliant equipment: same driver account, correct vehicle, software access, ability to record and hand over the ticket. A personal phone without the business app, or a shared “garage” login, makes things worse.

After switching: check that service and the open trip are coherent, then continue only if everything works.

Chiron-only problem

If the local app still records the duty sheet and tickets, and only Chiron transmission is delayed (queue, temporarily unreachable API): that is usually not an article 42 vehicle failure. Continue while on-board documents stay complete and presentable.

If the software blocks every trip without Chiron “online” and no secure recording is possible: treat as equipment failure. Chiron replaces neither the ticket nor the duty sheet — see Chiron vs documents.

Vehicle breakdown / accident: different logic

Accident, engine failure, puncture: people safety first, not article 42 “phone”. Follow the operator / insurance / authority procedure. If a trip was in progress: inform the customer, organise the next step (other vehicle, take-over). IT equipment may still work or not — also apply document rules if recording becomes impossible.

Continue with another vehicle

Yes, if the driver switches to a vehicle that is authorised, equipped and correctly selected in the software: close / switch service, check plate and settings, then reopen cleanly. Do not “paste” vehicle A trips onto vehicle B’s sheet.

Resume after repair: 10 checks

1. Phone / tablet on, enough battery.
2. App up to date, connected (or confirmed secure offline).
3. Account of the driver who actually drives (no shared account).
4. Correct vehicle / plate selected.
5. Service open with correct start time and opening mileage.
6. GPS / location usable if the software requires it.
7. Ability to start, close and generate a test ticket (or check the last ticket).
8. Chiron queue or sync indicator OK (or known offline queue).
9. Quick access to documents for a control (duty sheet + tickets).
10. Previous failure documented with the operator (time, cause, action).

Never do

• Chain trips with a dead phone or unusable app.
• Encode unrecorded trips “in the evening”.
• Use a personal notebook as a substitute for compliant software.
• Hand over a handwritten ticket outside a documented exceptional failure.
• Edit data without a trail (old / new value, reason).
• Invent GPS, km or price to fill gaps.
• Share a driver login to “help out”.
• Ignore the failure and hope Chiron will “fix everything” alone.

Operator emergency procedure (8 steps)

1. Receive the report (time, vehicle, driver, failure type, trip in progress or not).
2. Confirm to the driver: finish the current trip under article 42, then stop.
3. Guide on ticket (digital / handwritten exception) and notes to keep.
4. Decide: charge / reboot, backup device, or withdraw the vehicle.
5. Prepare a configured replacement vehicle if needed.
6. Document the incident (duration, customers concerned, actions).
7. After repair, run the 10 checks before return to service.
8. Follow TaxiGer features / business software for alerts, access and archives.

Minimum kit on board

• Charger + cable (ideally vehicle 12V / USB).
• Charged power bank.
• Backup device already configured (account, vehicle, app).
• Handwritten ticket template / checklist (12 mentions) — exceptional use only.
• Operator on-call number.
• Short displayed procedure: inform → fare → finish → stop → report.

Recap: situation × current trip × new trip

Key takeaways

Article 42: failure during a trip → inform, agree the fare, finish, then stop. No new trip while the equipment is unusable. Handwritten ticket only if there is no other way. Offline is compliant only if the software still records everything securely.

Go further: documents hub, driver mistakes, document fines, control documents.

FAQ

Official sources

• Flemish Government Decree of 9 June 2023 — articles 33 to 36 and 42
• Flanders — Central trip database Chiron
• Official Chiron technical guide
• Flemish Decree of 29 March 2019 — individual paid passenger transport