Route and Distance Settings

These options determine how the system calculates routes and distances between pickup and drop-off points using Google Maps.

Route Type

Choose how the system determines the route for your journeys:

  • Suggested by Google – Uses the default route recommended by Google (balances distance and traffic).

  • Shortest – Calculates the route with the shortest possible distance, regardless of travel time.

  • Fastest (with traffic) – Selects the route that considers current or typical traffic conditions to minimize travel time.

  • Fastest (without traffic) – Ignores traffic conditions and calculates time based on standard speed limits.

Example:
If your drivers often operate in high-traffic areas, selecting Fastest (with traffic) helps avoid delays. For rural areas, Shortest may provide more direct routes.

Avoid Highways / Avoid Tolls / Avoid Ferries

These options let you customize the types of roads used in route calculations.

  • Avoid Highways – Excludes highways and motorways where possible.

  • Avoid Tolls – Avoids routes with toll roads or paid sections.

  • Avoid Ferries – Prevents routes that include ferry crossings.

Enable these if you want to reduce costs or avoid specific route types for operational reasons.

Straight Line Distance

When enabled, the system calculates distances “as the crow flies” — a straight line between pickup and drop-off points — instead of using road distance.

Use this only for estimates or special use cases. For accurate travel times and pricing, keep this option disabled.

Use Address for Directions

This setting ensures that Google uses the full written address for route calculations rather than only GPS coordinates.
Enable this if your bookings often involve detailed street-level locations where exact addresses are essential (e.g., building entrances or pickup bays).

Calculate Return Journey Price the Same Way as Outbound

When enabled, the system calculates the return trip using the same route and pricing method as the outbound journey.
Disable it if you want return journeys to follow a different pricing rule or discount structure.

Example:
If you offer a “Return Trip Discount,” leave this option disabled so the system can apply different pricing to the return leg.

Fixed Price System Setting

Better Use of Postcode-Based Fixed Price System

This setting improves the accuracy of postcode-based fixed pricing:

  • When enabled, the system requires that Google identifies a valid postcode for each location.

    • Ensures accurate matching to your fixed price list.

    • Prevents bookings if the postcode cannot be confirmed.

  • When disabled, bookings are still accepted even if postcodes are missing.

Recommendation:

  • Enable this if you rely on postcode-based pricing (e.g., UK operations).

  • Disable it if you use zone-based pricing or operate outside the UK, where Google may not always return postcodes reliably.

Address Autocomplete and Suggestions

Allow Google Address Suggestions

When enabled, Google’s Places Autocomplete provides suggested addresses as users type in booking forms.

This feature:

  • Speeds up data entry.

  • Reduces errors in address spelling and formatting.

  • Ensures valid, recognizable locations are used.

Force Google Address Suggestion Selection

Requires users to select an address from Google’s suggestions rather than typing one manually.
If a user types an address but doesn’t pick from the list, the system won’t accept it.

This ensures all addresses are verified by Google, minimizing pickup and drop-off errors.

Minimum Number of Characters for Location Suggestions Search

Defines how many characters a user must type before Google starts showing address suggestions.

Example:
Setting this to 3 means suggestions appear after the user types three characters.

  • Lower values (1–2):
    Suggestions appear almost immediately but may include less relevant results and increase Google API usage (more requests).

  • Higher values (4–6):
    Suggestions appear later but are more accurate and help reduce unnecessary Google API calls.

Default: 5

Recommendation:
Keep this setting at 5 for optimal performance and to minimize Google API costs, especially on busy booking systems. Lower it only if users frequently enter very short addresses or postcodes.

Regional and Language Settings

These options control how Google Maps returns results based on region and language preferences.

Region Restriction

Applies a regional bias to search results (for example, preferring UK results if the region is set to “United Kingdom”).

  • Does not block results outside that region.

  • Useful if your business mainly operates in one country but occasionally serves nearby regions.

Option:

  • No restriction – No regional preference applied.

Country Restriction

Specifies one or more countries where Google address searches and routes are allowed.

  • Limits Google results strictly to selected countries.

  • Helps prevent incorrect addresses from other countries appearing in suggestions.

Example:
If your company operates in the UK and Ireland, select both to allow results only within those areas.

Preferred Language

Controls the language in which Google returns results and place names.

  • Auto detection – Uses the system or browser language automatically.

  • Specific language – You can manually choose a language (e.g., “French” or “Italian”) for address and map labels.

This ensures that users and drivers see familiar language results during booking and route navigation.

Summary and Recommendations

The Google > General settings give you precise control over how EasyTaxiOffice integrates with Google Maps. By properly configuring these options, you can:

  • Ensure accurate route and pricing calculations.

  • Improve booking accuracy with Google address suggestions.

  • Limit results to your service regions and languages.

After adjusting settings, always click Save to apply your changes.