Taxi Driver Online

I'm reliably informed that the group allegedly speaking on the trade's behalf, the Meeting of Minds, had a meeting today.

It appears nearly all agreed that the Law Commission's position, that PH will all be of the same standard and work with any operator no matter where they are licensed, was a view that should be supported.

What a bunch of idiots.

I can't believe any union would be stupid enough to sign away their members livelihoods in such a manner, the only excuse could be that their reps are thick.

Does anyone think that the those council with low standards are going to be forced to up-grade to those councils with high standards?

Are Unite union reps that thick they can't work out national standards, and no restriction on area, is exactly what they wanted to end, yet they sign up to it.

Notable exceptions are the NTA, and I think the GMB reps need to be briefed properly, but when our own so-called trade unions and associations sign away our livelihoods without a second thought, then sadly we are all doomed.

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IDFIMH

Meeting of Minds= Oxymoron

Well the PH operators' motivation for such support is easy to rationalise, but who knows about the HC reps?

Perhaps they just think it's a cross-border issue rather than dumbing down the PH sector, which, as some on here have made clear, doesn't do the HC side much good either from a competition perspective.

Or maybe they think that if they get onside with the PH ops then they can unite (pardon the pun) to defeat the derestriction proposal, which would clearly be in the (vested) interests of both sides.

Or mabye it's a bit like the London black cab attitude to minicab licensing - anything that makes them legitmate is bad, so as a corollary delegitimising the provincial PH trade is good.

But who knows? As usual it'll all be a bit Machievellian (sp?), so the true motivations will be difficult to fathom.

Or maybe they'll change their minds once they've read and digested the consultation.

They'd sell their own mother if they thought they could get away with it ffs. All some are interested in is relaxing the rules so they can train more and private hire operators are only interested in renting out more radios regardless of whether there is work. Has it never occurred to anybody that the transient nature of the private hire trade is brought about by the very nature of the operators they 'work' for

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

See that's one of the saddest bits, I doubt more that 20% of those at the meeting have actually read the report.

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IDFIMH

Who takes part in the MoM again?

I'm informed in attendance today was:

NPHA
Unite (T&G)
GMB
NTA
NALEO
NTTG (or whatever it's called this week)

They are so thick they think the Law Commission's position on cross-border hiring is simply to solve the car breaking down miles from it's area, and not being able to pass on the customers to a local firm problem.

Naive as well as thick.

I suspect that happens about a dozen times a year at most. However there is nothing stopping the job being passed to a local taxi firm, or getting the punter to re-book with a local PH firm. In short it's not a f***ing problem.

Yet these idiots haven't quite grasped that allowing PH firms to pass on work will legalize cross-border hiring. Put that alongside the ending of high standards and you will have 10s of 1000s of licensed PH drivers worse off.

And these so-called reps can't f***ing see it.

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IDFIMH

So not even any PH ops represented then? (Given that Mr Roland seems to represent everyone I don't count the NPHA.)

Undermines my theory a bit, but doesn't kill it entirely.

Incidentally, what proportion of the country's PH would have quality controls above the minimum, and thus would be affected in the way you claim?

I mean, they're not all like Brighton?

It's perhaps a bit unfortunate that licensing officers are involved with the trade in something called the 'Meeting of Minds'.

Sounds a bit too like what economists call 'regulatory capture', or whatever.

But this is the cab trade I suppose, where different rules apply compared to the rest of the world

Financial reasons are not sufficient for the Law Commission to consider it a problem, we operate in a free market and as has been said before 'if you can't stand the heat'. The problem caused by having too many earning too little leads to passengers being driven by drivers who are taking risks with passenger safety in so far as the vehicle maintenance may be delayed or drivers will work excessive hours

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

After reading this document I have come to the conclusion that it is either all or nothing, you can't in one section agree to conditions nationally and then in the next section say they should be controlled locally.. I personally think it needs to be rejected completely

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

The N T T G cannot be representing anyone by virtue of the fact that they have held no meetings to discuss the Law Society's proposals.....

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

Sorry Mr T, that it would appear, is not an option.

I do think there are bits I like - but there is loads I don't.

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related

I'll make you a bet that in the end.... that is exactly what you will end up doing

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

If you take everything in this document that you don't like, and compare it with what you have to day...... which would you vote for.

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!