Taxi Driver Online

UK cab trade debate and advice
It is currently Sat Apr 25, 2026 5:40 pm

All times are UTC [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 329 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1 ... 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 ... 22  Next
Author Message
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 11:06 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 8:26 pm
Posts: 8529
Quote:
This Higher Tarrif in no way should discriminate Disabled from anyone else but should be looked on as the The standard...its just a tool to allow the Goverment to contibute to the extra cost of a regulatory enforced specially adapted Vehicle....Everything has to be paid for in this world....after say 3 months the Disabled clients could send all their Receipts back to the DWP or whoever and be able to claim back say 30% of all the DDA rated fares they paid for through their TAXI/PH useage..As a spin off it would encourage more Disabled to use Taxis and Ph as presently do.
Do you not remember that the disabled used to be the Government's burden.... ambulances used to ferry them around everywhere and of course social services.. but the clever little bassstards, managed to palm off the responsibility on to the taxi trade.. at no cost to the government............. why would they suddenly want to start paying again...

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


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 11:49 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 8:15 pm
Posts: 9170
MR T wrote:
Quote:
This Higher Tarrif in no way should discriminate Disabled from anyone else but should be looked on as the The standard...its just a tool to allow the Goverment to contibute to the extra cost of a regulatory enforced specially adapted Vehicle....Everything has to be paid for in this world....after say 3 months the Disabled clients could send all their Receipts back to the DWP or whoever and be able to claim back say 30% of all the DDA rated fares they paid for through their TAXI/PH useage..As a spin off it would encourage more Disabled to use Taxis and Ph as presently do.
Do you not remember that the disabled used to be the Government's burden.... ambulances used to ferry them around everywhere and of course social services.. but the clever little bassstards, managed to palm off the responsibility on to the taxi trade.. at no cost to the government............. why would they suddenly want to start paying again...


In that case its time for a change of Government thinking...or maybe its just time for a change of Government.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 6:07 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2003 7:30 pm
Posts: 57331
Location: 1066 Country
MR T wrote:
I managed to get the correct customer into my vehicle for many many years with absolutely no signs at all..... :shock:

Well done.

_________________
IDFIMH


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 6:09 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2003 7:30 pm
Posts: 57331
Location: 1066 Country
MR T wrote:
Sussex wrote:
MR T wrote:
Having driven a private hire car with a roof sign.. and then driven one without ..... roof signs give the impression that you're a hackney Taxi :wink:

If we took your plying analogy a tad further it would mean licensed taxis wouldn't be able to go outside of their areas as they have the word taxi on their vehicles. :?


now let me see... rubbish :wink:

No it's not rubbish.

You are saying that as some PH have proper signage it leads punters to believe they are licensed to pick up off the street. Taxis outside of their area are in exactly the same position.

_________________
IDFIMH


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:22 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2004 5:53 pm
Posts: 10381
MR T wrote:
Do you not remember that the disabled used to be the Government's burden.... ambulances used to ferry them around everywhere and of course social services.. but the clever little bassstards, managed to palm off the responsibility on to the taxi trade.. at no cost to the government............. why would they suddenly want to start paying again...


LTI started the ball rolling with their WAV.

Regards

JD

_________________
Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 12:13 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 8:15 pm
Posts: 9170
Sussex wrote:
MR T wrote:
I managed to get the correct customer into my vehicle for many many years with absolutely no signs at all..... :shock:

Well done.


oddly enough me to....Except once when I took a lady that I had collected by Meet and Greet at an airport and who had Just happened to have the Same name and was heading to the same Hotel...by good fortune another PH Vehicle did the same with the Other Client Half an hour later after a flight Delay...Luckkkkkkkkkkkkkkkeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee indeed!!


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 2:35 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 06, 2006 12:31 pm
Posts: 1761
Location: Commonsense Country
Brummie Cabbie wrote:
bloodnock wrote:
Its simple....Clamp down hard on PH that hack....rip there licenses right off them there and then if caught redhanded and Really throw the book at them or until the successfully appeal and win.


I totally agree. But it’s not going to happen. We’ve had 32 years now (since LG (MP) Act 1976) of what the enforcement officers should do, but can’t or won’t. In a city like Birmingham we would probably need an extra 100 enforcement officers to make it work, with the majority of them being on nights. London would probably need 2,000 or so. Who’s going to pay for these EOs. In Birmingham an extra 100 EOs would mean salaries of about £2-2.5 million, which would mean fees would have to rise sharply to cover their cost, probably by £200 per licence.


I have no problem with having more enforcement and I have no problem in paying for adequate enforcement ................... but I doubt that hundreds of enforcement officers would be required ..................... up here when 2 are out then the cowboys get themselves away home and the PH boys are very selective ................ multily that number by 10 and put them on shifts 24hrs a day and enforcement would not just be seen to be working it would be

Brummie Cabbie wrote:
bloodnock wrote:
the need for single Tier goes away then as PH wont be confused for a HC as Only a HC will ever Have a TAXI sign and then run a Nationwide advertising campaign to Say " If it Dont say Taxi dont Jump In" to educate the Public

PH would then need no Identification Externally, so that it could not be Mistaken for a taxi and couldent hack.....as it is Pre-booked the Driver and Client would meet at an Agreed pre arranged meeting Place. the Only ID needed then would be for the Driver to Wear a Nationally Recognisable PH badge with Photo and Hollographic Photo as further proof.


In Birmingham the council have an annual campaign just before Christmas like you suggested, but it makes not a scrap of difference. Because when Joe de Publique has been out on the lash, he/she don’t care what they get in; all they want is to get home or to wherever & they are paying the money, so to them they don’t care who their money goes to as long as they get where they want to. PH know that & they take advantage of the situation at most times.

From the public safety viewpoint, especially young girls on their own, many councils have recognised that PH should be readily recognisable. I personally don’t agree with PH having signage, but I can see where the council are coming from.

I do like the idea of national recognition though, for drivers & vehicles. Then it would be the same in every borough, city, town, village or hamlet & the public would very quickly absorb that.


Nationally recognisable YES.
Nationally issued NO.

One size and design for all HC and a different size and design for PH.

One design for drivers badges for HC and a different design for PH.

Brummie Cabbie wrote:
bloodnock wrote:
The Drivers of HCs being Hailed or Chosen off a rank, would need to have a Basic knowledge type test as their fair could ask to go anywhere and an indepth Knowledge is a pre-requisite to that.

On the Other hand a PH driver doesnt need an encylopedic Knowledge as He Knows In advance where he is going and can Plan a route Either in his Head or by Map or By sat nav..so he needs less Knowledge of any Given area.


I think all drivers should be required to attain the highest standards for entry, without exception. As somebody said to me this week, “If you have low entry standards, you have a low, poor trade.” And that doesn’t just apply to HC & PH, but everything else in life. Contrast the London cabbie with his ‘knowledge’ to a Birmingham PH driver; and I’m not talking about the jobs they do, but the type of person they are & their relative intelligence. Enhance standards all round & the trade (HC & PH) will improve immeasurably.


I could not agree more.

Brummie Cabbie wrote:
bloodnock wrote:
HCs on the other hand do not have the same Luxury of advanced Warning as PH s Do so need to be WAV and Bums First. so Why not Grant Licences in 4 Catagories. EG: Cat 1: Taxi (Traditional)---- Cat 2: TAXI (mpv) ----Cat 3:Taxi (Saloon) and Cat 3:Taxi (Wav) and so if you have a Fleet of Vehicles as Part of your License Agreement You would be granted Licenses so that you would need to take all types into your fleet....Say for any 3 Vehicles of any Combination of Class 1,2 or 3 Vehicles you would need by law your Fourth Vehicle to be Cat 4: Taxi(Wav). and every 4th Vehicle throughout your fleet.

If you dont have more than 3 Vehicles the choice of Catagorys you owned would be of your own Choosing as an Operator. this also makes it Fairer by way of the more solvent Large fleet owner to take responsibilty commensurate to its Size.

Then any WAV requiring client can pick any suitable Vehicle from any given rank...and by the Law of averages at least one Taxi in any sizable rank will be AaWAV or MPV or Saloon Or Traditional cab.


I like the basic concept of your idea, but to make it work the choice of non-WAV purpose-built vehicles would have to be drastically restricted to just a few types of vehicle nationally. It is no coincidence that when you go abroad to Spain or Tenerife for instance, the majority of taxis are Merc saloons; quality for the passenger.

To create a level plying field for the expense that WAV owners have to suffer, the other licensed vehicle in a mixed fleet should be in a similar price range. For instance medium to large Merc saloons & quality large MPVs, Chrysler Voyager for instance. By trying to create a level playing field in cost of vehicle, a mixed fleet would then have quality vehicles all round which would be better for Joe de Publique, & again enhance quality in the ‘trade’. And by creating a more level playing field on cost of vehicle the WAV owner would not be disadvantaged as much.

Also, with the much higher costs & quality of vehicles, fares all round would probably be more harmonised, because the PH driver driving an eight year old Toyota Avensis, bought from the auctions for £325 ‘innit moite’, would no longer be & his previous fare scale of thrupence farthing a mile would be unsustainable.

Those are my thoughts; just waiting for the avalanche of contradictory views now.

I’ve got broad shoulders though.


I don't understand how a argument for single tier can be put forward containing continued referance to PH. (generally .............. not specifically Brummie Cabbie)

If you want single tier then it would have to be WAV only ................ everything else suggested here is more complicated than the current system, more open to abuse and harder to enforce.

B. Lucky :D

_________________
"Here's a simple solution. If you don't want to pay more for a premium service then wait in the queue, problem solved".
Skull on TDO

TF pi$$ed on his chips.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 2:42 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2007 6:31 pm
Posts: 12045
Location: Aberdeen
GA wrote:
If you want single tier then it would have to be WAV only ................ everything else suggested here is more complicated than the current system, more open to abuse and harder to enforce.
WAV only discriminates against the majority of disabled people :shock:

_________________
Image
http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 6:01 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 8:26 pm
Posts: 8529
Sussex wrote:
MR T wrote:
Sussex wrote:
MR T wrote:
Having driven a private hire car with a roof sign.. and then driven one without ..... roof signs give the impression that you're a hackney Taxi :wink:

If we took your plying analogy a tad further it would mean licensed taxis wouldn't be able to go outside of their areas as they have the word taxi on their vehicles. :?


now let me see... rubbish :wink:

No it's not rubbish.

You are saying that as some PH have proper signage it leads punters to believe they are licensed to pick up off the street. Taxis outside of their area are in exactly the same position.

I didn't say that taxis were not in the same position..... I said your post was rubbish
:lol:


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:36 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jun 26, 2008 3:11 pm
Posts: 8119
Location: A Villa in Aston NO MORE!
GA wrote:
I have no problem with having more enforcement and I have no problem in paying for adequate enforcement ................... but I doubt that hundreds of enforcement officers would be required ..................... up here when 2 are out then the cowboys get themselves away home and the PH boys are very selective ................ multily that number by 10 and put them on shifts 24hrs a day and enforcement would not just be seen to be working it would be.


Down here if & when the enforcement are out, usually about a dozen times a year on a Friday night & some other sundry times day or night, about a dozen times again throughout the year, what happens is this. They chase PH away from one venue after they have formed a rank, so off PH go to another spot where their company has a ‘contract’. with the pub or club etc. As soon as enforcement move on to the next venue to shoo off PH, they are back to the first venue. And so on, & so on.

It’s a never ending problem & short of posting an enforcement officer outside every venue in the city & suburbs, enforcement will never win. The problem is just too massive. Every licensing committee meeting in Birmingham there are drivers on discipline after being to court and convicted. Here are just some links to the licensing committee agendas in Birmingham, for some months this year. Have a look at how many are being done each month & they are not even scratching the surface;

http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/democracy/ ... ID%3d32650

http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/democracy/ ... ID%3d33541

http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/democracy/ ... ID%3d34253

http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/democracy/ ... ID%3d34812

http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/democracy/ ... ID%3d35798

The system we have at the moment is just NOT enforceable; it does not work.

One of the better ways, if you can call it that, is what Nottingham did in August 2006. They employed two new enforcement officers, but their terms of reference were that they would ONLY work nights, no day work for them. Perhaps other councils should follow this approach. We have asked our LO to consider it. After all ‘taxi’ work is 24/7/365 & the enforcement must at least match that if it is to have any chance of being successful.

I would imagine PH reading this are having a right chuckle.

GA wrote:
Nationally recognisable YES.

Nationally issued NO.

One size and design for all HC and a different size and design for PH.

One design for drivers badges for HC and a different design for PH.


After the IoL Taxi Reform Questionnaire, I have a feeling that they may be looking closely at what has happened in the Republic if Ireland in recent years. Over there they had 35 licensing areas around the country now they have one for the whole country, including Dublin. There is a subtle difference though. The fares are the same throughout the country, everywhere. The vehicles are licensed for the whole country (which makes sense; I’ll come back to that). The drivers though are only licensed for an area.

When the Irish government brought the new system in, they produced an 18 page booklet to explain to the nation why this had happened.

Taxis were licensed for the whole country for two reasons. Firstly, the taxis could be used on a 24 hour basis in the same or adjacent areas with two drivers licensed by the same or two different areas,. So, Patrick Fitzmichael could us it on days in Dublin & theoretically Michael Fitzpatrick could use it in Cork on nights. That allowed for maximum usage of the taxi. But, with the taxi being licensed for the whole country, the vehicle standard is identical for the whole country. Not a bad thing that, IMO.

I don’t know how they guard against drivers working in the wrong area, i.e. an area they are not licensed for.

GA wrote:
I don't understand how a argument for single tier can be put forward containing continued referance to PH. (generally .............. not specifically Brummie Cabbie)

If you want single tier then it would have to be WAV only ................ everything else suggested here is more complicated than the current system, more open to abuse and harder to enforce.


The IoL questionnaire mentioned colours and liveries in some questions to distinguish taxis from other vehicles. If you had taxis as BLACK ONLY and then added to that a NATIONALLY STANDARDISED LIVERY of the kind that Eurocabs have, thick yellow stripes on both sides with TAXI in yellow as well, then you could use WAVs, big saloons & big MPVs ALL BLACK & ALL WITH THE YELLOW LIVERY.

Not particularly MY cup of tea! But looking at it from the point of view, WILL IT WORK? ….. then perhaps it might. And it would be much more easily enforceable in a one tier system. BUT, if it comes to pass that a one tier system it is, then it better work, & work well.

And as for using saloons the size of a Toyota Avensis; try getting four 20 stone men in one of those & then tell me they will be travelling in comfort. No chance!

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 11:41 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 06, 2006 12:31 pm
Posts: 1761
Location: Commonsense Country
The Institute of Licensing is a business not a government agency.

Refering to them in the same context as the government is misleading to those who know no different.

What these people did was gather your support to issues without you knowing who you were giving information to OR what they would do with it ................... and if they ever get the ear of the government they will claim that they have your full support.

Now you seem like a nice bloke Brummie and you do offer perspective particularly when describing issues locally to you .............. but don't be fooled these web pages are like every other with people wanting you to think your something that they are not .............. so they can F**K you.

They will agree with you and call you nice names until you start to uncover their real intentions .................... and then they'll claim that your lying and they at no point ever touched your b0ll0cks even though they tried to get a handfull ............... heard the story before?

B. Lucky :D

_________________
"Here's a simple solution. If you don't want to pay more for a premium service then wait in the queue, problem solved".
Skull on TDO

TF pi$$ed on his chips.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 12:22 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 8:26 pm
Posts: 8529
Brummie .... when you're referring to Ireland..... it would be beneficial if you stated how much a person has to pay for their licence..... whether it be a saloon Licence..... or whether it be WAV Licence...... from where I am sitting it looks very much as if they took the plate value away from the working man.................. and transferred it into their own government bank accounts.....

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


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 3:31 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2004 5:53 pm
Posts: 10381
JD wrote:
Admin and enforcement could be set up in a number of ways, the most logical would be to utilise existing infrastructure and staff complimented by an influx of new employees if needed. This brings into play the six regional traffic divisions.


I think most people are in favour of getting rid of councillors as regulators, after all, why do we need them? The ready made alternative is the existing structure of the Traffic Commissioners body. It already has the infrastructure and associated licensing enforcement and testing setup. It would be fairly straightforward to include Taxi licensing in that setup.

Does anyone disagree?

Regards

JD

_________________
Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:12 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2004 5:53 pm
Posts: 10381
JD wrote:
A License in the area you wish to work then that license would last indefinitely or until such time it was deemed appropriate under the new act. Therefore there would be a one off payment.


I don't think any cab driver would disagree that license renewal each year is just a tax on cab drivers. There is no reason why a badge should be issued every year except as a revenue exercise. Councils have to raise this revenue on an annual basis to pay their staff, however a life long badge with perhaps a five or ten year photographic update is more realistic.

Control would consist of the usual two or three yearly crb check with a yearly sworn declaration posted to the licensing body.

Every driver license number would be flagged on the internet as either being active or inactive. Inactive could mean the license is revoked or suspended or anything else. It could be an offence to employ anyone with an inactive license which could result in the employer losing all their licenses. Anyone who works with an inactive license could also commit an offence.

Every vehicle owner wishing to employ someone on their vehicle would by law have to contact the licensing office to confirm the license is active, that would mean anyone with an inactive license would not be able to legally find employment as a cab driver until such time their license had become active.

Every owner submitting a vehicle for an MOT test would have to make a declaration on the form that they do not employ any driver with an inactive license. All vehicle owners who also have a drivers license would have to include their driver license number on the form so that it can be checked as being active. Any license not active for the purpose of being suspended or revoked would need to be verified as to whether the status had a category "A" flag which would disqualify the driver from licensing a vehicle or a category "B" flag which would exclude the driver from driving while allowing them to operate a vehicle.

Different colour license plates would be used each year to detect those who try to drive while disqualified.

Besides their photo ID badge a driver would also have their own unique ID which would by law have to be placed in the vehicle windscreen. This would contain the drivers number, the area they are allowed to work and the date the badge was issued and anything else of importance. Anyone without reasonable excuse not displaying the unique ID or the correct ID could be committing an offence.

Regards

JD

_________________
Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:34 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 06, 2006 12:31 pm
Posts: 1761
Location: Commonsense Country
JD wrote:
JD wrote:
Admin and enforcement could be set up in a number of ways, the most logical would be to utilise existing infrastructure and staff complimented by an influx of new employees if needed. This brings into play the six regional traffic divisions.


I think most people are in favour of getting rid of councillors as regulators, after all, why do we need them? The ready made alternative is the existing structure of the Traffic Commissioners body. It already has the infrastructure and associated licensing enforcement and testing setup. It would be fairly straightforward to include Taxi licensing in that setup.

Does anyone disagree?

Regards

JD


Oh yes ..................... I do.

The extra burdens that will be placed upon the whole licensing community are something that would without any doubt lead to their detriment.

However, I suggest that after many years of trying unsuccessfully to negatively influence councils you are starting to become "found out" and are looking for a new authority to operate licensing with whom you may have more success.

Also I doubt that the political party driven government will remove taxi and PH licensing away from political party driven councils.

Anyway .............. Local Authority is best placed to decide local issues.

B. Lucky :D

_________________
"Here's a simple solution. If you don't want to pay more for a premium service then wait in the queue, problem solved".
Skull on TDO

TF pi$$ed on his chips.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 329 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1 ... 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 ... 22  Next

All times are UTC [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 763 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group