Taxi Driver Online

I thought it was, can someone please confirm or deny? The Excel centres website is doing this, and both Excel and the PCO have ignored my E mails on the subject

http://www.excel-london.co.uk/excelv2/g ... limos.html

I think it has recently been deemed that LPH mustn't advertise as offering a taxi service on the net, unless of course they have the odd cab or two.

The Excel centre issue is slightly different because they aren't a LPH firm and are only offering information that the 'chap on the Clapham omnibus' would understand.

Thus I think they aren't doing that much wrong, and have therefore blanked your inquiry.

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IDFIMH

One other thing. I doubt that the powers that be will, or can, take action when some band us all together.

Take the Home Office's definition of Taxi Driver;

"taxi driver" means a driver of a hackney carriage vehicle who is required to be licensed by a person pursuant to section 46 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 and section 59 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 or pursuant to section 8 of the Metropolitan Public Carriage Act 1869, or a driver of a private hire vehicle who is required to be licensed by a person under section 51 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 or the Plymouth City Council Act 1975 or the Private Hire (London) Act 1998;

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IDFIMH

Cheers Sussex

It does seem something of a grey area.

Thats the description of the driver, but I think the query here relates to the vehicles and some London venues, indeed some supermarkets, who advertise Taxi services which in fact turn out to be Minicabs.

The definition of a TAXI in London of course relates to exactly that.

I know for a fact the LTDA is active in bringing this to the attention of those that chose to advertise the services to their customers.

This is also the reason the newly licensed minicab trade cannot use the word 'taxi' on their offices, web-sites or cards.

I don't know about 'Taxee' though?

Strange it came from the Home Office and not the Local Government Dept. ?

It was in relation to CRB checks.

As for the wording 'taxi' on freephones and the like, again I would go back to the Londoner on that Clapham bus, he would view a vehicle that charges to take him home from the shop, cinema, pub, club etc as a taxi.

Might not be right, but is it a crime?

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IDFIMH

in this arae we all work on mixed fleets so they can call themselves taxi operators.
but if a taxi does a private booking is he a private hire?

I hear what you are both saying, and understand 'out there' you have fleets of mixed vehicles.

Similarly I don't put freephones which are worded wrong at the top of my list of priorities concerning enforcment.

But, I do believe customers (and I believe the London public know the difference) should know what they are getting into, hence I think the word ' TAXI ' should be restricted to just that.

Some people will only use Licensed Taxi's, and yes, some will only use licensed minicabs, so it keeps everything clear.

I know the LTDA / PCO have taken action in the past against people advertising minicabs as Taxi's.

You must remember unlike your legitimate licensed PH trade, ours has done what it likes for 40 years.

Rumour has it some minicab operators still do?

Misc Provs Act says it is on the car. But nothing says its a crime elsewhere I dont think. Other than in Manchester, where I heard they actually enacted a bye-law about it I believe.

Again, we look to Government to give us some national standards on it, and get none.

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

TAXI is short for TAXIMETER.

Taximeter Hackney Carriages were fitted with meters to give a fair fare to passengers at the beginning of the 20th. Century. Popular with passengers for their accuracy, the "Taximeter Cabs" soon became "TAXI'S". It's Latin TAX(price,or fare), METER(Measurer).
A Taxi is a Taxi because it says so on the tin.(or rather toplight).

A PH, licensed or not,is a vehicle that thinks it is a taxi, driven by a driver who thinks he is a taxi driver. They are both wrong.

With acknowledgements to Websters Dictionary.

So what is a taxi without a meter I wonder?

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IDFIMH

Not a Taxi

Then I will let you tell Andy7 that the thing he drives isn't a taxi, or the good folks driving 'not a taxi' in Wealden.

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IDFIMH

Good.

Correct me if I’m wrong but shouldn’t you be talking about how the customer perceives what a taxi is and how they differentiate between the two, Taxi/Ph, and if it really matters? Taking into consideration that the customer is only interested in getting home.

If the customer doesn’t give a [edited by admin] about your interpretation of what a taxi is then surly this conversation is academic at best. (Closing the barn door and all that?)


It's a bit like RealCabforce and RealCabforceforum two assholes and two names but who can tell the difference and does it really matter?