Taxi Driver Online

Hi,

We have a new private hire operator in our district. He only has one vehicle and is calling himself Mo's Taxis - despite being a private hire vehicle and operator. Can he use the word Taxis in his trading name. He has this advertised on the side of his vehicle and then underneath he has got the word private hire and a telephone number.

Also he is only advertising a mobile telephone number on his car for bookings. Should it not be a land-line number? Sort of deafeats the object of having a booking office if he is just gonna take booking over his phone in the car.

I don't think he can but is your council going to spend fortunes trying to get him to change?

There was a case a few years ago over internet advertising in London, and the LPH firm advertising taxis on their website were found to be in the wrong.

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IDFIMH

Doesnt the law only preclude roofsigns?

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

We had a similar situation here where many of the cabs were using web site addresses IE, www. fredstaxis.co.uk our trading standards said this was ok as it was informing the public of a site where they could book transport. but the word taxi was not allowed on a private hire vehicle,Gerald Grisdale who was a great taxi stalwart at the time exchanged reams of correspondence on everyones behalf and finally gave up after bureacracy got the better of him. So it would appear that in the taxi world anything goes.

The problem is that the general public use the word "taxi" interchangably between Hackneys and PHV's. This is whether we like it or not.

Frankly provided the guy is not picking up from ranks or by hailing and doesn't make a point of being too visible near ranks etc then he can write Mo's taxis or dogs dinner on his car if he likes ( unless he is forbidden by his local council rules that is)

IMHO it is his actions which might get him into trouble not his words.
And as far as I'm aware there is no ban on taking bookings by mobile phone.

The real problem is antiquated legislation with a 2-tier system which doesnt mention Mobile phones , computer systems, countrywide numbers, wwwebsites, e-mails , a variety of different vehicles, calender controlled meters, in-car CCTV ,etc etc etc!

We realy do need new legislation from the Govt ....... but hey we're only cabbies

It's coming by 009.....3009 that is

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Our safety is Paramount

Isn't there something in the Act about displaying the word "taxi" on a PHV?

As for mobile phones, allo allo is right that this is one issue of many that the legislation has failed to keep up with, but I'm not sure if any LAs have tried to use their powers to ban their use.

Have any LAs tried to ban the use of mobile phone numbers by PH operators?

Isn't this precluded in London by the PHV legislation, which was after all passed in a different era to the provincial Act?

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

I don't know about the word taxi being on the side of the p hire, but there is nowt to stop him using the mobile number, and technically his pH is his office as he is a sole trader, so if someone ask are you free all he has to say is step into my office and I will see, OK that was a joke before we end up with a massive reply I know he's not allowed to pick up unless called, but here's another scenario ,someone approaches him and asks if he is free all he has to do is hand them a card and say's phone me, then he can.
Lights the blue touch paper

I think in Scotland you will always be ok cos your lot don't have PH circuit licenses.

But down here it's very grey about the mobile, mainly cos you can only take PH bookings in the area you are licensed.

Which is why IMO it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a national ops license, or at least allow mobile bookings out of area.

Chances of that happening?

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IDFIMH

No I think it says a PHV should not be licensed by a council if it is " of such design and appearance as to lead any person to believe that (it) is a Hackney carriage"

So if his local council have licensed his vehicle they must not think it looks like a Hackney

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Our safety is Paramount

Try telling that to Mole Valley District Council ( they think they are already National Ops License issuers ) so if anyone in any part of the country wants to plate an old car such as a P reg BMW or an M reg Jaguar for the first time without too many questions asked and get a cheap badge and op license you know where to go.......however don't be surprised if you end up in court when your own local authority takes action

Unfortunately in Crawley we've gone blue in the face holding our breath for CBC action!!

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Our safety is Paramount

If your council permits roof signs on PHVs they should be of a desgn that is distinctly different from local Hackney roof signs

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Our safety is Paramount

This is precisely what the PCO say should happen under these circumstances

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Our safety is Paramount

dont see why not i use the word taxi. lukes taxis