Taxi Driver Online

Well...what ever happens I just dont have the stomach for more regulation....Im a 2 car operator....I could not afford a Manned base, and such is the small population around these rural parts that There would be no call for an operators booking office either as the nearest big Town is 50 miles away....so why do i feel deflated at the prospect of more regualation, Is it because i fear its going to kill us one man bands that must stay one man bands because of the lack of Sizable customer base...no one wins then...not me, not the Client..no one..

Well, I like this thread & there seems to be some sensible debate on here at the moment.

So, I’ll put my 1s & 6d worth in.

The posts on here are almost exclusively what The Trade (HC and PHV) would or would not like to see. That’s OK ‘because it’s a Taxi Forum.

Now look at it from the Government’s point of view, because that does matter; they just happen to be elected by the nation. (BTW there was a meeting this Thursday just gone at DfT about this for a chosen few & the general feeling of the person who was attending was that the Government did not know what to do; they are in a quandary).

The Government I believe would like a one-tier system, but implementing it is almost impossible, mainly because of the DDA. And I believe most LAs would like a one tier system, because the public would be moved a great deal faster with all ‘Hire & Reward’ vehicles able to ply on the streets. From the point of view of the Government & LAs, that just has to make sense, especially on Friday & Saturday nights.

At the moment we have different LAs using either WAVs, mixed fleets or saloons & MPVs as HCs up & down the country. And we have PHVs, which are saloons & MPVs.

Obviously WAVs can accommodate wheelchairs, but wheelchair disabled only make up about 10%, if that, of the disabled population of about 7 million. The rest of the disabled population, numbering about 6.5 million need a vehicle that they can get into ‘bum first’; WAVs are no good for them.

In LAs that insist on HCs being WAVs only, the ambulant disabled have a very strong argument that they are being discriminated against by their council under the DDA, as they are not able to use street hire taxis as a method of transport, but have to phone for a PHV & then request a saloon, not a MPV which is probably also useless to most ambulant disabled.

So now, how do you create legislation for a one-tier system with a vehicle that does both. At the moment that’s impossible. And don’t forget if you don’t have one, or a series of vehicles that are very easily recognisable i.e. purpose built like the TX4 for instance, you almost certainly defeat the object of a one tier system, because enforcement becomes a so much more difficult proposition.

So, let’s say the Government creates a one tier system anyway & has mixed fleets of WAVs, saloons, MPVs etc. How do you allocate HC licences to which type of vehicle? How do you create a system that is one tier, yet very easily enforceable, but with a total mix of different types of vehicles? Because, don’t forget if you had a mixed fleet HC system for the whole country, you would still have ‘skull & crossbones’ cars everywhere & how would you distinguish them.

From the point of view of the public, they also need a totally recognisable vehicle for a one tier system; otherwise it doesn’t work for them either.

And those are just three of the dilemmas for a one tier system; a vehicle that can be used by ALL disabled people. & at the same time be is easily recognisable for Joe de Publique so as not mistake it for anything else other that a taxi, & which simplifies enforcement because of the uniqueness of the vehicle used as a taxi.

Solve that one & you might have a one tier system that will work.

Anything else & it is unlikely to work any better than what we have now, so what would be the point?

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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.

The question of insurance has already been answered and in many cases correctly (but you need to read the policy).
I think that it should be more than "daft" to pick up without the correct licence .............. but some people on here will condone that illegal behaviour.



Tax payers do not pay for HC or PH enforcement - the fees that you pay for your licenses are used to do that .................. and should be set to cover the amount needed to do so effectively.



To quote the great JD "why don't they find another job" .............. however my advice would be to seek alternatives within the industry, the possibilities are endless ................ try getting your own operators licence for your PH vehicle and getting yourself on the approved list of contractors with the Education and Social Services departments at the council.



I couldn't agree more ................... and thats why I urge everyone to improve the standard of the application conditions in their own area.
This isn't easy ................ but we are maybe only a couple of months away from revamping the new application process in my area with neighbouring authorities very keep to discuss our ideas.

B. Lucky

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"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.

There is a need for a variety of vehicles in the service of public transport regardless of whether you have single tier or not. Surely this should not affect what regulations are made with regard to the type of licence needed. If only one licence is needed instead of the current 2, Hackney Carriage & Private Hire licence that there is now, then that is one more thing simplified. Whilst I appreciate that people need to be able to see if a vehicle is wheelchair accessible then surely we can just use the system we have now that tells them a vehicle is wheelchair accessible or don't we have one? I just thought all hackney vehicles are wheelchair accessible and saloon vehicles are not, although I have put many a wheelchair in my boot. I think the confusion will be caused by MPV's that may not be wheelchair accessible but look like they are. With regard to how the public will be able to tell if a vehicle is a taxi or a private car then maybe the bubble on the top will give them a clue

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

And don't you think if all legitimate taxis in a one tier system all had bubbles, 'skull & crosbones' would do the same as they already do without hindrance in our area?

_________________
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.

Brummie Cabbie ...................... the distinction between what is available for hire and what isn't is a problem that you quite rightly point out is a crutial factor.

However I would suggest that if you looked at the amount of people that pre-book PH you would find that many more people use that service than hail from the street or get cabs from ranks.

I believe that the facility to do that would be dramatically reduced if the legislation was changed and single tier introduced.
I would add that the millions of disabled people who rely on pre-booked services would be further disadvantaged if the PH system were abolished. I say this because in my area many complaints have been received from wheelchair users about WAV pulling off the ranks as they approach or refusing to carry on health grounds ..................... so they now use PH operations where they can be sure that the WAV that turns up for them will actually carry them.

Forming policies for the minority is something that this government has done often ...................... so maybe its not a good idea to promote how legislationary change would have a detrimental effect on the majority.

I like the idea of nationally recognised roof signs for HC and for, in a different shape, size, colour and design, PH .................... but I would add that, in a reversal to current law, if a licensed operator has a single PH vehicle on their fleet they cannot call their business "taxis".

The confusion to the public lies very much in the fact that they phone ******** Taxis but actually get a PH car ................ then its obvious that they would be confused when they see a car from that company later and wonder why they can't get in it cause it isn't a taxi.

B. Lucky

_________________
"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.

toots ................. you need to understand that many other types of transport services are NOW included in PH legislation.

What would be the effect on them ...............

B. Lucky

_________________
"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.

And why exactly do private hire cars need a roof sign when they are pre-booked??

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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!

In the instance I describe the use of a topsign for PH is to identify them as NOT A TAXI and to diferenciate them from a private car possible flying (as Brummie describes) a skull and crossbones.

To be successful it needs to be national and the PH roofsigns should not be lit at any time

B. Lucky

_________________
"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.

I do realise that there are lots of different types of vehicles on Private Hire systems NOW.

With regard to a bubble being on a private hire vehicle that was in relation to the public being able to tell the diffence between a private car and a taxi if a one tier system was introduced. This is a concern of our council.

I think the biggest difference that would be made if we had a single tier system is that saloon vehicles would be able to ply for hire. The private hire companies would still be around to take bookings and requests as to the type of vehicle they want. Our system has saloon vehicles, MPV and hackneys all on a private hire system with hackneys being able to work both systems Public & Private so I think a single tier wouldn't make too much of a difference to us except we would all be able to be hailed from the road.

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

But what happens to the bookings if they are from your PH base immediate area outside of town and your in town picking up off the streets.
Also what would you do if a flagger stopped you and as the punter was getting in the office called up with a immediate job 500 yards down the street ...................... would you leave the phone job off a person who may use your firm 3 or 4 times a week for a punter you would never see again?

There needs to be a differance to provide good service to the user.

B. Lucky

_________________
"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.

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

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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!

You're asking the wrong person about that because I only cover phone work etc you need to ask a Hackney that works our system that question. You may find one out there on your blogs because we have 55+ of them. We also have one of those computer based allocation job systems in our vehicles so if I didn't take the job it would just pass to the next available vehicle.

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

Ditto my mate ............. been there done that.

But if the roof sign on a PH car was nationally recognised to show that the vehicle was NOT available for immediate hiring then it would have been a success .................... would it not.

I'm sure the public would welcome this NEW tier of licensing they will not only benefit from that knoweledge THEY WOULD UNDERSTAND IT

B. Lucky

_________________
"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.

what do you think you would do toots.

oh and when your HC buddy refuses to do that job cause he's been flagged the office do indeed give the work to the next available car .............. but if thats you and if your 10 miles away, and if the punter is still there when you get there and after you've got loads of ear-ache because they've been waiting 20 mins and the office told them you were 500 yards away .............................. would you think it was such a good idea to allow all the non HC cars to drag you all over the place.

I don't think so.

B. Lucky

_________________
"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.