Taxi Driver Online

So you're the one.

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IDFIMH

If you say so

I must be number 2.
I have never picked up outside the met. unless pre booked.

Hand on heart they don't, they don't have to, we work totally for ourselves.
Working on the clock for a percentage stopped about thirty years ago in London.
I think the last company to employ drivers on a clock rate was the London and general in the late 70's.

WE do not hate mini cabs we respect the ones who work as they should and quite a few drivers actually use them.
It is just the touts that are strangling our trade.
For many years the touts operated in the background and picked up the odd job. They mainly worked at nights and week ends.
Since the licensing of Private hire and the onslaught of satellite offices (clip board Johnnie's) the problem has escalated out of control. The license granted to the club is used as an excuse to tout openly. The police in London are not aware of the conditions of the License and will just walk on by.
The problem needs to be addressed, but no Union or association seem to want to take it on. Our biggest representative body the LTDA with its 8000 members doesn't seem to have the stomach for a fight.
We need unity from our three main representative bodies. At the moment they just squabble amongst themselves.
Only one third of the Hackney cab trade is represented. This must change to make any impact.
There is light at the end of the tunnel, a representative body that any one can join in addition to their preferred union or association, is on its way in the new year.
(Its nothing to do with me GBC)
I cant say more as the details have not yet been released. This is I believe our last ditch chance to get back to normality and repair the damage that Ken Livingston people have done to our trade.

I do wish all Mini cab and PHV drivers a safe and merry Christmas.

sorry Thomas,I need to correct you,
My father in law worked for frankum and kays,late 80`s.early 90`s and
worked "on the clock"

Thats ooK,
I didnt realise they went on that long!

MIND YOU i THINK i WORK ON THE CLOCK SOME TIMES MY WIFE TAKES 90% OF MY TAKINGS
Sorry hit the caps lock by mistake.

swap you,mine takes 100% LOL

As a Jockanese Yokel and Ignorant of city ways...But how how many Designated areas are there in London....me in my Ignorance thought London was London and any part of it Fair game to any London Cabbie...obviously not it seems...

I wish any trade body the best of luck, but I'm not sure what a fourth one will offer that the existing ones don't?

You keep banging on about the LTDA 'taking up the fight’?

What exactly do you mean?

We're not the Police, they, as you well know, (the LTDA) have consistently highlighted the problem of touting for years and years, it was due to this pressure the 'tout squad' was created in the first place.

Do you think the LTDA are the Metropolitan Police or the Carriage Office?

We're a trade body, not a law enforcement agency.

The outskirts are split into sectors which are worked by Yellow Badge holders. They're restricted to certain geographical areas, usually a local council’s border. IE; London Borough of Barnet or Harrow.

Central London is worked by Green Badge drivers like myself, although we can work anywhere inside the Met Police area, most tend to stick to the city centre.

Heathrow Airport is Green Badge only as it is deemed our all London Knowledge is needed in order to take folks quickly to anywhere in London.

I work there once in a blue moon, quite what the huge attraction is down there, I'll never understand

Does that mean yellow badge don't do the knowledge?

They do 'The Knowledge' of their chosen sector, plus they have to know how to get into various parts of Central London.

You know thats the thing that bugs me, for all the good any association does on behalf of its 'members' everyone else benefits, especially those that dont contribute.

CC

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

Yep, and we've plenty spongers in London who sit on the sidelines and snipe, having contributed fook all for 36 years.

Rumour has it one contributes, in the loosest possible sense, to this very forum.

Situated in a yellow badge area.

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IDFIMH