Taxi Driver Online

IF............

_________________
Former taxi driver

Calm down dear, . . . . calm down dear, . . . . it's a Forum, . . . . it's a Forum!!

If we all put our views down, there would be some good stuff come out of it.

After all, at the moment we have Uncle Tom Cobley & All discussing our future in The Palace of Westminster.

At least on the TDO Forum we have contributors working in the HC & PH trades that are the real stakeholders discussing the trade!!

_________________
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.

Those that brought the act would need their heads examined.

CC

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

As no one has kept to the ONE item per category, I won’t either.

So what would I like to see in new taxi legislation if it came about?

1. All licensed vehicles to be WAVs, whether the two tier system is retained or we go to a one tier system. Why? Because both HC & PH are providing a transport service to the public, which includes the wheelchair user. It is an anomaly to me that PH was excluded from providing WAVs by an Act of Parliament entitled The Equality Act 2010. Where is the equality for the wheelchair user that must travel in a wheelchair; they have no choice, they must use a HC, therefore they are being discriminated against by the very Act of Parliament that was mean to make them equal.

2. Forfeiture of vehicle on a second conviction for illegal plying for hire, whether by an out of area HC or a PH. Why? No other sanction will work; it’s been tried for 35 years now & the wrist slapping has not worked. Nothing will stop this illegal practice, except drastic draconian action. If you don’t subscribe to this idea then I would suggest that you regularly earn a good portion of your living by flying the ‘Skull & Crossbones’ flag!!

3. A national standard of;

a. Licensed vehicle licensing,
b. Licensed vehicle age limits
c. Licensed vehicle mileage limits
d. Vehicle licence fee
e. Driver licence fee
f. Mandatory Annual DVLA Driver Licence Check by IDS UK Ltd or other appropriate verification company
g. Licensed vehicle to be available for use nationwide
h. Drivers to be licensed regionally
i. Taximeters in all licensed vehicles
j. English language proficiency test for all drivers, including the ability to input an address and post code into a sat-nav (some existing drivers are so illiterate that they are unable to perform this task)
k. Disability Awareness Training for all drivers
l. Btec for new drivers & NVQ for existing drivers

4. A regional standard of driver licensing to include;

a. Regional topographic knowledge test to a high standard
b. Annual CRB checks on all drivers
c. Minimum dress code for drivers
d. Periodic driver medicals, increasing in frequency with the age of the licensed driver

5. Amend the legislation to allow for PH Operators to transfer bookings to other PH Operators nationally.

6. Abolish the ‘street’ requirement from the 1847 Act to prove illegal plying or standing for hire in Court. Introduce legislation to allow for all prosecutions for illegal plying for hire from wherever such a hiring commences, including all private land, property & wherever a hiring is accepted from.

7. Introduce a statutory duty on all local authorities to appoint taxi ranks / rank spaces in direct proportion to the number of HCV licensed by that authority. Such ranks to be sited where there is a significant public demand for the immediate hiring of licensed hire vehicles, which is unmet.

8. Introduction of independent statutory annual unmet demand surveys for both HC & PH, with licensing authorities compelled to issue HC or PH licences or retain number limitations in line with the survey findings.

9. Abolish all rights of vehicle proprietors to transfer their interest in a licensed vehicle, whether HC or PH. Licensed vehicle proprietor to surrender their vehicle licence back to the licensing authority upon termination of their business. All such surrendered vehicle licences not to be reissued; any variation in unmet demand would be taken up by the provisions in the previous paragraph.

10. Pay one-off government compensation to existing licensed vehicle proprietors for their perceived loss of asset value as a result of the provisions in the previous paragraph. (This is in line with the Irish Government’s actions some years ago)

_________________
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.

Really?

Surely now that the police have a duty to inform councils if a taxi/PH driver gets into trouble there is no need for that.

_________________
IDFIMH

Do we really want to see National PH operators?

Or the likes of poverty pay Delta controlling the nations taxi/PH?

_________________
IDFIMH

I wasn't being sarcastic, so here's another shocked expression for you

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

3G and 4 A don't compute, if a hack can pick up anywhere how can the driver have a topical knowledge of the whole of the UK

Couldn't see that happen any time, never mind in the current financial climate, which won't be changing anytime soon.

And why a one-off payment?

I mean, they'll still be able to make their money by rentals once they retire under your proposal. A few hundred quid a week, perhaps, so what do they need compo for?

Anyway, the sums involved in Ireland were negligible in the grand scheme of things, unless you know different?

_________________
Caledonian Cabbie

Since Brum wanted it in 1s, why not 1 cab 1 driver no more renting

And of course the police ALWAYS do what they are supposed to.

More like 'we'll do what we feel ar*sed to do'

_________________
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 vehicle is licensed nationally, the driver is licensed regionally.

_________________
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.

I'll put that one on my list too!!

_________________
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.

I take your point & that needs further thinking about.

The one thing that really screws up PH Operators is the driver's LEGAL ability to go & find his / her own work.

That's why you will NEVER see a PH Operator support a one-tier system, because if it came about the operators would lose control of their drivers & their weekly settle / rental income would plummet.

The PH Operators in turn tell their drivers that a one-tier system, 'would be no good, you don't want that, you wouldn't get a HC licence, etc, etc & the sheep follow.

And if a one-tier system came in, the saving grace would be that companies like DELTA would find drivers leaving as they realised that they could make just as good a living on the streets.

Ask DELTA if they would like to see a one-tier system; I know what the answer would be!!

_________________
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.

11. Abolish ALL signage on PH vehicles, except for licence plates on front & rear of vehicle.

_________________
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.