Taxi Driver Online

Says Addison Lee's boss.

This letter appeared in the Taxi Globe, and it seems the London cab trade is in need of his help.

http://www.taxiglobe.com/509/TG509_p4.pdf (bottom half)

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IDFIMH

The black cabs would be lost without John looking out after them.

Still I think he is spot on about where their real problems are. Within their own ranks.

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Happy to be legit.

When he's not in court?

Its the same old spin, its being going on now since the dawn of the minicab trade in the early 1960's, every year there's some new spin on it, some new conspiracy theory, some more doom and gloom, still the Taxi trade continues to grow, and prosper.

Radio circuits in bed with Minicab companys? Old news, thats been on the go for some time now, even pre-licensing.

Maybe Mr Griffen is upset that none of the Taxi circuits have teamed up with his company yet, maybe there lies the hidden agenda behind his letter?

'within their own ranks' ? Would that be the one fifth of the trade that are on the 'radio'? Not the vast majority who do perfectly well with street work? and as Mr Griffen says, he's not intrested in street work, so I guess after hundreds of years the London Taxi trade will continue, bit of a bummer that, eh Daniel?

Still he got one thing right, having his letter published below a picture of 'Geoff' the minicab firms friend.

I think he is just repeating what many cab drivers are saying i.e. why are black cabs getting into bed with their foes?

Good bit of stirring the pot though, I'm quite impressed.

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IDFIMH

Have you seen that lady AD driver?
Now I would love to get into bed with her.

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Make trafic wardens redundant. PARK LEGALLY.
Congestion charge! Before it was free.

You obviously never picked up the Cab girls 2005 calender from Mr Norris at Knowledge Point, our trade has some pretty girls as well!

Copies still available, proceeds to the kids funds.

And thats one group of people your never set to join.

Apparantly they meet on a Saturday.

Posted on the minicab forum:

There is an article on page 28 of the "Financial Mail on Sunday" of today, 12/06/05.

The article states that Mr John Griffin, Chairman of Addison Lee, wants to clean up the London private hire business ".........the bottom end of which is full of rogues whose lack of insurance is matched only by their abundance of criminal records"

"To that end he is launching a magazine investigating the bad practices of his rivals....and to catch....other players in the 'institutionally corrupt business"!

I find this article, and Mr Griffin's words, grossly offensive!

True, the industry was once riddled with uninsured drivers with criminal records, but surely licensing has eliminated them?

Doubtless Mr Griffin will find that his rivals' main "bad practice" is their operating in competition with Addision Lee!

Who does Mr John Griffin think he is? I seem to recall a number of headlines in which he has featured, none of which has been exactly flattering to himself, his company or our industry. Perhaps he should put his own house in order before making himself out to be "holier than thou" and sitting in judgement on others!

All the hard work that has been done to improve the public perception of our now professional industry has been undone at a stroke by this irresponsible article and Mr Griffin's words - we are back where we were three years ago!

I hope the LPHCA will immediate act to put the record straight, at the same time ensuring that Mr Griffin is put in his place - I am too much of a gentleman to suggest where that might be!!!!!

Edward



So Mr Griiffen strikes again?

I tried to find the link for this earlier on without success.

He also says in the piece that he will get private investigators to check out the private deals with hotel doorman and the like.

It would appear that someone is on a crusade. Whether he finds his 'Holy Grail' only time will tell?

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IDFIMH

Alas! the few I know are gay.

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Make trafic wardens redundant. PARK LEGALLY.
Congestion charge! Before it was free.

The bottom line is that it's all about self-interest and the profit motive - that's why the circuits are 'getting into bed' with PH operations.

That's basically Mr Griffin's point, but as usual his own motivation is basically the same - the reason he doesn't want PH drivers to be able to ply for hire (hugely unlikely - he's just saying this to scaremonger) is in his line that if drivers were allowed to pick up off the street then he would 'lose control and the whole economic base of the company would change'.

He basically seems to be scaremongering about the 'extinction' of the taxi trade - I'm quite sure the circuits don't want that, but clearly they see some tie up with PH as furthering their business interests. And I doubt if they are trying to get plying rights for PH, as Mr Griffin seems to allude?

His argument is basically the same as the provinical PH ops in restricted areas who don't want derestriction because they would lose control of their drivers since they would have the option to work the streets and thus more bargaining power.

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

Well if thats the case you should get them on here for a chat, they are usually [edited by admin] linguists.