Taxi Driver Online

we got a couple, the one i saw last night leaving the town at 3am last night was completely empty"

I still can't really see the fundamental difference between this and a normal bus.

Perhaps it's that if Mr Preece calls it a land train then it's bound to get a bit of free publicity

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

Almost there:

http://makeashorterlink.com/?Y2773229B

EARLY-HOURS TEST RUN PLANNED FOR CITY LAND TRAIN

12:00 - 08 August 2005
Taxi boss John Preece is set to test drive his revolutionary 'land train' around the city centre one night this week. Mr Preece, boss of Taxifast, is planning to take the wheel of the 22-yard long, liquid petroleum gas-driven vehicle himself and give it a spin, at a top speed of 14mph, around the shopping precinct.

The businessman is keen to test the manoeuvrability of the £197,000 train and work out a route for when it is in operation, possibly as early as next month, subject to Plymouth City Council approval.

He will be in negotiations with police and the council about a time for the trial, but is aiming for a 4am or 5am start, and said: "I'm looking at where we can go, and can we get it up alleyways. It's a very manoeuvrable piece of equipment."

He also plans to put the vehicle on display in the city centre, again subject to council approval, so people can have a good look at it before it goes into service.

Mr Preece said: "We want to park it near the Sundial so people can ask questions and get on and off it."

The train has wheels and doesn't run on tracks. Its 4.5-tonne engine pulls three enclosed carriages and can hold a total of 56 passengers, all seated.

The vehicle will be painted in the Taxifast colours of red, yellow and grey and manned by a driver, in the cab, and a guard who will also take fares.

Mr Preece hopes to be able to charge a 'flat fare' of around £1 for travel.

The train arrived in Plymouth just over a month ago and has been fitted out at a secret location.

To operate the train, Mr Preece must seek a licence from the Secretary of State for Transport.

Prospective routes must then be approved by the council and police.

The vehicle is likely to serve the city centre's shops and nightspots as well as tourist attractions on the Hoe and the historic Barbican.

The vehicle carries passengers in three enclosed carriages, each of which is to be fitted with 18 CCTV cameras, inside and out, for safety and security.

It will also have sound equipment and a DVD system with four 12-inch screens in each carriage.

The Italian-manufactured vehicle is also equipped with self-levelling pneumatic suspension, and one of the carriages will have wheelchair access.

Maybe if it can do the CoF u-turn then the council might license it as a cab.

But I hope Mr Preece isn't going to park that thing anywhere near any of those black cab ranks.

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IDFIMH