Taxi Driver Online

Oldham taxi driver slams 'unfair' MOT rule in the borough

A taxi driver in Oldham has slammed what he says is an 'unfair' and 'penalising' rule for drivers in the borough.

The driver, who has worked for more than 20 years in Oldham, claims self-employed private and hackney cab drivers are put out of pocket every year by a policy that is unique to the borough.

He says the problem is brought by the fact Oldham's Licencing office runs a "limited service", being open only 15 hours a week while catering to nearly 2,700 drivers.

He said: "This limited availability is causing significant problems for us as drivers."

However, "the most pressing issue" is Oldham's two-day plate collection policy.

Drivers are required to hand over their licence while their cars are being MOT tested, yet drivers can only collect their licence after a waiting period of two days - and with the office being closed on Fridays and Mondays, drivers are left for days at a time without being able to earn.

He explained: "It is essential we are ready for work. Our vehicle is the means of our income and, if it is fit for purpose, [the office hours] should not be the reason we are unable to drive.

"Any vehicle which is licensed or being licensed requires two tests a year, one at the beginning and one in between.

"The second test does not require us to attend the office as the plates are annually issued.

"It’s the first or renewal where the problem lies, especially if you have a test on a Thursday or Friday due to the two-day policy.

"The office being closed Friday and Monday means Tuesday is the earliest to collect plates, causing drivers off the road for nearly four days during the most critical earning period.

"For many of us, this time off the road directly impacts our income."

The driver said working in the borough is largely a "rewarding job", adding: "You help your community to get to work, schools, appointments and best of all, to the airport for holidays.

"We do suffer anti-social behaviour and yobs damaging our vehicles from time to time, and part of the job we work in-sociable hours away from family quality time."

However, he claimed Oldham Council's licencing office and the two-plate policy are adversely affecting their livelihoods and wellbeing in the trade.

The driver continued: "The mental health toll caused by this uncertainty is immense.

"The stress of not being able to provide for our families, while still having to pay for insurance and radio rent without earning anything, adds to the burden."

He said taxi drivers have been "promised" that the issue would be addressed, "yet nothing has changed".

He continued: "It seems that those responsible for these delays are not affected in the same way and do not feel the uncertainty that we do.

"This lack of accountability is unacceptable in any workplace.

"I urge immediate action to introduce same-day service for any vehicle that has passed its MOT.

"Delays and inefficiencies like this are unfair and unjust to those of us who rely on our vehicles to earn a living.

"Most Greater Manchester councils have same-day or one-day collections for plates.

"There are a few who have similar rules to Oldham."

Oldham Council has been contacted for comment but did not respond before this article was published.

source: https://www.theoldhamtimes.co.uk/news/24587987.oldham-taxi-driver-slams-unfair-rule-borough/

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

I think the chap has a point drivers round here certainly wouldn'y put up with being off the road for a couple of days or not having a choice of testing station

_________________
lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Sounds very odd - I wonder if in fact he's talking about test failures and the plate taken off the car, but it's portrayed here as every car being tested has the plate removed

In Nottingham when you turn up for the test your existing plate is removed from the car before the test. If the car passes the new plate is issued immediately but if it fails you are off the road. The old plate may not have expired but you don't get it back.

If only half what the fella says is true then that is one basket case of a council.

And it breaks my heart to say so, but maybe local drivers need to license elsewhere and still work where they do now.

_________________
IDFIMH

that isn't a service

bad council, very bad council

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

Interesting - it may be a bit like the old Dundee/Fife thing that I used to think about over 20 years ago, but had largely forgotten about

Dundee plates are dated to the test expiry date, so obviously when they're tested the plate will come off anyway. In Fife our plates are dated to the licence expiry, so unless the vehicle fails the inspection then the plate stays on the car during the test.

So it may be that the Oldham and Nottingham plates are dated to the vehicle inspection, thus would have to be removed anyway, pass or fail.

But Nottingham at least sounds a bit better than Oldham if a test pass means the plate is issued immediately, rather than potentially have to wait several days, at least as it's portrayed in the article.

(Of course, it may be that the licence date coincides with the inspection date, therefore...

But practices vary in that regard too. Certainly in Fife all our vehicles are tested at the same time of year rather than on a rolling basis, thus the tests don't coincide with the licence date. Unless it's a new licence or replacement vehicle, obviously, which are tested on an ad hoc basis throughout the year.)

I assume that all the paperwork has been sorted before the vehicle goes in for the test because when the inspector says it has passed you drive out and go back to the front office and your plates are already to collect. They are made on site and they do it in around 1 minute of the vehicle passing the test.

Yes, Grandad, and I just can't see a similar process in Oldham taking up to four days

Could be wrong, but guessing there are important facts omitted from the article at the top of the thread