Taxi Driver Online

Considering the National Taxi association likes to promote the idea that they represent all cab drivers, I just wondered what message subscribers to this site would like to convey to those unellected persons on the NTA that presume they speak for you and I?

It is obvious that they speak for a very small minority of members who elected them but what about the 97% of the taxi trade who did not elect them.

One more point, can anyone tell me outside of London, what constitutes a cab driver? The reason I say this is because here in Manchester there are private hire drivers who are far more knowledgeable about the area as a whole than many cab drivers. Is it the same in your area?

Regards

JD

The NTA represent a few plate-holders looking to anyone to save their premiums. Other than banging on about keeping quotas, has anyone a clue what the NTA's policies are?

A nice cosy club for the dead-wood is the best way I can describe it.

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IDFIMH

One more point, can anyone tell me outside of London, what constitutes a cab driver? The reason I say this is because here in Manchester there are private hire drivers who are far more knowledgeable about the area as a whole than many cab drivers. Is it the same in your area?

Regards

JD
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Hello JD,
With regards to the above I would point out that anyone qualified with a licence to drive a vehice for which the General Rate of VED is applicable, may be described as a "Cab Driver". Reflect - you must be in possesion of that licence if you wish to use the public roads. Local licences do not carry that entitlement

Anybody can set up an organisation and say they represent the majority.
It's only when the majority recognise the good they're doing, and decide to join them, that the claim becomes true.
The NTA in my view represent the "Taxi" trade in London as you say, and have very little clout elsewhere. The problem for them is that there are more PH vehicles in the country than "Taxi's" who all have their own little group's to represent them at their local council meetings.
Perhaps the loudest voice would be the National Private Hire Association (if it existed) to try to bring together everyone on our side of the trade.

As for the PH being more knowledgeable than "Taxis" i couldnt agree more, By picking up 80% of your punters and taking them to their destination, rather than getting a call like PH do and driving to pick them up without their directions with them sitting in the seat next to you, obviously makes the PH driver more knowledgeable.

Here in warrington the majority of Hac drivers couldnt do the job of a PH driver, they simply dont know their way around well enough, as is proved time and again with complaints about routes taken when someone has been picked up from a station by a hac and taken to a company, yet when the reception rings for a PH to take them back it's usually by a much shorter route.
Which leads the person on his next visit waiting at the station for a PH, with Hac's queuing up outside twiddling their thumbs.

Wot I'm a cab driver after all.

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IDFIMH

Yes Sussex it would appear so - and I am a PH driver, mincab driver, Taxi driver and a Pizza delivery driver etc etc, they are all holder of the same driving licence permitting them to use the public roads - the driving licence makes no distinction with regard to trading activity.

In fact I don't think the NTA represents London at all - it's mostly LTDA there.

As far as I'm aware the only group that represents the taxi trade throughout the country is the T&G, but even its numbers are pretty miniscule, I would think. There may be other national groups (GMB?) but its numbers are even smaller, although it may be different as regards the GMB and PH.

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

the nta used to be really big down here.
over 100 members. i think.
but the bloke in charge left the firm.
the new bosses hated him.
so now they have none.

Didn't know who they were until I joined TDO.

We have comrade Terry from the GMB.

Ollie

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Happy to be legit.

i think he is getting involved down here with some of the lads.
even a few cab driver.
i bet they would have a haeart attack over that in London.

I have, myself, full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made, as they are being made, we shall prove ourselves once again able to defend our Trade home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny, if necessary for years, if necessary alone.

At any rate, that is what we are going to try to do. That is the resolve of the National Taxi Association-every man and woman of them. That is the will of the Association and the nation.

The Association and the Trade, linked together in their cause and in their need, will defend to the death their native ground, aiding each other like good comrades to the utmost of their strength.

Even though large numbers of areas and many old and famous associations have fallen or may fall into the grip of deregualtion and all the odious apparatus of the delimiters rule, we shall not flag or fail.

We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in Gateshead, we shall fight on the ranks and offices, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength, we shall defend our livlihood, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the seaside resorts, we shall fight in the trade press, we shall fight in the countryside and in the Towns, we shall fight in the inner Cities; we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Trade or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Profession beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the cause, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.

V V V V V V V V

Strange that, I'm pretty certain I read the sounds of defeat on the de-limit issue in April's Taxi'talk'.

But then again that was nearly a month ago, and, unlike me, some people change their views to suit their audience.

Now what's that word beggining with H?

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IDFIMH

You couldn't have written this GB your not in the NTA, therefore would it be right to assume that you took this nonsence from somewhere else? If that be the case then what are you trying to prove? To be quite honest and without sounding too harsh, to me the post reflects the ramblings of a man not altogether of this world?. I think the offering is a far cry from WC's rousing "we'll fight them on the beaches" speach, in 1940.

Incidently, it is rumoured that during a pause in the recording of that speech Churchill muttered: "And we'll beat them about the head with bottles, because that's about all we've got."

Perhaps that last line is more appropriate to current events than the ones you published?

Just one further point, does all this fighting talk mean that the NTA and TGWU have now abondoned the concept that Councils know best? And I ask you that question considering you are the one who posted the text.

Regards

JD

Looks like something you'd find in Taxi "talk" magazine.

I know they like to blame derestriction on a lot of things, such as sun spot activity and the foreign exchange value of the Italian lira, but is this piece blaming derestriction for the demise of local taxi associations?

But at least it provides further credence to the view that many of these organisations and the NTA and T&G's raison d'etre is the restriction of taxi numbers.

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

So I take it that this means that the NTA has a toehold in Gateshead now?

But I hope that, when those who take the 'do as I say, not as I do' approach go bleating to the council to get plates restricted, they conjure up the usual images of soup kitchens and bread lines instead of the following which was posted when the Angel's veil slipped a little:



Anyway, since it turned out that the business was perhaps not quite as successful as claimed, then perhaps it was more of a case of a rusty old pushbike in the garage and a weekend in Whitley Bay every other year

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