Taxi Driver Online

Hi gents having only just joined this site I seem a little late in the discussion but mention it anyway. In Sheffield we were told by the clown hall that regardless of wherever the journey ends (outside of their controlled area) and dispite a given quote, the meter must go on, and remain on for the duration of the journey. That effectively means that if the quote was too low, then that is just too bad and if was higher than the meter fare then meter fare is what you'll get. Action against a number of drivers has in the past been taken not for overcharging but not having the meter on when going long distance.

A council can only regulate fares within their prescribed distance and they can only regulate drivers by way of byelaws. Ask your LO under what byelaw this condition is attached?

If your going outside your area always ask for the agreed fare upfront, then it wont matter if you leave your meter on. In respect of the council If the passenger changed their destination halfway through the journey and decided to remain inside the boundary then you might have problems if your meter wasn't on? You can see the councils point of view.

Regards

JD

I've spoken to Shefield licensing and the LO is not in today but the licensing assistant told me that the condition was not set by bylaw, she believes it comes under the 1976 or 1847 acts. She is going to refer my enquiry to the LO tomorrow in which case it should all be sorted out, one way or the other.

It would be interesting if the condition was attached to the vehicle license as against the driver license. We have never had a case of such possible ambiguity regarding fares?

Regards

JD

A condition of Hackney propietors license, now thats a good route. If its found as legal.

regards

CC

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

Very interesting, I don't suppose it would be impossible to come up with a wording that made it mandatory to engage the meter on every hire even though a council can only set fares within its own area?

However as it is stands it would appear there is nothing in the 1976 or 1847 acts that make it mandatory.

Regards

JD

Would it not be ultra vires post Curzon?

regards

CC

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

Curzon didn't consider out of area fares or whether the meter should be engaged, it centred on whether a taxi meter that did not have two tarrifs was displaying the right fare and whether the driver was allowed to charge less than the table of fares?

I did state that it might not be impossible to come up with a wording that would oblige a driver to engage the meter everytime the vehicle was hired but the more I think about it, under current legislation, that might not be the case?

I can't get away from the fact that everything relating to fares is shackled by the words "prescribed distance".

"The commissioners may from time to time make byelaws.....

"For fixing the rates or fares, as well for time as distance, to be paid for such hackney carriages within the prescribed distance, and for securing the due publication of such fares."

What do you think?

Regards

JD

The conditions attached to a proprietors license route was mooted at a recent regional meeting (number 5 region), as there are problems with HC's undercharging in some areas, and if you basically charge the correct rate you get grief.

I think what most people want is for all hackneys to charge the set rate of fare, but if they want to discount the fare then they can, provided the meter shows what the correct fare is.

Unfortunately, this view is the opposite to what the judge said in Curzon.

But as previously stated, the conditions route is the only hope, as the acts dont say too much.

regards

CC

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

I suppose we all know that councils can only set maximum fares in their own prescribed area but what if all councils followed the route of one particular council down south that allows proprietors to set their own fares? lol.

Regards

JD

Chaos and confusion prevails

Regards

CC

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

I hear that one particular person at the OFT is in favour of having Taxi owners set their own meter rates as long as they are equal to, or lower than, the council fare table, how about that? lol

Regards

JD

That seems to be the situation in a number of areas already JD, provided the fare is no greater than the maximum set by the LA and going via the judges comments in curzon.

regards

CC

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

Well the OFT did make a big play about competition in their report, so its not surprising that they still harbour those thoughts but anyone wishing to discount can already do so under current legislation.

The next time you put pen to paper I think you should give some prominence to this cctv security issue and the fact a large contingent of councils will still not allow proprietors to install cctv in their vehicles even though they comply with the 1998 data Protection act? If councillors won't take notice of the DfT best practice then perhaps we can shame them into it.

Regards

JD

Strange you should mention CCTV...I'll PM you rather than spoil next months article for my devoted readership

regards

CC

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

I suppose theres a first time for everything. lol

I'm going to pass it on to Alex if you don't mind because he may wish to say something about CCTV. I think a concentrated effort should be launched in order to bring this issue to a head. Unfortunately statistics dictate that another fatal incident will occur sometime this year so if we can highlight these fact then at least we are giving it some prominence.

Regards

JD