Taxi Driver Online

It may be of interest to some that the DfT are proposing to allow PH to act as taxi buses (clause 26).

Not sure how that can happen, but hey ho.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/localtransportbill/

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IDFIMH

“Taxi-bus” services

3.46 At present, taxi owners are eligible to apply for a “special restricted” PSV operator’s licence, specifically to enable them to register and operate local bus services. As a further measure to assist community-based transport, the draft Bill includes a provision to extend similar eligibility to holders of a private hire vehicle (PHV) licence (clause 26). This would apply in England and Wales (including London).

I have no doubt that this will happen and when it does I have no doubt that bus companies will feel the pinch. Anyone operating such a service automatically qualifies for the BSOG grant, which I believe comes under section 154 of the Transport Act 2000. I can see it as a welcome additional revenue provider for private hire drivers in large cities that have a restricted numbers policy. The scheme has been unsuccessful as far as hackney carriages are concerned.

There may be opportunities in this bill for some amendments to erroneous hackney carriage legislation, we have until september to respond.

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

This is a proposal designed to change the face of our nation forever.

Unsurprisingly for an intrusive Labour government the measures proposed will permit a personal surveillance system that makes "1984" look like baby stuff.

Be warned!!!!

As I understand the law, councils are currently specifically forbidden from limiting the number of PHV drivers

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Our safety is Paramount

I wasn't aware I said private hire licenses were restricted? I did state restricted numbers, but I would have thought by now that everyone in the taxi trade would know the meaning of restricted numbers?

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

I believe it was the juxtaposition of "private hire" and "restricted numbers policy" in the same sentence that gave me that impression.

Or maybe I was just being a smart alec,

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Our safety is Paramount

For the Public. may be a good thing. Conquest hospital is 3-4 miles ou of town and no bus service after 6pm. So both staff and visiting relatives are stuffed. bus service up and down. Usually get fares from people standing at bus stops for over an hour for a non-existent bus. Don't read the timetable - means nothing. Special taxi buses picking up from hospital at end of visitors time and staff shifts would be a nice little earner with a few taking different routes to different estates.

OK it it Undoing the fabric of Society as we know ita nd the world will never be the same. But may gain where taxis lose by council putting on special buses at night 20 yrds from taxi rank. Know bus companies struggling and losing by running big empty buses. May be easier to get a system of taxi buses like Israel where you get in the with others and get dropped off as the driver plans his route according to the passengers destinations.

Junie

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Safety In Taxis. Website and survey.Raising awareness of safety in taxis for driver and passenger.

We live in a changing world, the problem is that many in the Taxi trade are stuck in a time warp and they cannot see that the world is evolving while they are stood still.

That's always been the case, failed people with failed ideas who would rather ruin the trade than have their vested interests watered down. The taxi trade should be dictating to the Government what it wants and not the other way around. I've never seen so many self employed individuals bowing to the diktats of councillors and Government officials.

Out with the old and in with the new, I vote in Sussex for the position of Leader of the United UK National Taxi organisation.

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

I am adding some "taxi" facts to my site. try and boost and change the image. Break down some prejudices. Like you say there is a damn lot of us. Can't find the actual numbers. but in small town like Hastings there are hundreds of taxi drivers if not thousands including the part-timer who do it for a bit extra. So must be 100,000s across the nation. Politically and numerically we have alot of strength. We are an asset and a support to all eh towns and communities. Accept them when the pub, club, wife and even the police are on the last warning with them. We manage a lot which most wont without backing from others or the wieght of truncheon. mace and the right to arrest, restrain and section under the mental health act. Unpaid police van, psychologist and sociologists and marriage guidance but without the money.

If anyone has any interesting "taxi" facts which I may include please let me know.

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Safety In Taxis. Website and survey.Raising awareness of safety in taxis for driver and passenger.

Round here 8 seater minibuses have been covering Bus Routes for years with no problems. I can't see a problem with it personally; the route is too small for the bus firm to actually put a bus on it due to costs so farm it out to a Taxi/PH and both are happy!


"Ohh its a great life on the buses...!!! Blakey? Blakey? Phew not on this one!"

I don't think anyone can TBH, and that's what the small PSV laws are made for.

But can you imagine what you would feel like if someone started a service of mondeos licensed as PSV. Put one opposite your main rank with a big f*** off touting sign in the window, and then pulled other cars from around the corner when someone wanted one.

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IDFIMH

It's been three weeks since anyone posted on this thread, so I'm assuming everyone is happy with this bit.

Clause 26: Use of private hire vehicles to provide local services

70. This clause amends sections 12 and 13 of the TA 1985. These sections currently enable holders of a taxi licence to apply to the traffic commissioner for a special restricted Public Service Vehicle ("PSV") operator's licence (granted under section 12), entitling the operator to use taxis to run local bus services. The effect of the amendments is to extend this ability to the holders of private hire vehicle ("PHV") licences, enabling them to use PHVs to provide local bus services. The amendments would allow PHVs operating in this way to pick up passengers spontaneously rather than having to be pre-booked through an operator.

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IDFIMH

I think the reason Taxibuses have proven unsuccessful is because of the hurdles placed in the way of grants and subsidies.

This is because the issuing authority or organisation is under far to much pressure from the bus companies who are extremely defensive of these government funds they believe should only be paid to them.

But as bus deregulation has worked so well, because the bus companies face so much competition to run services they will, always, win in the end.

The buses specifically and public transport generally should have their profits returned to the public purse instead of into the pockets of shareholders.

B. Lucky

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"Here's a simple solution. If you don't want to pay more for a premium service then wait in the queue, problem solved".
Skull on TDO

TF pi$$ed on his chips.

If you are happy for PH to pick up off the streets without a booking legally, then that's good enough for me.

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IDFIMH

If they made the Taxibus process easier then the scheme would have been far more successful.

Don't forget we were in the middle of setting a Taxibus scheme up ................... something that doesn't seem to have continued since my resignation.

B. Lucky

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"Here's a simple solution. If you don't want to pay more for a premium service then wait in the queue, problem solved".
Skull on TDO

TF pi$$ed on his chips.