Taxi Driver Online

no need to appologise, the answer is the same.

Wharfie

Well I think for long journeys we already charge what we want.

Some councils set a different (usually higher than normal) HC rates for outside of their districts, I wish they could point out to me the legislation that permits that.

If a customers wants a price beforehand, he will ask for an estimate. If not, then I can see no reason why the meter can't be used

There is Logic in market forces setting the rates, there is also logic in having all the cabs working off a specific rank charging the same rates.

If the 1969 Misc Provs Act HAD actually been a Hackney Carriage Act, it would have (as per its ORIGINAL intent) have separated Hackney Carriages from Private Hire with fairly clear distinction. It was the advent of the radio which changed everything. And, this relates seriously to the single tier issue.

Under the original consultation in 1961/63 ish, the definition was that a Private Hire car, was such as wedding cars, and executives etc. Wholly unmarked vehicles, not running around town doing £2.50 fares working off a radio. The problem came with the definition of pre-booked, as the radio effectively made all jobs pre-booked (with the fare/hire charge being set at point of booking) and thus eliminated the distinction. True PH under the original intent, thus lost its distinction, and became part of the TAXI business, rather than the executive car hire business. If you accept the definition of PH as being the original intent, then there need be no set fares, as each job is undertaken to specific quotation.

The Taxi, however, is something different, in that people board the vehicle without having pre-established the payment for their journey, accepting that it will be (at maximum) a reasonable metered rate, and that they will have to pay what is shown on the meter. The Radio Car (PH) running about town, stood the concept on its head, didnt it. As the average Tesco to Acacia Drive is not truly booked in advance with a price set and agreed at time of booking, but a job booked "on the assumption" of what the typical prices are in the area. Eg. How many times (in a private hire radio car) does the punter say "How much?" at the end of the journey (thus indicating no agreed pre-set booking has been made), rather than at time of phoning for "a cab" as they see it.

In the eyes of the public, the term "cab" covers a Taxi or a PH car (but they would not expect it to include an Exec or a wedding car, which they would call something else.

Surely, the system should reflect this too? All radio-cars and Taxis combined in a single tier, and only execs remaining as Private Hire. All "taxis/Cabs" to operate on meters with national pre-set maximum rates, while execs free to agree whatever price with the punter, materially, at time of booking.

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

Indeed there is no legislation that allows them to do it, only legislation that prevents it, but what do they care?

Bradford allow night time rates outside thier zones very kind of them i am sure!

Wharfie

Well said that man, and the rest of your post too, but I thought it inappropriate to quote the whole lot just to agree!!!!!

Do you recall the original early-1960s consultation or have you just been delving into the history books??

Dusty

you might not realise it dusty but that last question could be taken as offensively cheeky,

I think the answer is his grandad told him.and he remembered his grandad telling him!

Andy got his first badge last year aged 18 after an appeal.

hes just a whippersnapper

Wharfie

And here was me trying to be diplomatic about the fact that Andy may be approaching retirement age.

Dusty

He's past that dusty.

Gosh. I just found another grey hair!

As a kid, I lived in the east end of London, and well remember the gang wars between the "new" minicab operators, which, I recollect, resulted in a number of shootings. So, I can actually remember the 1960s, but only as a kid, I was not involved in transport then. My first ever cab, was a MkI Cortina, with bench seat and column change and very little in the way of licenses, because, at the time, the 1976 Act simply did not exist. Thats all the clues you will get as to my age. And, I am nowhere near retirement age yet, although, in my mind, I retired at 16 when I left school.

So, the answer to your question Dusty, is closer to the delving into the history books. The original consultation papers (they were not called that then, as no-one consulted jack in those days) are all contained in the Public Records Office at Kew, and in the Guildhall Library in London on microfiche. I studied the subject in considerable depth at one stage, as I was contemplating writing a book on the trade. Sadly (for me, but probably for the benefit of mankind), the book never got finished.

And anyway, I ain't got as many grey hairs you Wharfie. And I still got a lot more hair than Nidge

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

let me assure you I inherited my grey hairs, from my kids

Wharfie

Don't I just know what you mean there! I am trying to get mine to go to bed as I type!

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

That's interesting Andy.

Pity about the book, we could have been discussing it right now!!

Researching and the like must have been difficult before the days of the internet and suchlike.

Dusty

Actually it was quite fun. Chatting up the research students. Marry9ing some of them. And many things I couldnt possibly say on here. Ooooohh the good old days. lol. Let me get my Zimmer frame.

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

You only married 'some' of them Andy!

The mind boggles!

Dusty

Just four Dusty. Just four. One mustn't be greedy, must one.

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.