Taxi Driver Online

Immediately after clearing, a Hackney Carriage must return to a rank and a Private Hire Vehicle must return to base. Discuss.

We don't have to return to ranks, we are free to go wherever we wont, or cruise. PH don't always return to base, they sit and wait off street but usually visible parked on strets waiting for next job in an area they think they will cop for next job

Are you asking or informing us that this is the case. I think it might be best if you state the legislation to which you refer? Simply because there are probably many who might not have read the legislation in question, except in local by laws.

Regards

JD

I think many councils have that in their bylaws, but not all.

Personally I think it's a daft rule, and I much prefer a rule that says drivers should decide for themselves which rank they want to go back to.

Which I suspect is what really happens anyway.

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IDFIMH

in the few years i've driving PH i only go to base once a week, and thats to pay the rent.

Treat it as an exam question and state what you think to be the law in this area citing supporting case law and legislation.

There is no mention in the 1847 act or the 1976 act or the 1936 public health act or indeed the 1985 Transport act. I have only ever read it in local by laws .

Regards

JD

The return to nearest rank issue was one of the 'Model Byelaws' (revised 1974). I found them annexed to a copy of the DOT 8/86 Circular.

Number 7 in fact.

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IDFIMH

I thought as such because most authorities use this particular by law. Several weeks ago I wrote to the DfT and asked that this by law be removed because in this day and age it is impractical.

It is unenforceable and highly dubious if the by law would hold up in a court of law. I have never come across a case of anyone being prosecuted for not returning to the nearest taxi rank. There are ample references in case law to Taxis plying for hire while standing in the street other than at a taxi rank? It would be an interesting case would it not? But in my opinion the NTA and TGWU should be writting to the DfT to have this by law removed, after all, they say they represent the taxi trade?

Regards

JD

The former is a reasonable idea in principle, although I wouldn't really object to the idea of cruising, particularly in more urban areas. Even assuming that the principle of compulsory ranking is accepted, I would confine it to any rather rather than the nearest - after all, many taxis use some ranks mainly for waiting for phone work, and it would be unreasonable to expect street cars to return to there.

As for the latter, totally inpractical and inefficient.

But as the other replies indicate, in practice any rules to that affect are not enforced anyway.

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

A well put view.

Where do they go if they are not to return to a rank or base?

PH - any suitable place that can't be construed as plying for hire.

Taxis - as I said, cruissing or returning to any rank is OK in principle, but that's often impractical, especially if there's insufficient ranking space. The thing that bugs me is drivers that park in such a position as to pre-empt work heading for the rank, but if you can't force them to rank, then what can you do? And if there's not enough rank space then you can hardly force them to rank.

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