Taxi Driver Online

TDO received this e-mail from Channel 4, which speaks for itself.

Anyone wishing to participate please contact Kate via her details at the bottom.

Alex


My name is Kate Griffiths and I’m a producer with Two Four, an award winning TV production company.

We’re developing a landmark series for Channel 4 about what life is really like for British families in this iconic year. While the attention of the world is on the Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics this summer, most of us will be trying harder and harder to get by. Against this backdrop we’re hoping to tell the stories of inspiring, warm and engaging families - from all areas and backgrounds across the UK, living through these tough economic times.

We’d like to reflect the range of issues faced by families in 2012 – from redundancy, money worries and the need to find a new job, to the pressure of running a business and worries about paying the rent or mortgage. We also hope to talk to people on benefit, to really understand the struggles they face. And to explore the pressures parents deal with - supporting their children, from new babies arriving home to school leavers and graduates, often struggling to find work. We’d like to talk to families about different relationship stresses too, perhaps how they cope with divorce, or find out what happens when the in-laws have to move in. We also want to explore the issues that face grandparents too – looking after grandchildren, providing informal child care and the pressures they face in retirement and on pensions. Ultimately, we want this to be a definitive series looking at British family life, celebrating their resourcefulness, strength and even humour as they take on the challenges of this year. I’m sure you’ll agree that this is a really exciting opportunity to focus on the major issues that affect millions of families across the UK.

We’re currently researching the series and we’re hoping to spread the word and speak to as many families as possible about their experiences – in the first instance to help with our research and if they’re interested to tell them about the series. Any conversations will be informal and confidential and do not commit people to taking part.

We know that petrol prices are having a knock on effect on taxi driving currently and I am also aware that drivers are having to work harder than ever; if you’re interested in what we’re doing, I was hoping to be able to post up a message on your forum in case people want to get in touch with me and share their experiences – and I can answer any questions they have about the series at this stage. You may also have ideas on places I should get in touch with – it could be that you know people who work as drivers or in anything else who you think might be interested or may have ideas on other places to contact. Everything very gratefully received! I’ve attached the posting that I would like to make so you can see it.

You can contact me via email on Kate.Griffiths@twofour.co.uk or on either numbers below (mobile best in the evening/at the weekend!).

Many thanks for your time and looking forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards

Kate Griffiths

Producer

020 7438 1972

07952 586 818

http://www.facebook.com/2012Families

http://www.twofourbroadcast.com
@TwofourTweets

Plymouth Office
Twofour Studios | Estover | Plymouth | PL6 7RG
switch + 44 (0) 1752 727 400 | fax + 44 (0) 1752 727 450

London Office
Kingsbourne House | 229-231 High Holborn | London | WC1V 7DA
switch + 44 (0) 207 438 1800 | fax + 44 (0) 207 438 1850

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ʎɐqǝ uo pɹɐoqʎǝʞ ɐ ʎnq ı ǝɯıʇ ʇsɐן ǝɥʇ sı sıɥʇ

Simply the best taxi forum in the whole wide world. www.taxi-driver.co.uk

So they basically want people to go on national television and tell millions of people how sh!t their lives are. No wonder our stupid box is never on.

What about all those councils who put owners into dept by insisting on daft new rules like changing the cab colour.
All those councils who insist on being all wav when 95% of owners or drivers will never carry a wheelchair.
All those owners who are only interested in the high rentals they can charge, and not about the welfare of the driver.
TFL who insist on restricting the cab market to two types of cab only, due to the out of date turning circle, forcing owners to buy the most expensive cabs on the market
Owners who insist that the drivers discount, and pay an office rent, if they don't they are sacked

How about all those drivers who are paying in excess of £270 a week for a drive in a de-restricted area where the fares are shit?

There are drivers out there who aren't earning £1 an hour when they've took out their rent and fuel.

There certainly are a lot of things we can complain about..

You certainly have a bizarre attitude to fare discounting, Skippy

Jack351 can go on there and tell them how bad it is after spending 70k on a plate

Hmmm, be careful, last time I had C4 approach me they wanted us to slate the police off, yeah top dollar idea eh, and you guessed it there was one queuing up to spill his guts about the nasty police officers and how they dare to stop him speeding, when I shot it down she turned on her heels and left without saying goodbye, you aren't dealing with someone normal, nor someone who cares, you are dealing with someone wanting something to sell, so think before you engage your mouth, you could find out you'll make things worse for yourselves.

What they paying is the question !

The difference Dusty is I'm a one man band, they have an office fee of £90 per week, have all there own expenses, and are still forced to discount, some of them from the same company even have the cab rental on top

Discounting, be it on a company or on a one man band ,its the same [edited by admin].

No it isn't we discount BUT set fares and discounts are agreed with the drivers first and it is always to get more money into their pockets in the face of ever increasing competition

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

So your discounting is ok but someone elses isnt give me a break !

But your philosophy is that if you discount then you get more fares, so that would help them pay the rental as well?

And perhaps it's you that they're having to compete with?