Taxi Driver Online

Someone suggested to me the other day that they reckoned before long the law will be changed to allow cabs to use satellite navigation systems instead of having to do the Knowledge, opening the market up to far more people and making it harder to earn a living in.

Quite obviously satnav is nowhere near as good, as it lacks intelligence and the ability to adapt instantly to diversions etc. Nevertheless, it could clearly do a reasonable job in most cases, especially as it improves.

Although I think it's awful, is that not the sort of crap that Red Ken would be likely to allow? Wouldn't surprise me at all. Does anyone know if it's been suggested, if it's likely or not etc?

Regards,

DLB

I'm not so sure that sat nav will ever fully replace the konwledge anywhere, let alone London. But I do think in the near future a good look will be taken at the London knowledge.

Three years on average is far too long. I know those with their green badges will say that they had to do it, so everyone else should, but maybe a combination of a quickie knowlege and sat nav could well be on the cards.

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IDFIMH

You wish.

This has been suggested / threatend by Livingstone on a few occasions, luckily in London the trade is strong and well represented, and again luckily even Livingstone does not take what Kaley and Reisel the fatcat buisiness tycoons say as gospel.

Sat-Nav is a good tool (I have one for out of town trips) but it will never replace the character and commitment the knowledge places in you.

I have gone through this before about where the bendy buses get stuck, for a longer route but half the time, where the bin lorries block two major arterial routes on a Thursday and Friday, where the road is open but down to one lane because of short term roadworks etc etc, or the big one, where the system goes pop, and your up a creek without a paddle looking like a prize plum to the travelling public.

The average time is just UNDER 3 years.

As for needing taxi drivers, I (a man who actually drives a Taxi and not a desk with shareholders) can quite happily say London has very little unmet demand, even at 3 in the morning on Saturday there were plenty of free cabs about.

You will note, most of the people banging on about a quick knowledge are either minicab drivers who want to be Taxi drivers, or the likes of fatcat Reisell (literally) who want another 1000 Radio Cabs drivers all paying £200 a month subs. Nice little earner for his share price.

If your thinking of signing up, go for it, freedom and self employment are a wonderful combinantion, and not a 'corporate' tie or slave driver boss to be seen.

Looks like a hot topic!

I'm a journalist for a national taxi magazine and we are going to start an opinions page. I'd love some of you guys to email me your views on sat nav vs the knowledge.

Make them as angry/funny as you like. This is a chance to get your view out there to the masses. You can either send me an instant message, reply to this message. my email is paul.rayment@leedsguide.co.uk.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Paul

As like GBC I have Satnav (TomTomgo) in my cab. It is useless in town but great for when going out of town to an unknown location.
I have had one punter say when dropping them outside their door with out them saying a word of directions ' What a good knowledge you have. some of our local minicab drivers have to ask the way'.
HeHeHe.

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Make trafic wardens redundant. PARK LEGALLY.
Congestion charge! Before it was free.

And another thing.
It is illegal to have a TV in the front of the motor.
A Satnav has a moving screen, that one might have to watch. (some don't have voice).
The mind boggles?

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Make trafic wardens redundant. PARK LEGALLY.
Congestion charge! Before it was free.