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UK cab trade debate and advice
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 12:41 am 
After some thought I'd like to make some suggestions myself as to how the taxi & Private Hire trades could be improved, as a veteran of 26 years split 11 years PH and 16 years HC I would like to think I can offer you some proper insight, I have more but I will leave it until requested


1 - Better enforcement

This isn't just catch the tout, this is catch the unbadged driver, the overcharging driver and the lazy and rude driver,

From a Hack pov, how about a facial recognition camera at rank locations to capture and compare who is actually behind the wheel,

How about a UK wide hit squad that visits a different city every week on the look out for touting drivers, this would be random so you'd not know the officers nor would you know they are in town, cost wise it would be down to a minimum as rather than blanket coverage it would be like a petrol station pump measures tester only catching those doing what they aren't licensed to, they should have stop and search powers and be backed up by two police officers just prior to the approach,

From a PH pov, the ability to enter and request data at any time in any PH office in the country, this would be to record call levels at different times and to see if the office has too many vehicles for it's trade level,

On licensing a driver the council should inform HMRC of the drivers details, rather than HMRC have to take pot luck, have all the info already so if no return comes in then investigation begins.


Regulation or Not?

Well as a driver in an area that was regulated, de-regulated and then re-regulated I can only say the option should remain the choice of the council, I believe the Manchester model is along the best route, I would however suggest a longer time at peak times than 10 minutes to be considered,

Any area that has cars over ranked or simply a full rank most of the day has to say no more required, this whole thing doesn't come into what's supposed to be fair, what is fair is that a driver doesn't need to work 15 hours a day and drive tired, this is the customer angle you need to look at not the price or availability at the flick of a switch, people queue all the time for various services and nothing is said, why the taxi trade is deemed to be required to arrive like an ambulance is beyond me,

Semi regulate the PH, make a PH office show it has work for it's numbers before allowing it to take more cars on, as most work computer dispatch it's easy to get the number of jobs pw and cross ref them with the car count, this way the baron is cut back some and greedy ops can't just keep filling their pockets ad lib,


Immigrant workers

Surely it's time that any who've not long been here should sit a driving test at the same time as the knowledge one? this wouldn't be needed if they came from places that drive on the same side of the road as we do, but they don't and it's not easy to switch sides just like that if you aren't experienced,

A helpline number for them to ring should they feel they are being exploited, lots arrive on a lie told to them back home, once here they are stuck when the dream becomes a nightmare, they should have some proper ears that will listen properly and act for them,


Overcharger's & Wrong route takers

I'd like to see a two strikes rule here, you get a warning first time and second time it's convince the panel you won't offend again, and should you re-offend you are out, no more license, for wrong routes another knowledge test must be sat based on getting to the destination using the major roads, so in other words if you go east when the customer wanted west it's obvious you either lacked knowledge or were giving them a long ride, same thing for cherry pickers who refuse short jobs,


PH Livery

I'd like it removed and a system of car to mobile phone details sent, this along with a dashboard card that must only be placed on the dash visibly when waiting for a pre booked legit job, the customer gets informed by text you've arrived and the reg number,model and colour of the car are sent to the customers phone, for non mobile calls the customer simply looks for the dashboard card and asks if the car is for them, this should remove the temptation for the public to approach the car if it was liveried and they hadn't booked it, i.e don't leave the valuables on show and the thief won't notice them and smash the window to get at them, the livery being the valuable in this case enticing attention,


Fares

Isn't it about time there was a regional fare scale with no more than a 50p variation between the outward most areas, and also all HC and PH to have a meter fitted, once the public knows to expect the meter to be on this should help make the overcharging drivers more visible, a customer would know if the meter isn't on it's likely they are going to get asked for more than they should be paying and should obtain a receipt and make a complaint, and maybe a national complaint line would be beneficial as repeat offenders would flag up better, also any radio rent increases should be matched in % by a fare increase, it's unfair the drivers increase is 10p per job which may make no difference to what they already got from a tipping customer having been charged another £15pw radio charge on top,

Uniforms

If a company requires a driver to wear a uniform that company should supply 3 sets to each driver for hygiene reasons, the drivers should not have to pay for this themselves, it's unfair they get charged £15 for a £3 T-shirt simply because it's embroidered with the company name, if a driver is self employed he should have the right to say what he wears within reason as long as it's tidy and suitable


Licenses

Isn't it time the rule of one man one license returned, or at least a maximum put on it of perhaps no more than 10 PH and only one HC, also the requirement that the holder drives a minimum of hours PW, the main problem with multi car ownership is the car degrades quickly, it doesn't get noted because the owner never drives it and the driver doesn't report it because it's time off the road, also one man cabs tend to be cleaner and better maintained and a general pride thing exists, rather than a battered and ripped up bald tyre wielding car with 2 - 4 different drivers who don't care about it driving.


There is a few things to consider, I know I'll get told to send it in, but they are reading us, only a fool wouldn't, should the idea's not now get shot to bits I will consider sending them in soon.


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PostPosted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 12:55 am 
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Quote:
Ideas For LC Consideration


sort out your own house?

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PostPosted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 12:56 am 
captain cab wrote:
Quote:
Ideas For LC Consideration


sort out your own house?



Me or them?


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PostPosted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 1:10 am 
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Doom wrote:
captain cab wrote:
Quote:
Ideas For LC Consideration


sort out your own house?



Me or them?



them....not you, apart from the rising damp :lol:

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PostPosted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 1:13 am 
[/quote]them....not you, apart from the rising damp :lol:[/quote]


Damnit you're good, how did you know? :wink:


How do the ideas look though CC?


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PostPosted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 8:24 am 
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Mr Doom, if you've written that lot and you believe in what you have written, then FFS copy and paste it into an email and emial it to tph@lawcommission.gsi.gov.uk

The Law Commission don't care how short or long replies to the consultation are as long as they get replies.

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PostPosted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 11:20 am 
I was hoping for some opinions first tbh Brum, last thing I wanna do is submit it and then find out I'd got it wrong.


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PostPosted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 11:43 am 
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Doom wrote:
I was hoping for some opinions first tbh Brum, last thing I wanna do is submit it and then find out I'd got it wrong.



What ever you do, you'll need a montage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OG4KpbV0 ... ure=relmfu

TBH, this is going to be the most expensive part of my response :D

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PostPosted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 12:28 pm 
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Doom wrote:
I was hoping for some opinions first tbh Brum, last thing I wanna do is submit it and then find out I'd got it wrong.

Stuff my opinion or anyone elses for that matter.

This is YOUR opinion and IMO YOU should not be canvassing support or criticism.

Just send it and to hell with the consequences.

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PostPosted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 12:28 pm 
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This is a double post glitch.

Not mine but the TDO's system.

First it interupts my post and tells me that another post has been submitted since I typed my post. Then it tells me I can't make another post so soon after my last post, then when I click submit again after waiting a few seconds I end up with a double post.

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PostPosted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 12:47 pm 
Point taken Brum, but can you or the Capt see any real obvious flaws in it?


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PostPosted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 1:02 pm 
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Doom wrote:
Point taken Brum, but can you or the Capt see any real obvious flaws in it?

I can't, but then the Captain has been known to argue with himself, so watch out!!

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PostPosted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 1:03 pm 
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Doom wrote:
Point taken Brum, but can you or the Capt see any real obvious flaws in it?



Apart from raising freddie from death, none :lol:

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PostPosted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 6:34 pm 
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Doom wrote:
I know I'll get told to send it in, but they are reading us, only a fool wouldn't,

Indeed you should send it in, as should anyone else with any particular view on any particular question/proposal. Or in fact any issue that they deem to be important.

Just one thing you might wish to add is your view on fares for work going out of the licensing area. Are you happy drivers can charge what they wish, or would you like the council set fare to be the maximum no-matter where the job ended? :?

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PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 1:51 pm 
Sussex wrote:
Doom wrote:
I know I'll get told to send it in, but they are reading us, only a fool wouldn't,

Indeed you should send it in, as should anyone else with any particular view on any particular question/proposal. Or in fact any issue that they deem to be important.

Just one thing you might wish to add is your view on fares for work going out of the licensing area. Are you happy drivers can charge what they wish, or would you like the council set fare to be the maximum no-matter where the job ended? :?


Generally all that happens here with that is we use a £2 pm formula, which is under what the meter says anyway, as for quotes I guess they are what they are and a 200 mile journey should be up to what the driver wants accepts vs what the punter agrees on, but 20 mile and under trips should imo remain in line with what the council sets.


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