Taxi Driver Online

NEW YORK MEDALLION SYSTEM
“EDINBURGH”


With the SNP gaining an overall majority at the recent elections there will never be a better time to reform or call for the reform of the CGSA
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The act especially the private hire market currently allows the easy access by infiltrators of organised crime gangs and corporate profiteers to set up PHC companies, the act has also been abused and brought in to question on a number of occasions and is constantly being attacked by some who wish to de-restrict the Taxi Market in Edinburgh and other area’s have crumbled under pressure.

The current Taxi market in Edinburgh is an inherited market that the mass majority have bought in to, Licences in Edinburgh have an inherited value of which and depending on market value varies in value, Licences have traded as high as 50k, I bought mine 10 years ago for 17k, in the Taxi market in Edinburgh a lot of money has not only been invested in Licences but in new Taxi’s so as to protect the overall investment by the individual who has bought in to the inherited market that is the Edinburgh Black Cab Trade.

The trade in Edinburgh is constantly under threat, what with the saturation of the PHC market and the few who wish to destroy the trade through de-restriction, remember we inherited this market, we never started the market we worked in, we bought in to the current market and all we ask is through fair reform of the CGSA we protect the inherited market we work in.

We ask that through reform of the CGSA the council accept and recognise the market we inherited, they accept and recognise that licences do have a value and a similar value to a lease of a pub or corner shop, we ask that through reform the council can profit from the trade in plates but still base licence increase’s on survey’s of demand of which would take in to account the current market value of a licence, we ask that through reform the council restrict licences in both the black cab trade and private hire trade through cost.

The New York Medallion system was brought in to New York during the 1930s to stop turf wars from rival gangs eager to muscle in on the lucrative market that a Taxi trade offers, Money laundering and extreme profiteering are 2 of many reasons that where the draw for crime gangs like the Mafia to infiltrate the New York Taxi market.

New York’s local authority along with the New York Police department recognised the pending problem something had to be done, re the birth of the New York Medallion system. The System set up to combat the infiltration was restriction and total control of the Taxi market through cost, it’s widely know the growth and value of the New York Medallion and in Edinburgh we have a similar value but the difference is the value in Edinburgh is through the grey market.

By bringing in reform of the CGSA the value in Edinburgh would be recognised and accepted by the letter of the Law, our Local authority like New York would profit from the trade in plates allowing our local authority like New York to invest in a Taxi Trade that is so tight that infiltrators would no longer see the Taxi trade as a way to money launder or extreme profiteer at the expense of the individuals who are currently happy playing the game that is the Edinburgh Taxi trade.

By allowing Edinburgh council to profit from the trade in plates Edinburgh council could invest monies to bring our trade in to the 21st century, massive investment is needed to tackle many issues concerning our trade and a massive investment is needed for the expansion of our cab office. Issues include Driver attacks, Non payment disputes, seagulling, illegal taxi drivers, Cab standards, new modern premises, full time mobile cab inspector patrols etc.

New York run a very professional Taxi division but would there Taxi trade run as well without being able to restrict through cost?

The way ahead for Edinburgh’s Taxi trade is reform and similar to New York I feel reforming the CGSA to allow Edinburgh council to restrict through cost would answer, solve all the concerns that the individual Taxi operators in Edinburgh fear will one day totally destroy the trade as we know it.

Restricting through cost is to show the ever increasing difference between individuals and the new breed of corporate profiteers, in some cases extreme profiteering and at the expense of individuals, fair competitive play and the undermining of the Taxi regulation in Edinburgh.

What I aim to show through restriction of cost is a way ahead that I see reflects the difference between individual operators and corporate profiteers, away that I see benefiting the trade in Edinburgh as far as a fair way of regulating that difference. It is fair in my view that corporate profiteers pay more than the individuals towards the regulation of the Taxi trade in Edinburgh.

The trade in Edinburgh needs modernising, investment is key but ask why at the individuals expense when corporate profiteers are out to take everything from control of the trade too profit, there is no respect for the individuals from corporate profiteers, the individuals who are quite willing to play the game by the inherited rules of our trade fear for the future of our trade.

What I aim to show is a way that our local authority can restrict through cost, a way that will keep the rate of fees the same for the individuals but show away that increases fees for corporate profiteers.

The recommendations are only examples but the objective is to balance out the contributions made for the regulation of our trade, individuals profit is massively lower than that of corporate profiteers so it’s fair to ask corporate profiteers to pay more than the individuals for the modernising of our trade in Edinburgh.

Example of Corporate and individual fees

Black Cab New licence fee granted: Based on the current market value of black cab licence currently being traded on the grey market, these licences would only be granted on the recommendation of a survey of demand that would take in to account the current market value.

Example: Current value £40k, new licence fee granted fee £40k, these licences would not be sold by the council but distributed in exactly the same way as currently is, this way allows the local authority to retain total control in the way it currently does, regulation stays the same.
The mass majority of individual black cab licence holders are happy to play the game this way this is the game the majority bought in to. My way protects and recognises the current value of a black cab licence.

Private hire licence: The cost of a PHC licence would remain the same for individual operators but would increase per licence held if held by mass plate holding corporate profiteers.

Example: Current cost of PHC licence £1,500 If say 2 or more licences are held the cost could double, example being: 1st licence £1,500, 2nd licence £3k, 3rd licence £6k, 4th licence £12k, a ceiling at £12k could be brought in or you could continue doubling up. This is fair in my opinion and if you take in to consideration that the cost of a 2nd black cab licence would be based on the current market value of black cab licences, there shouldn’t be any complaints of unfairness of the rates for owning multiple licences.

Black cab and PHC test fees: the cost would remain the same for individual licence holders but increase per licence held by multi plate holding corporate companies.
Example: 1st car/cab £267, 2nd £534, 3rd £1,068, a ceiling could be brought in at this point or you could double again, this means that owning 3 or more black cab or PHC licences the cost of a cab test for a vehicle would be £1,068 per car.

A Transfer tax to allow the trading of licences between individuals and between corporate or a mixture of both could be brought in, 5% for individuals transferring between each other and 12 ½ -20% for transfers involving corporate companies.
The above protects the current system for individuals but fairly balances the difference between corporate and individual profiteering


TIGHTENING THE GRIP OF THE EDINBURGH TAXI TRADE THROUGH REGULATED RESTRICTION BY RESTRICTING THROUGH COST, INDIVIDUALLY SPEAKING