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Passengers To Report On Taxi Drivers
Monday, June 29, 2009
Taxi drivers face penalties for playing their radios, sounding their horns and even eating on the job, under a new points scheme.
A council is asking passengers to keep an eye on cabbies in parts of Leicestershire, and report any cases of poor conduct.
However, drivers said they did not like the idea of being snooped on by the public and felt it would be impossible to tell if passengers were telling the truth.
Drivers in the borough of Oadby and Wigston will get penalty points for offences – including calling out to potential customers in the street – and could even face losing their licences.
Gary Waterfield, who is head of licensing at Oadby and Wigston Borough Council, said: "The scheme was launched to increase public safety and give passengers a chance to report unsatisfactory service.
"We were aware of a lot of minor issues people brought to our attention and felt that something needed to be done.
"The scheme has just started, so we are taking the softly, softly approach and easing our way into it."
Drivers will be handed penalties for things such as playing their radio without asking the passenger's permission or failing to help loading bags.
Those who notch up 12 points are given the chance to appeal in writing before the decision to revoke their licence is made.
The council said no points had yet been handed out.
A number of councils around the country – including ones in Oxford and Salford – run similar schemes.
Drivers at Aim Taxis, in The Parade, Oadby, said the points system was unfair.
Taxi driver Sheik Muhammad Nawaz, 55, said: "It won't work, anyone could report us for charging too much just because they don't agree with the fare.
"All it takes is a few drunken people on a Saturday night to decide they don't like the price and that we're being rude and we get suspended. At the weekend we get treated like rubbish, I've had people spit in my face and throw up in the back of my taxi – where are their penalty points?"
Mr Waterfield said: "We consulted with taxi firms in Oadby and Wigston before we launched the points system.
"The feedback we got from drivers was 50/50 – some were quite keen to go along with it and others were not so keen.
"At the end of the day, only those who are doing something wrong have anything to worry about."
There are 37 offences under the system, which include sounding the horn to notify customers, leaving the vehicle unattended and not wearing an identification badge.
Each misdemeanour is worth either two or three points depending on the severity – which means a driver could lose their licence after four violations.
Margaret Niland, 50, from Wigston, said: "It sounds like a good idea. Some taxi drivers are gentlemen, but there are those who make it plain they would rather be elsewhere.
"It might make them think a little bit more about how they drive and their manners towards the customers.
"Some of the rules sound a bit strong, such as having to ask whether they can listen to the radio, but if it makes the service better then it can only be a good thing."
Source; [url=http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Passengers-report-taxi-drivers/article-1118774-detail/article.html]thisisleicestershire.co.uk
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