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PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2018 9:54 pm 
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Nottingham to be first city outside London to get MyTaxi Uber-style app for hackney cabs (and they are changing colour, too)

A new app which lets people book Nottingham hackney cabs through an Uber-style app will be launched in less than two weeks. The city will be the first place in the country outside London to get the MyTaxi app.

And the cabs will also be changing colour - from green to black - to as part of a major overhaul.

The new app will allow you to book, pay for and log your journey on your smartphone when it is launched on March 1. There will also be changes to the taxis themselves, with the council wanting to make all 411 of the city’s hackney cabs low (LEV) or ultra-low (ULEV) emission in the next two years in a bid to tackle problems with air quality. Drivers will have to make sure their vehicles are of the right standard before then if they want to carry on driving in the city centre - replacing them with new models if necessary.

City council portfolio holder for community and customer services, Councillor Toby Neal, said: “The new app will really help to bring hackneys into the 21st century as it gives passengers a great deal of confidence about journey safety - as well as making it simple to book a cab.” The eco-friendly taxis are generally more expensive than existing cabs, with the fully-electric Nissan Dynamo costing £40,000.

Recognising the cost of buying an electric car - which are difficult to get hold of second-hand - the council will buy a 'small number' of ultra-low emission vehicles to rent to cabbies. Some will have charging points for mobile phones and laptops, and will be rented to drivers at a "competitive" price.

Although hackney cabs drivers today welcomed the app - similar to ones already used by private companies such as DG - some believed they need more support if they are going to have to make their own cars more environmentally friendly. Jay Singh, 62, said:

"If there are only a few cars at the council it will be like a lottery to get one. I do not think making us get new cars is a good idea, we have not got enough custom. I cannot afford to buy one and I can't get a loan for it. "It is a minimum wait of an hour in the rank and then you might just get a £5 journey. Some days I do not even make minimum wage." He thought the app was a good idea, but added: "It's too late, too many private companies are already using apps and have established themselves."

Jian Chalotra, 65, a taxi driver for the past 30 years, said: "They have not considered us. "Taxi drivers are struggling. I can't afford £40,000 to buy my own car. If they are buying them for you and renting it out, though, that might."

Mohammad Yosaf, 64, a driver for 30 years, thought that compared to the number of drivers, a few rentable cars would not be enough, adding: "Electric cars are not affordable, I could buy a house for the same price." The app has been developed by MyTaxi, Europe's leading taxi app provider, which operates in 70 cities.

Passenger Kati Oakley, 44, who was catching a taxi back to Wilford, said: "I think the app is a good idea, we use them a lot and we often use the DG version for it. It is quicker than calling and easy to use." Becca Ainley, 19, who lives in Leicester and works in a pub and had taken a taxi to the station, said: "An app is more convenient, I think it is a good idea. It would be good to have it in Leicester."

Any new cab will have to be black rather than the traditional green, meaning the fleet will gradually change colour over time.

In October last year the council also announced they would be spending more than £700,000 on 32 electric charging points in eight locations across the city to make electric taxis more attractive. It has been granted £500,000 by the Government to make the upgrades.

Cllr Neal added: “For too long, taxis have been the poor relation in Nottingham’s integrated transport network. “That’s all changing now, with better customer standards, smart new vehicles and a brand new app to make it safe and easy for modern passengers to use the city’s large fleet of hackney cabs. “This is a really exciting transformation of taxi services in our city.

“It means we will no longer have cabs churning out exhaust fumes while sitting in the rank, so it benefits everyone in the city, not just taxi passengers. “It ties in with our investment in the tram system and in one of the largest fleet of green buses in the UK to help improve the air quality in Nottingham."

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PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2018 9:58 pm 
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So I saw this article and it looked like the typical PR spin we all see from app/internet firms.

But this nugget then jumped out.

Quote:
Recognising the cost of buying an electric car - which are difficult to get hold of second-hand - the council will buy a 'small number' of ultra-low emission vehicles to rent to cabbies.


Now Nottingham restrict hackney numbers, and it's long established case law that the owner of the vehicle is the owner of the hackney license.

So are Nottingham going to issue themselves a few licenses? :-k

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PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2018 10:02 pm 
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Sussex wrote:
So I saw this article and it looked like the typical PR spin we all see from app/internet firms.

But this nugget then jumped out.

Quote:
Recognising the cost of buying an electric car - which are difficult to get hold of second-hand - the council will buy a 'small number' of ultra-low emission vehicles to rent to cabbies.


Now Nottingham restrict hackney numbers, and it's long established case law that the owner of the vehicle is the owner of the hackney license.

So are Nottingham going to issue themselves a few licenses? :-k


Lincoln council tried that back in 1985 (ish) and failed.

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PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2018 10:04 pm 
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I do see the logic behind it, if it helps drivers earn a living.

But surely someone should have checked the law first.

Or delimit.

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PostPosted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 12:44 am 
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Sussex wrote:
I do see the logic behind it, if it helps drivers earn a living.

But surely someone should have checked the law first.

Or delimit.


I have a TAXI license,there is nothing stopping me putting my license on a lease car,this is done in numerous areas around the country and it is perfectly legal.


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PostPosted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 1:42 am 
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Sussex wrote:
So I saw this article and it looked like the typical PR spin we all see from app/internet firms.

But this nugget then jumped out.

Quote:
Recognising the cost of buying an electric car - which are difficult to get hold of second-hand - the council will buy a 'small number' of ultra-low emission vehicles to rent to cabbies.


Now Nottingham restrict hackney numbers, and it's long established case law that the owner of the vehicle is the owner of the hackney license.

So are Nottingham going to issue themselves a few licenses? :-k


If they are rented out, will the council be responsible for the insurance and servicing costs , and possible battery replacement??????,also will the council guarantee the driver the min wage


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PostPosted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 9:03 pm 
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heathcote wrote:
Sussex wrote:
I do see the logic behind it, if it helps drivers earn a living.

But surely someone should have checked the law first.

Or delimit.


I have a TAXI license,there is nothing stopping me putting my license on a lease car,this is done in numerous areas around the country and it is perfectly legal.

If the council are happy to buy £40,000 plus motors and allow someone else to have their names on the log book, then fair enough.

But I doubt any district auditor (or whatever they are called now) would allow that.

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PostPosted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 10:19 pm 
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Sussex wrote:
heathcote wrote:
Sussex wrote:
I do see the logic behind it, if it helps drivers earn a living.

But surely someone should have checked the law first.

Or delimit.


I have a TAXI license,there is nothing stopping me putting my license on a lease car,this is done in numerous areas around the country and it is perfectly legal.

If the council are happy to buy £40,000 plus motors and allow someone else to have their names on the log book, then fair enough.

But I doubt any district auditor (or whatever they are called now) would allow that.

Log book is not proof of ownership

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PostPosted: Wed Feb 21, 2018 2:22 pm 
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What about shared cabs? Who is the hackney licence owner? Leased cars? Car bought on HP?


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 21, 2018 5:11 pm 
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roythebus wrote:
What about shared cabs? Who is the hackney licence owner? Leased cars? Car bought on HP?


Yes, doubt if the arrangement would be strictly illegal from the licensing angle, but a definite conflict of interest for the council.


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 21, 2018 5:16 pm 
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The new app will allow you to book, pay for and log your journey on your smartphone when it is launched on March 1. There will also be changes to the taxis themselves, with the council wanting to make all 411 of the city’s hackney cabs low (LEV) or ultra-low (ULEV) emission in the next two years in a bid to tackle problems with air quality. Drivers will have to make sure their vehicles are of the right standard before then if they want to carry on driving in the city centre - replacing them with new models if necessary.


:lol:

Suspect to achieve that they're either going to need a very big cheap rental carrot, or a very costly stick for the trade.


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