Scheme to protect Chester taxi drivers' livelihoods is hailed a success
https://www.cheshire-live.co.uk/news/ch ... s-15272484
Fare Safe was launched to support drivers who regularly lose out on fares due to customers failing to pay, as well as to give them legal advice and protect their wellbeing
Michael Nicholls and Jon Goodwin of Fare Safe, at the Eastgate Clock in Chester (Image: Michael Nicholls)
The launch of a new scheme to help protect the livelihoods and welfare of Chester's taxi drivers has been hailed a success.
Fare Safe was launched by friends Michael Nicholls and Jon Goodwin and was spurred on after Michael, who works as a taxi operator, became frustrated by the number of passengers who make off without paying after taxi journeys, depriving drivers of income.
Michael said that in his three years working in a taxi office, he has seen people failing to pay for their journeys "all too often" due to not having money, or actively running away without paying.
Michael said: "As the police are usually busy we struggle to get them to attend a driver who has fallen victim to what’s knows as 'bilking', or it takes hours for them to attend meaning that driver losing out even more waiting around, or when we ring they say it’s a civil matter.
"This is very frustrating for us so I decided to take it upon myself to start chasing these people and attempt to recover the money, usually being successful in doing this.
"I decided that there must be more that can be done to help and support drivers and to catch these people who think it's OK to deprive drivers of their livelihood, so I thought of trying to take them to court as a civil case and approached my friend John Goodwin who has a background in the legal sector and also as a private investigator.
"Together along with our partners, we created Fare Safe."
Now they are 15 months into the scheme, which has been self-funded, and both Michael and Jon have said the service has grown massively.
It now includes other services to make drivers' lives easier such as annual accounting, fuel saving cards for the drivers, discounts at over 3000 retailers and legal advice on-hand, along with a driver welfare program.
But the scheme still has room to grow, and Michael added that there are plans in motion for Fare Safe to be used to help make Chester's nightlife safer by working with the local Pubwatch scheme.
Michael added: "We have also approached the local pub watch scheme and are hoping to join in with their meetings, and bring anyone who has caused trouble in a taxi to the pub watch scheme.
"So if you cause trouble in a taxi you will be put forward to the pub watch to be banned from pubs as well as taxis, and vice versa.
"This way you will not be brought into Chester to be able to cause trouble, and we can try and make Chester a safer place for people."
SCHEME A HUGE HIT WITH TAXI DRIVERS
Jon Goodwin, Michael's fellow director, added that the scheme had been a huge hit with taxi drivers in Chester already and that they had successfully tracked down and pursued offenders who fail to pay their fares.
Jon added: "Fare Safe has also recently met with some of the leading insurance taxi brokers and insurance companies who have accepted our services as much needed benefit to offer as an add on to their polices accepting that drivers need support with the commonly overlooked issue of fare theft.
"Fare Safe are very excited about the future and growth of the network and look forward to scheduling appointments with the Taxi offices in the area to offer proposals of how we can best work together to support the taxi drivers of Chester."
Michael added that a mobile app has also now been launched for drivers to access the service, adding that if the scheme continues to be successful in Chester they will look at launching it in more places around the country.
