Taxi Driver Online

All taxis and private hire vehicles in Coventry ordered to accept card payments

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/ ... t-17084252

The change will come into place before the end of the year

All taxis and private hire vehicles in Coventry will be obliged to take card payments under new policies set to be agreed by the council.

Coventry City Council said it wants to “move with the times” by updating its policies due to the rise in card payments across the country.

Currently some taxis and other private hire vehicles already accept card payments, but they are not obliged to under existing council policy.

New rules, set to be passed next Monday, October 21, state “functioning cashless facilities must be carried and cashless payments cannot be refused and must not incur the passenger additional costs”.

Councillor Patricia Hetherton, cabinet member for city services, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Black cabs and private hire provide a great service here in Coventry but it’s important that we move with the times.

“Lots already provide the option to pay on a card but if approved this move will mean that all providers have to take cashless payment by the end of the year.

“The trade have been consulted on this move and it has real support.

“Moving towards the City of Culture in 2021, we are expecting an increase in visitors to our city, it is therefore important that taxis are offering a warm welcome to make getting around easy and trouble-free.”

Tuk-tuks and pedicabs will also be obliged to accept card payments.

The city council agreed in November 2018 to introduce tuk-tuks and pedicabs and hopes to have them ready to use for the City of Culture 2021 year.

Obvioulsy planning ahead

But makes it sound like the council will be operating them?

At least they're included in the compulsory cards plan, though

I still can't wait for a tuk tuk or pedicab to negotiate the Coventry ring road

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Not much to see here, but if council's claim that it has been 'relatively well received' is correct then certainly different from Liverpool.

However, no detail here about how precisely it will be implemented, and what system will be used in particular.

And it states here that it will be 'implemented by the end of the year', which seems quite close, but maybe that just means the rule will be brought into force by then and a transition period would then be underway


Mandatory card payments for taxis approved

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/ ... t-17125572

It will be implemented by the end of the year

All taxis and private hire vehicles in Coventry must be able to accept card payments after a policy change was approved by the city council.

While some already accept card payments currently, they are not obliged to under existing council policy, but that is set to change by the end of the year.

The authority’s cabinet member for city services Cllr Pat Hetherton agreed to make cashless payments mandatory at a meeting on Monday, October 21.

Licensing officer Sarah Elliott said: “We consulted with the public and trade earlier this year around the ability to be able to pay for taxis other than cash – historically that’s been how taxis have operated.

“There was a lot of support for that.

“This report just brings the proposed additions to conditions of licensing to allow mandatory cashless payments.

“It has been relatively well-received. We are working with Unite who are one of the representatives of the taxi trade and it is well received.

“There is an acceptance that as cash payments are less common, in order for taxis to be able to compete with other technology, it is generally well-received.”

No objections were raised over the proposal, the council said.

Cllr Hetherton said: “We are moving towards a cashless society.”

Tuk-tuks and pedicabs, which are set to be introduced in Coventry ahead of the City of Culture year, will also be obliged to accept card payments under the change.

If I were in a mean spirited mood I might make a comment about how, unlike Liverpool, everyone in Coventry isn't on the dole

You can charge the transaction fee for business and non EU cards, but you can’t set a minimum journey for card payment either.

App customers are the cheapest I find, very rarely do they tip and I use that Free Now app, you do get some good jobs mind you.

Actually you can set a minimum card payment amount. As for business cards it's fine in principal but when they're paying contactless you can't see the card.