Taxi Driver Online

Not the first time stories like this have appeared, obviously

A shedload of comments on MEN's website - and can't find much in the way of support.

And some are really putting the boot in. But just your average 41-year-old mother


Mum hits out at council for changing autistic son's school taxi driver

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... g-21298947

Dahlia Morris, 41, says that her son Jake will struggle with the change due to his disability


Image: Dahlia Morris/Manchester Evening News

A mum has hit out at council bosses for changing the driver who takes her autistic son to and from school, arguing the move will damage his education and wellbeing.

Dahlia Morris' son Jake, 14, requires a council-funded driver to take him to Rossendale School from his home in Knutsford every day.

Dahlia says it took a long time for Jake to get used to his driver, and over the course of the school year, the pair built a strong bond.

But his driver lost out to Jake's contract after it was put out to tender this summer.

Cheshire East Council say the existing driver's quote was 'significantly less competitive' than the firm who won the contract.

Dahlia, 41, says that a change in driver will be distressing for Jake, who struggles with changes in routine due to his disability.

The mum-of-two said: "It shouldn't be about the money, it should be about the child's needs.

"And it feels like my concerns have fallen on deaf ears.

"Jake's existing driver goes above and beyond for him.

"It's an hour there and an hour back, and he keeps in touch in with me.

"It took Jake a really long time to get used to him and stability is so important for him.

"Now we're told he's going and that he'll have to get used to someone else.

"I feel like they're putting money above a child’s mental health, stability and feelings."

Dahlia, a beautician, says it isn't possible for her to carry out the journey herself as she has to drive her other child at college and then go to work.

"I can't be in three different places at once," she added.

"When I've contacted the council to explain the situation the person pretty much said I should be grateful for getting a driver because it's taxpayers' money.

"And now they're ignoring me. I've spoken to the company who won the contract and after I explained the situation, they said they'd be happy to give it up. The council are having none of it."

The home to school travel and transport guidance — statutory guidance for local authorities — states that arrangements need to be 'suitable', and 'safe and reasonably stress- free to enable the child to arrive at school ready for a day of study.

Dahlia added: "The council’s own terms and conditions state that it is down to their discretion whether they make the decision to over-rule a decision regarding keeping the same driver or not.

"Therefore, they can if they so choose, keep Jake’s current driver."


Image: Dahlia Morris/Manchester Evening News

Council leaders say that Jake's needs have been taken into consideration, and that they been liaising with Dahlia.

Jacky Forster, director of education and 14-19 skills at Cheshire East Council, said: “We always do what we can to provide continuity with home to school travel arrangements.

"We always consider the child’s needs during the transport planning process and liaise closely with parents/carers, the school and transport providers.

"We also work with parents and carers to improve services and processes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, including transport arrangements.

"Whilst we cannot comment in detail on individual cases, we can say that following a fair and competitive tendering process which considers cost and quality of service - the existing provider’s quote was significantly less competitive than the new company.

"We strive to give families as much notice as we can where arrangements do change and, in this case, a meet and greet with the new driver and vehicle has been offered to assist with the transition to the new company.

"There is an independent appeals process that is available to all families who are unhappy with the travel arrangements offered."

This is one of the less critical comments


Not sure to what extent that's true. Can't find anything obvious online

she certainly looks like she doesn't have to work for a living and cheshire towns are supposed to have more wealthy burghers than any other county in the UK

apparently she won selfie of the month at her local hair salon https://terencepaul.com/blog/client-selfie-winner-for-july-is-dahlia-morris-robinson

A unisex salon where prices start at £36 for a mens haircut and well a lot more for the ladies

and another rags version 'It shouldn't be about money'

Interesting that she goes by the name Dahlia Morris-Robinson in other internet publicity but just Dahlia Morris in the local rag stories

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

You stalking her?

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Former taxi driver

Clearly the old driver has asked the mum to up the anti as he/she has lost the contract.

This happens all the time, they need to get use to it.

I mean it's not as if Atilla the Hun is going to do the run come September FFS.

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IDFIMH

it's called google search you should try it sometimes it fills a little more background in to the story

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Could be one of Atillas descendents though as he came from Eastern Europe.

We have been carrying one autistic child from the age of 5. he is now 14 and the contract was not renewed this year and went out to tender, along with several others for the same school. unfortunately due to an error at County Hall the tenders were not sent to us so we never even got the chance to send a price in. The student lives with his grandparents and when they got the letter from County hall to tell them about the change the grandmother rang us up in tears. This was the first that we knew that the tender had gone out. We just had to tell her that there was nothing we could do.
This happens all the time I am afraid, contacts have nothing to do with the level of service or what is best for the student and all about price. I have noticed that many local contracts are being won by people offering prices way below what would cover the costs just so they have a job. but increasingly the jobs are coming back out to tender when the winner gets a better offer. This happened to a tender that I lost in May for a local run but a company from the other side of Leicester won it at a price that would have given them about 40 pence a mile and they still had to provide an escort. The tender was back out last friday and ended yesterday. This time we won it.

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Grandad,

I was approached by another out of area Taxi company to see if I could carry out a Special needs run that our council had offered them even though they couldnt fullfill their contractual obligation after having won the tender.....needless to say I told them no thanks as I wasn't prepared to do their contract work at a discounted price that no one could earn a living from.

Rather naughty of both the Council and the Contractor.....but why bid on contacts that you can't do?

Happens down here.

Lots of little firms bid for several contracts in the full knowledge they only have vehicles to fulfil a fraction of those contracts. And then they merely take the pick of the ones they are successful with.

Maybe there should be a penalty for tendering for a contract yet not fulfilling it if successful.

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IDFIMH

I don't know about that. A couple of weeks age there were 5 tenders released in my area for an 8 passenger vehicle. I only have the one 8 seater so are you saying that I should have chosen which one to tender for and if I didn't get it then tough luck? I tendered for all 5 in the hope that I would win one of them. If I had won more than one then I would not have accepted any of the other ones and they would then go to the next highest bidder. I only won one that I know of, there are still 2 of them that I have not heard about.
However There maybe some sort of penalty for operators who accept one tender this week and then throw it back next week when they win a better one.

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Grandad,

As if by magic I received the following email this morning.

Dear Operator
We are receiving a number of contract termination notices from operators prior to the start of the contract. This not only increases the work on the team but also results in a late notice change of transport for parents and pupils.
Whilst there may be justified reasons for this late notice, we are then seeing the same operators bidding for other contracts. Therefore, we are writing to all operators to advise that should you wish to terminate a contract over the next 6 weeks, your company will automatically be suspended from tendering for any further contracts for the same period.
Regards
Contracts & Compliance

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Grandad,

Oh, interesting. Presumably this sort of thing is hardly new, so is it becoming increasingly problematic for whatever reason?

It is not new but it fast becoming a pandemic with the idiots from Leicester quoting silly money just so they have a job and then winning a better job at tossing the cheap one back.

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Grandad,

this is why I don't go to all the trouble it's such a faff with all the compliance and the hundreds you have to shell out just to get on the tender list then if you bid realistic prices you win nothing and half your drivers announce they have school contracts via the people that bid for so many

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector