Taxi Driver Online

A litany of complaints, but would be interesting to read the details in the council papers, but it won't be me

But, for example, not clear whether these are fleet-owned vehicles, or whatever, or what kind of test the vehicle failed, and what kind of fault the brakes had. I mean, presumably they hadn't totally failed and then the car was driven for almost three weeks until they were repaired

Lots of other stuff as well, though.

And although this is aimed at local readers, anyone elsewhere reading this would be forgiven for not having a clue where it's taking place (apart from references to a couple of nearby locations). But I think the Daily Echo is Southampton, and that that's therefore the council referred to

(Actually, scrap that - there is in fact a direct reference to Southampton City Council in the penultimate paragraph. So it's in there, but just takes a while to get to it )

But 'Cab My Ride', eh?


Cab My Ride could have licence revoked over complaints

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/241049 ... omplaints/


Cab My Ride director Arjan Sahota (Image: Newsquest)

A private hire driver drove 1,000 miles with damaged brakes - and still carried on after the vehicle's licence expired, council papers have revealed.

The alarming incident saw the Cab My Ride worker pick up passengers in the Ford Galaxy for three weeks after it failed a test on August 15 last year and before getting the brakes fixed on September 5.

After its licence expired on August 31, the six-seater continued to be used as recently as November 8 when it was given to another driver by mistake.

It only came to light following the most recent in a string of complaints against the company, which could see it lose its licence.

A spokesperson for Cab My Ride said it is "committed the presenting our case thoroughly" when the decision is made next week and will continue to "cooperate fully" with the authorities involved.

The other complaints quoted in the council report include wheelchair users being overcharged, children being driven to and from school in an unlicensed and damaged vehicle and questions around the conduct of the former director, who resigned in 2020.

Cab My Ride has been licensed by the council to take private journey bookings in the city since 2010.

It also operates under the names Bitterne Cars and Aryvo and also picks up passengers in Eastleigh and the New Forest.

According to council papers, its licence has been at risk several times, including following a complaint in 2019 that they were charging a premium for wheelchair accessible vehicles.

At the time, the company's app quoted between £12 and £14 for an average journey with an accessible vehicle - whereas a regular vehicle was £7 to £9.

The firm was sent a written warning by the council, which said: "This apparent discrimination against disabled users brings into question if you are fit and proper as an operator."

On September 28, 2020, the council received five complaints about an incendiary Facebook post by then-director Harjit Singh Sahota which claimed their rivals "ripped people off" and were not wearing PPE during the pandemic.

This led to him resigning and being suspended as a driver for a month, the council papers said.

On March 1, 2021, the council's school transport department said Cab My Ride was using an "unlicensed and damaged vehicle" to drive children around.

An investigation was launched which led to new measures being put in place, and another written warning being given to the company.

On December 12, 2022, the same department filed another complaint - that Mr Sahota was "being unprofessional with school run escorts" by asking to come in for a cup of tea or to go inside their homes to use the bathroom.

A letter of advice was given to him.

The high number of complaints and "poor responses" from Cab My Ride led to another letter of advice being sent to the company, the report said.

The car being used with broken brakes and an expired licence only came to light following a complaint on November 6 about the people carrier's livery being wrong.

A council interview with current director Arjan Sahota in December revealed the vehicle was given to the driver by mistake after the one he was meant to use was involved in a crash.

According to the report, Mr Sahota admitted there were "few, if any checks carried out when cars were handed over to drivers" and "no current system for stopping a vehicle working when its licence expires if it is already on their platform".

The director said he could "reinstate a system" to deal with this.

The private hire firm's fate in the city will be decided at a licensing committee meeting on February 14, where councillors will consider the report.

A spokesperson for Cab My Ride said: "We acknowledge the pending hearing regarding Southampton City Council's decision to our operator’s licence.

"We are actively engaged in the process and are committed to presenting our case thoroughly. We will continue to cooperate fully with the authorities involved."

Don't tell me - it said "Advanced Bookings Only"


Bad enough with drunken girls in the early hours, but the school escorts?

He sounds like a bit of a tube, though, to put it mildly

The firm does come across as rather iffy and certainly not 'fit and proper'.

But I would be surprised if they loss their ops license.

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IDFIMH

Not a lot new to see here for anyone who's read the article above, other than what's in the headline and the licensing committee's statement near the bottom, which isn't particularly illuminating nor ground-breaking.

But at least this time there's no mistaking where this all happened - the word 'Southampton' is used in both the headline and strapline


Southampton taxi firm Cab My Ride loses its licence

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/241212 ... s-licence/

A family-run private hire firm which let a driver use a car with worn out brakes has had its licence revoked by Southampton City Council.

Cab My Ride will no longer be able to take passengers in the city after the council's Licensing Sub Committee found the business was 'not fit and proper'.

It comes after the business, which also runs Bitterne Cars and Aryvo, was subject to a string of complaints and warnings from the licensing team.

Yesterday, the firm's boss Arjan Sahota apologised before the committee at Southampton City Council adding that he was working hard to 'gain back the trust' of the community.

Council papers revealed a hire driver drove 1,000 miles with damaged brakes and still carried on after the vehicle’s licence expired.

The incident only came to light following a string of complaints against the company.

The other complaints quoted in the council report include wheelchair users being overcharged, children being driven to and from school in an unlicensed and damaged vehicle and questions about the conduct of the former director, who resigned in 2020.

In a written decision published online, the committee said: "[We have] considered all the facts but were not persuaded that the operator is currently fit and proper, and the operator licence should therefore be revoked."

It added: "The Sub Committee was concerned about the number of complaints against the operator over a period of time culminating in a second instance of allowing a private hire vehicle to be used when unlicensed.

"On the previous occasion the operator had received a warning and demonstrated a system to the Licensing Officers which ensured there could be no repeat.

"Unfortunately, the system failed and there was a repeat. Whilst the Sub-Committee listened to the reasoning for the failure it had to consider its duty to public safety."

The firm's boss was asked about the culture and safeguarding policies at the firm but the committee found them to be 'unsatisfactory in that they did not properly address the issues that had arisen'.

The decision can be appealed to the Magistrates Court.

Cab My Ride has been contacted for a comment.

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

Well if you believe the spiel, they've certainly made some supa-dupa improvements

Which no doubt they have, to a degree, but sounds like a fair dollop of BS as well

Slightly more interesting than usual, though, at least in terms of the legal procedural, costs etc.


Cab My Ride Southampton keeps licence after appeal

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/247350 ... ce-appeal/

A family-run private hire firm has retained its licence after making "significant improvements" during an appeal process.

Cab My Ride challenged what it called "inaccuracies” in a report made to the Licensing Sub Committee at the Southampton City Council earlier this year. Councillors had revoked the licence on the basis of the report.

The appeal was made by the director of the business Arjan Sahota and led to a consent order being signed by the firm and the council at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on November 14.

Arjan said: “We are pleased to announce that, effective immediately, we will continue to retain our three operator licences in Southampton: Aryvo, Bitterne Cars and Cab My Ride.

“Today, we move forward, stronger and more committed than ever, ready to serve the community we love with renewed passion.”

The decision to revoke the licence in February was made after the committee considered a report listing a string of complaints and warnings to the business.

Complaints included wheelchair users being overcharged, children being driven to and from school in an unlicensed and damaged vehicle, and questions about the conduct of the former director, who resigned in 2020.

Since then, several changes have been made to the business’ operations.

Arjan said: “We have implemented a comprehensive retraining program, which has positioned us as one of the most compliant safeguarding operators in Hampshire.

“This was achieved by collaborating with industry-leading experts to ensure we met the highest standards of safeguarding procedures.

“Our software system also underwent a thorough review by a Digital Forensic Investigator, who confirmed that it provides a robust platform for assigning drivers and monitoring their compliance with statutory regulations.

“The system also includes additional measures that remind drivers of their obligations to passengers, the licensing authority, and the tasking firm.”

Southampton City Council confirmed “significant improvements” were made.

A spokesperson said: “Following the cancellation of the operator licences for Cab My Ride, Aryvo and Bitterne Cars undertook significant improvements in various areas of their business.

“The licensing authority felt they were then fit and proper to operate and felt able to allow the appeal.

"Neither party made applications for costs by consent, therefore, no award of costs was made.“

Do you really need a training program to actually use licensed vehicles?

And is the director who resigned in 2020 really no longer involved in the firm?

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IDFIMH