Taxi Driver Online

Black boxes for cabs

Taxi drivers say too many cars are being given licenses.

And they believe this is partly to blame for some drivers struggling to cope with the cost of repairs to their cabs.

Stuart Hays, who runs taxi trade magazine UpFront, said: "There are too many taxis being given licenses. There should be loads if everyone working is going to get enough money. But what's happening now is drivers who maybe used to earn £100 are pulling in £60.

"So that means at the end of the month is it comes between paying your mortgage or buying a new tyre, it's always going to be the mortgage."

Mr Hays, a driver in Gateshead, also wants CCTV fitted inside every taxi. He added: "They have done it in Sydney, and it has reduced crime and the number of rapes dramatically.

"All the footage is stored in a black box that only the police has access to and it records every image and sound."

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Councils know best? This is a typical example of what happens when you remove numbers control without a rigid policy on quality controls of "drivers" or "vehicles". The Gateshead Taxi trade should have got their act together a long time ago and long before the council lifted restrictions. If Mr Hayes was a part of the Taxi trade when the council lifted numbers then he is partly to blame for not working with the council to ensure removal of quantity controls were balanced with adequate quality controls?



Perhaps Mr. Hayes should heed the words of another Gateshead driver Mick Pollard who said"the world doesn't owe him a living".

Whats stopping Mr. Hayes buying a plate in Newcastle if he can't make it pay in Gateshead?

Cap? The next time you write in upfront magazine could you ask Mr. Hayes if he believes he and his colleagues are the only ones that have the right to drive their own cab in Gateshead?



Don't we all? Government best practice says we should have the right to install CCTV, perhaps someone should apply for CCTV and if their reasonable request is refused by the licensing committee they can take the council to court and see what a magistrate thinks?

If Mr. Hayes wishes he can print these comments in his Upfront magazine.

Regards

JD

No, councils are best placed to decide.

Maybe the Gateshead trade were not afforded the opportunity, indeed, it is perhaps incorrect to blame the existing situation for a time when they may not have been involved.



I understand that the trade in Gateshead are working with their local authority to ensure higher standards in terms of both vehicles and drivers.



I understand Mr Hayes is having a degree of success with regards to the issue of CCTV, and I am sure we will be advised in due course.

regards

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

There was talk about installing black boxes to reduce insurance premiums, I think it would be a good idea to reduce costs, as long as the insurance company pays for the installation

NU are starting to install this PAYG insurance in our area - all the traffic lights are sprouting attenea etc. all it seems to be doing round here is blocking our frequencies and %^&$^&* people off!

And just to throw something else in - plane, train, car etc. if the black box always survives - 1. why are they yellow and 2. why can't the whole car be built of the same material?